African Students Clinch Top Honours as KDI School Graduates New Global Policy Leaders

By: Michael Mike

African students were among the standout performers as the KDI School of Public Policy and Management held its 2025 Commencement Ceremony, reinforcing the institution’s growing role in shaping a new generation of global policy leaders committed to ethical governance and sustainable development.

The award recipients included Stephen Ojegbola from Nigeria, who earned the Academic Excellence Achievement Award in Intellectual Property and Development Policy.

Speaking at the ceremony in Sejong, the Dean of KDI School, Professor Joon-Kyung Kim, congratulated the graduating class on what he described as a hard-earned achievement, while urging them to prepare for greater responsibilities ahead.

“Today is a day to take pride in how far you have come. After hardship comes happiness, but beyond one mountain lies another mountain. You are now part of our global KDI community of over 73,000 alumni across 143 countries, and wherever you go, you belong to something bigger,” Prof. Kim said.

The Dean highlighted KDI School’s global standing, noting that it was the first institution in Korea to receive the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) accreditation twice and that it has been recognised for the fifth consecutive year as an excellent institution by the Korean Ministry of Education.

He added that KDI ranked in the global 51+ tier for Social Policy and Administration in the 2025 QS World University Rankings by Subject and placed second worldwide in citations per paper.

He however stressed that the true measure of success lay beyond rankings and awards, insisting that: “More important than accolades is what you take with you—the skills to use data, the values to serve others and the commitment to improve the world around you,” describing Korea’s development experience as a roadmap to sustainable development for emerging economies.

In a keynote address, the Ambassador of Rwanda to the Republic of Korea, Bakuramutsa Nkubito Manzi, charged graduates to embrace collaboration in addressing complex global challenges.

He said: “The era of isolated policy-making is over. Climate change, global health security and rising inequality demand cooperation, empathy and intellectual humility. Your success in public service will not be measured by profit, but by impact.”

He added that KDI training had equipped graduates with the ability to analyse policy through the lens of public good and ethical governance, urging them to become “solution makers, not just problem identifiers,” inspired by Korea’s transformation known as the Miracle on the Han River.

Several other African students received academic awards for exceptional performance at the ceremony. Alinafe Yoyola of Malawi (Master of Development Policy), Alieu Ceesay of The Gambia (Master of Data Science for Public Policy and Management) and Mustapha Colley of The Gambia (Master of Public Policy) won the Academic Excellence Achievement Award, while Pamela Mwale of Malawi, a Master of Public Policy graduate, earned a place on the Dean’s List.

Also, Nander Esmeralda Ndam (Master in Intellectual Property and Development Policy) from Nigeria and Samson Garama Dadu (Master of Public Policy) from Kenya received awards for Student Community Service.

Reflecting on his experience, Ojegbola said he chose KDI School for its unique partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

He said: “This programme links intellectual property directly to development policy. Everything here is intentionally designed to bring the best out of students, and the experience challenged me to grow beyond my expectations.”

Another graduate, Muyama Christine from Uganda, described her journey as demanding but transformative. “Policy works not when it assumes self-sufficiency, but when it recognises interdependence,” she said, adding that her time at KDI had shown her the power of community and shared purpose.

African Students Clinch Top Honours as KDI School Graduates New Global Policy Leaders

NUJ Calls for Collaboration to Realize Affordable House for Journalists

By: Michael Mike

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Congress
has renewed its call for stronger collaboration with government and housing finance institutions to improve access to decent housing for journalists, as stakeholders gathered for the 2025 Housing Industry End-of-Year Dinner and the 17th Africa Housing Awards in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the NUJ FCT Chairman, Grace Ike praised the organisers for sustaining a platform that brings together policy makers, financiers, housing professionals and the media to address Nigeria’s housing challenges.

Ike, while giving special commendation to the Chief Executive Officer of Housing TV Show, Barrister Festus Adebayo, for his consistent advocacy for affordable housing and his support for journalism through media-focused housing conversations, asked for collaborations to get affordable houses for journalists practicing in Abuja

Ike, who acknowledged the presence of key government officials, including the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Housing from Namibia, and the Managing Director of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria at the award ceremony, described the gathering as a rare convergence of decision-makers capable of translating policy into impact.

She noted that platforms such as Housing TV Show have amplified journalists’ voices on housing issues, while also helping to shape public understanding of affordable housing policies. She described journalists as partners in national development whose work helps strengthen transparency, accountability and social stability.

