Obi Meets Commonwealth Chief Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Calls for Greater Investment in Youth Empowerment, Education, and Democracy
Our Meeting with the Commonwealth Chief on Youth Empowerment, Education, and Democracy Yesterday Thursday 16th October, my dearest wife and I met with the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at the Commonwealth Headquarters in London.
Our discussions centred on promoting democracy, deepening the rule of law, expanding access to education, and empowering young people across Commonwealth nations. With over 2.5 billion of the Commonwealth’s population under the age of 30, young people remain the organisation’s greatest asset and hope for the future. I emphasised that for Nigeria, a nation richly endowed with human and natural resources, meaningful investment in education, innovation, and entrepreneurship is key to unlocking the vast potential of our youth. When properly equipped, our young people will not only drive national development but also contribute significantly to global progress.
I further noted that youth unemployment remains one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Addressing it requires intentional and practical action — through skills development, access to quality education, and the creation of an enabling environment for small and medium-scale enterprises to thrive. Hon. Botchwey, the first African woman to lead the 56-member Commonwealth, reaffirmed that her top priorities include education, youth engagement, and employment creation.
She spoke passionately about the need to build inclusive societies that promote democracy, good governance, justice, and equal opportunity for all. Her visionary, reform-minded leadership continues to amplify the voices of developing nations within the Commonwealth and inspire greater cooperation among member states. She also stressed that empowering young people is not only vital to sustaining democracy but also indispensable to shaping a stable, peaceful, and prosperous future for all Commonwealth citizens.
Her commitment to youth inclusion, education, and institutional reform reflects the enduring values of the Commonwealth. I commended Hon. Botchwey for her dynamic and inspiring leadership, describing her as a trailblazer whose dedication to education, youth empowerment, and democratic ideals strengthens the global Commonwealth community. I remain confident that with leaders like her, the Commonwealth will continue to serve as a beacon of unity, hope, and shared progress for its member nations.