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Support policy makers for national development, Osinbajo tasks think tanks

Published

6 years ago

October 21, 2019

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday called on Nigerian think tanks to support policy makers, and champion the right course toward providing workable solutions for national development.

Osinbajo gave the advice at a round-table on Strategic Think Tanks in Nigeria in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme, organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), is entitled: “Re-positioning Think Tanks for Effective Engagement in Public Policy.”

It was aimed at having a robust recommendation toward a better society.

Osinbajo, who was represented on the occasion by Mr Akin Soetan, Special Technical Adviser to the Vice-President on Economic Matters, said that the position of think tanks was relevant to the development of any nation.

According to him, think tanks must enhance their relevance and provide workable solutions, by collaborating with policy makers.

“ The key issue is that the think tanks should be able to analyse and engage the policy makers and policy analysts, on the key areas of governance.

“ They should do this in their different specialisations; we can get what they need to do, to advance the country.

“ We need them to engage more than just the traditional government partners; but to also engage the public to monitor and evaluate, as long as their research findings are highly beneficial,’’ he said.

The vice-president, therefore, charged policy makers to adopt relevant decisions by the think tanks, and mainstream them into their activities, for the progress of the country.

Also, Prof. Habu Galadima, Director-General, NIPSS, in an address, said that the institute had over time, served as capacity extension of government, by opening up new perspectives of framing and analysing issues.

Galadima noted that the institute had contributed immensely to the development of the country, particularly by providing evidence-based research, to support policy and the development of the country.

He said it had also provided leadership to other think tanks, while also adopting the best brains in the country to discuss and exchange ideas on how to provide quality input into the decision-making process.

“The environment we live today is becoming more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, that challenges the imagination of think tanks all over the world.

“Think tank poses the ability to broker ideas, stimulate public debate and offer creative, yet practical solutions to tackle myriad problems.

“ They have the challenge of constantly mobilising their expertise and networks, to continuously get ideas into government agenda.

“Think tanks have evolved beyond mere research institutions into opinion creators, and constantly casting light on policy issues, analysing and measuring their impact and getting into policy,’’ he said.

Galadima, therefore, called for the re-positioning of the think tanks, to support government at all levels in decision-making process.

“The whole idea is to re-position all the think tanks, especially think tanks at the strategic level, to support government policy to help engage in policy making processes.

“And also to write evidence-based research, to support government in this period where we are experiencing changes in virtually every part of our lives.

“It has, therefore, become necessary for all strategic think tanks to re-position themselves, to provide innovative ways of dealing with many of the challenges we face currently,’’ he said.

Similarly, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, emphasised the need for think tanks to critically assess their roles in policy making.

Mustapha, who was represented at the event by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary, General Services, called on the think tanks to re-position themselves to chart a new course for the development of the country.

“In most developed countries, think tanks work closely with government to provide ideas; but in some developing countries, government remain sceptical, which affects economic policies that are created.

“Nigeria has realised the important role of the think tanks, but the issue remains the extent to which think tanks are utilised; because their roles are not optimally utilised.

Mustapha pledged the readiness of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to support the policy development process through the recommendations from the conference.

Dr Samsudeen Usman, Former Minister of Budget and National Planning, called on the government to appreciate, recognise and reward the think tanks faculty in the country.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) were created by law, to perform the role of think tanks.

Others are the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and NIPSS. (NAN)

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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