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APC Rising Leaders Fellowship: Marwa, Onyeagba, Shagaya, Ojudu, Abiola to Head 1700 Nationwide Application Review Committee
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Burundi, HE Elijah Onyeagba; DG Citizen and Leadership Center, Rinsola Abiola; Executive Director, Galaxy Backbone Hon Segun Olulade; Former SSA to President Buhari Mr Wole Aboderin; SSA to the President on Community Engagement Southwest, Moremi Ojudu; ED North Central Development Commission, Princess Atika Ajana; Founder of WFM Toun Okewale Sonaiya; SSA to the President on Entrepreneurship Development Chalya Shagaya are among the 170 chairpersons and members of the shortlist committee to review over 1700 applications received from young Nigerians nationwide for the Rising Progressive Young Leaders Fellowship (RPLF).
The Rising Progressive Leaders Fellowship (RPLF) is a flagship and elite leadership development initiative of the Progressive School of Politics, Leadership and Statecraft (PSPLS) – the human capital development arm of the APC National Youth Wing, purposefully designed to produce the best of the best, a new cadre of high value, governance ready young leaders prepared for public sector leadership and national service.
Other committee chairpersons and members includes Mr Bode Olugbore; Hon Ife Adebayo; Dr Sanusi Ohiare; Mr Kingsley Mordi; Barr Zainab Buba Marwa; Mr Abu Andrew; Engr Prof Abubakar Sadiq Zubair, Hon Ginika Tor and more.
According to the APC National Youth Leader, Dr Dayo Israel, the Fellowship targets exceptional emerging leaders with the capacity to contribute meaningfully to governance today, while being deliberately groomed to shape leadership and statecraft tomorrow. It is structured as a rigorous, immersive, and transformational experience that combines intellectual depth, practical exposure, and elite mentorship to prepare the next generation of progressive leaders for roles across the public sector, political institutions, and policy making spaces.
“RPLF is delivered as a high intensity, cohort based fellowship, featuring a residential component that removes participants from everyday distractions and places them in a focused environment of learning, reflection, collaboration, and leadership formation. This immersive model fosters discipline, peer bonding, critical thinking, and a deep appreciation of the demands of public leadership and service in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, the APC Youth Leader, concluded.
Other members of the committee includes: SA to the Vice President Hon Ahmed Ningi; SSA to the President Mrs Abiodun Essiet; Hon Abu Sidiq; Hon Mrs Nana Hauwa; Hajia Jemilah Shuaibu; Sheefah Zarma; Hon Onyeka Nwafor; Maryam Illyasu Gwarzo; Queen Zarah Onyinye; Engr Anjo Obande; Shehu Huseini Kollere; Dr Muhammed Yahaz; Chidinma Makachukwu; Gbenga Saka; Hon Ibrahim Alli Balogun; Mr Muyiwa Adebola; Hon Onyambo; Arabirin Aderonke Atoyebi; Segun Tomori; Theresa Tekanah; Abida Rabo; Jason Baba Kwaghe; Lamir Umar Ibrahim; Ochanya Okoh; Zubair Aliyu; Yewande Bisiolu; Gambo Manzo; Martha Agba; Melycent C. Reis; Abdul Haruna Danja; Olumide Olaniyan; Eng Ibrahim; Esther Oyeyinka; Jamilu Yusuf Yola; Saidu Malagi; Lamide Lawal; Mark Hamation; Bashir Ahmad; Kasha Musa Illiya; Ummi Uki Yusuf; Yetunde Gold; Imram Mohammed; Mohammed Tambura and many more.
The Fellowship draws on a distinguished faculty and resource network comprising former governors, former ministers, senior public servants, seasoned legislators, private sector leaders, policy experts, and thought leaders. Fellows benefit from direct interaction with serving and former senior government officials across both the legislative and executive arms of government, providing rare insight into real-world governance, policy negotiation, political leadership, and institutional decision making.