During the event, NUJ FCT Chairman announced the rebranding of the Union’s internal projects aimed at expanding housing advocacy, media empowerment and strategic partnerships. According to her, the rebranding is designed to position journalists for greater participation in housing initiatives and to attract collaboration from government agencies, financial institutions and private developers.

A major highlight of the address was a renewed appeal to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development to fulfil the promise of a Journalists’ Village, a proposed housing scheme aimed at providing journalists in the FCT with stable and affordable homes.

She said the project would not only improve journalists’ welfare but also strengthen ethical reporting and peace-building by giving media professionals greater personal security.

She expressed optimism that with the support of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, the proposed housing project could become a reality by 2026.

She appealed to journalists to unite behind the initiative and work closely with policy makers and financiers to turn commitments into completed housing units.

The evening ended on a note of optimism, with speakers stressing that collaboration between government, the private sector and the media remains critical to addressing Nigeria’s housing needs and building a more inclusive future.

NUJ Calls for Collaboration to Realize Affordable House for Journalists

UNODC Advocates Inclusion of PWDs in Crime Prevention and Security Strategies

By: Michael Mike

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for stronger inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s crime prevention and security strategies, warning that exclusion weakens national responses to transnational organised crime.

This call was made during a Stakeholder Dialogue on Crime Prevention and Transnational Threats, held at the UN House in Abuja as part of activities marking the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).

In his opening remarks, the UNODC Deputy Representative, Danilo Campisi emphasized that disability inclusion must move beyond symbolic recognition to become a core component of policy design, data collection, and implementation.

He noted that inclusive governance is a human right and a prerequisite for sustainable development and effective security frameworks.

The dialogue brought together representatives from government ministries, disability-focused institutions, civil society organisations, international partners and the UN system. Participants included officials from the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, disability rights groups, and associations representing persons with hearing and visual impairments.

Campisi highlighted UNODC’s ongoing efforts to promote disability inclusion in Nigeria, including a disability inclusion workshop held in December 2024 for UN staff and national partners, as well as outreach engagements with disability organisations to improve awareness on drugs and crime-related issues.

Addressing the growing threat of transnational organised crime, the Deputy Representative noted that Nigeria continues to face risks from drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, arms smuggling and other illicit activities that undermine national security and social cohesion. However, the impact of these crimes, he said, is not evenly distributed.

Citing data from the UN Disability and Development Report 2024, the UNODC disclosed that about 87 per cent of persons with disabilities in Nigeria live in multidimensional poverty, making them particularly vulnerable to exploitation, recruitment and victimisation by organised criminal networks. Despite this vulnerability, their experiences are often missing from crime prevention policies and national security discussions.

The dialogue was described as a critical step toward closing this gap. Campisi explained that through UNODC’s Global Programme on Implementing the Organized Crime Convention (GLOTOC), it supports countries in developing inclusive national strategies against organised crime in line with the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).

He noted that UNODC has also developed a toolkit to help governments mainstream gender and human rights, including disability inclusion, into crime prevention strategies.

Participants were informed that insights from persons with disabilities and their representative organisations would directly inform Nigeria’s emerging national strategy against organised crime, including its objectives, implementation framework and monitoring mechanisms.

The UNODC Deputy Representative stressed that effective security strategies require listening to those most affected by crime. HE urged policymakers and institutions to ensure that the voices of persons with disabilities are embedded in national responses—not as a formality, but as a necessity for justice and effectiveness.

The UNODC reaffirmed its commitment to disability-inclusive justice and security systems, aligned with the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, Nigeria’s Disability Act of 2018, and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 16 on peace, justice and strong institutions.

On his part, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Needs and Equal Opportunities, Hon. Mohammed Abba Isa noted that: “This dialogue could not have come at a more appropriate time. It aligns with the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, with the theme: “Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.” This theme reminds us that true social progress is impossible without deliberately protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring that no one is left behind.”

He charged that: “We must never forget that PWDs are disproportionately affected by organized crime. They already face multiple barriers- physical, attitudinal, cultural, and institutional. Many experience social exclusion, unemployment, and limited financial opportunities. These conditions create vulnerability, making them more likely to be targeted or manipulated by criminal networks.”

He noted that PWDs particularly women, girls and children with special needs are often the worst-affected victims of organized crime and transnational threats, lamenting that their vulnerabilities expose them to exploitation, manipulation, and violence in ways that are deeply troubling.

Stakeholders at the meeting expressed optimism that sustained engagement and inclusive policymaking would strengthen Nigeria’s response to organised crime while protecting the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities.

UNODC Advocates Inclusion of PWDs in Crime Prevention and Security Strategies