By Abdulrahman Aliagan, Abuja.
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi is an illustrious Nigerian journalist, politician and philanthropist who has made significant contributions to the development of Nigeria. Over the years, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi has demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment and dedication to his work, as well as an unwavering commitment to the betterment of Nigerian society.
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi’s journey to success began in the 1990s when he commenced his career as a journalist with the now-defunct ‘The Comet Newspaper.’ His insightful journalism and incisive reporting on major issues were among the reasons why he is widely regarded as one of the best journalists in Nigeria. Abdullahi remained in the journalism industry for a while until he ventured into politics.
As a politician, Abdullahi’s rise to fame began when he was appointed as a Special Adviser, Policy and Strategy as well as Special Assistant, Communications and Strategy under the administration of Governor Bukola Saraki as the two terms Governor of Kwara State. Meanwhile, before his political trajectory, Bolaji was the Deputy Editor Sunday with ThisDay Newspapers in Lagos.
Following the PDP’s victory in the state, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi was appointed Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Kwara state during the same administration of Dr. Bukola Saraki. It was on the record that Kwara State exited Educationally Disadvantage status during his tenure as Commissioner.
As a Commissioner for Education, his mandate was to reposition Kwara state’s educational sector and ensure that more Kwarans citizens had access to quality education. As the head of the Education Ministry, Malam Abdullahi quickly identified the challenges facing the state educational sector and immediately set to work resolving them.
For his tenure as the Honourable Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi’s achievements include the following:
- Successful implementation of school registration and revalidation policy.
- Resuscitation of Teachers training and retraining.
- Formulation of Policies to ensure greater access to Education for All Kwarans
Under Malam Bolaji Abdullahi’s leadership at the Ministry of Education, he championed one of the most comprehensive education reforms in the country and launched the flagship Every Child Counts, that brought hundreds of children back to public school. The programme that aimed at making it easier for all Kwara’s children of school age are able to register for schooling. He also pioneered the reestablishment of the Kwara Teachers’ training, which seeks to enhance the training and certification of teachers in the state.
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi’s efforts have been pivotal in changing the narrative surrounding the Kwara Educational System, and he has been celebrated by the Kwarans and Nigerian public for his groundbreaking work in the sector.
The brilliant and outspoken Malam Bolaji Abdullahi was also appointed as Minister of Youth and Sports by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011. Bolaji was doubled as Chairman National Sports Commission where he won Under 17 World Cup for Nigeria for the 4th time, he also won the African Athletics Championship and reformed Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) by establishing the League Management Company (LMC) and signed Broadcast Right Agreement with Super Sports worth of 4million USD.
During his tenure, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi successfully revamped and restructured the sporting industry in Nigeria, with the highlight being Nigeria’s outing at the 2012 London Olympics. He also initiated programs that encouraged Nigerian youths to embrace sports as a means of employment and career opportunities. For these efforts, he was widely applauded by the Nigerian public and lauded as a visionary leader.
Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi’s main achievements in the sport industry include the following:
- Successful revamping and restructuring the Nigerian Sporting industry.
- Instituting programs to encourage Nigerian youths to participate in sports.
- Great performance by Nigeria’s sporting contingents under his watch.
One of the hallmarks of Bolaji Abdullahi’s tenure as the Minister of Youth and Sports was the consistent delivery of medal and trophy winning sporting feats by Nigeria. His passion for the development of Nigerian Sport was not just limited to government initiatives; he also made a personal commitment to patronise sporting events and always ensured that the Nigerian contingent was adequately represented at global sporting events.
For Bolaji Abdullahi, it’s always about human development, in education, youth deelopment and entrepreneurship. he believes that our youth needs to be empowered beyond what we are doing at the moment. According Bolaji in an interview, “Look, there’s a whole world of digital literacy, digital technology and digital economy going on. You don’t even need a university degree to connect to that economy.
“I believe that we are still lagging behind, I believe, I can unlock that space where you’ll become more productive and you don’t need more than school certificate to participate in that economy and it is so verse that people can connect at different levels, that is one.”
However, he resigned in November 2014 to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC) as their spokesperson. His decision to join the APC was one that turned out to be significant in his political career.
As the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi led the party’s media and communication campaign, which ultimately saw the party take over power from the incumbent People’s Democratic Party in 2015. Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi’s excellent organizational and communication skills were instrumental in the success of the APC’s strategy, which was to make a change that Nigerians could believe in.
One of Alhaji Bolaji Abdullahi’s legacies as the National Publicity Secretary of APC was his tireless commitment to communication and the media. He understood the value of an efficient communication department, and through his efforts, the APC communication team was able to connect with Nigerians on a profound level, which ultimately led to victory at the polls.