The committee is broken down into a 17 set of 10 man committee to review 100 applications each and shortlist to 350 which would proceed to the next stage of physical interviews to be conducted by former Governors of the party, agency heads and other senior leaders.
Beyond classroom instruction, the Fellowship emphasizes experiential learning, leadership simulations, policy labs, fireside conversations, and high level engagements that expose fellows to the realities of power, responsibility, and service. Participants are challenged intellectually, ethically, and practically ensuring that the Fellowship experience is not only instructive but life transforming.
The application review process will commence on Wednesday, January 27, 2026, while further updates on the review exercise and final selection process will be communicated in due course.
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IMO @50: Remembering Chief John Anyaehie (Toyota Crown), the Multibillionaire Who Co-Founded Nigeria’s First Airline and Built Men Across Generations
Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, PhD
Before Imo reached the milestone of the golden jubilee anniversary of its creation, there had been men who did not just hit gold, but also gave numerous men the tool for mining their own gold. Chief John Richard Anyaehie, of the Toyota Crown West Africa fame, was a man of notable personal wealth, but, if it were just about wealth, he might have as well passed on like every other mortal, but he was a man of means who gave many men the means to make their own wealth.
Renowned for his massive wealth as well as his philanthropy, Chief Richard Anyaehie was conferred with the title of the Lord Mayor of Nkwere ancient kingdom. Notable for his trailblazing exploits in business and as well as availing the younger ones and his numerous mentees of notable business opportunities and support, which earned him the title of Omhereuzo of Orlu, which literally means; the one who opens the road for others to pass through.
Chief John Anyaehie’s deliberate investments in human capital development from the early 70s when he was among West Africa’s wealthiest businessmen, is partly responsible for Imo State’s high per capita when compared to other States. For over four decades, the Lord Mayor of Nkwere invested in the education of numerous people and assisted many others to attain enviable successes in business, creating many millionaires along the way.
Chief John Anyaehie was renowned for his interests in wide ranging businesses, including, in the automobile industry, which earned him the alias of “Toyota Crown”, because of his sole agency or distributorship right with the foremost Japanese automobile manufacturing company. He also played pioneering roles in the establishment of some of Nigeria’s earliest commercial banks, and held majority shares in these banks which include ; the defunct African Continental Bank (ACB), Hallmark Bank, and also Diamond Bank. He was a key player in the Real Estate industry and the manufacturing sector, where he established and owned Richards Paints, a paint manufacturing company and Richards foams, for the production of mattresses, etc.
Chief Anyaehie was driven more by the thirst to create more opportunities for people than for his own personal economic advancement, hence, his venture into various industries, where he created thousands of direct and indirect jobs and multiple business and wealth opportunities for people, especially, Ndigbo and especially, people of present day Imo State.
The history of Nigeria’s aviation industry will not be complete without a good mention of his name. According to the First Republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi;
“One significant thing I will say that many people did not know is that the first indigenous airline that was to run in Nigeria was known as Standard Airways. This Airline was formed in 1966 by a company formed by Igwe Peter Ezenwa, from Oba and had on the board; Joe Nwankwu, from Abagana, Edward Evo from Ezinihite, all from Anambra State; John Anyaehie from Nkwere, in Imo State; and my humble self, Mbazulike Amaechi,…”
Although the Nigeria-Biafra civil war of 1967-70 scuppered the takeoff of the airline, the foresight of the individuals involved in the conceptualisation of the airline cannot be forgotten and should not be erased from the history books. They merit the credit for showing that it was possible to open an indigenous airline, and it is to the credit of their vision that we have many indigenous airlines in Nigeria today.
As we mark the golden jubilee of Imo’s creation, there is no doubt that Chief John Richard Anyaehie, the Lord Mayor of Nkwere, deserves a central place in the Imo Hall of Fame, which is set to be unveiled by the governor of Imo State, His Excellency Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, CON.
IMO IS GREAT!
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