The Coalition of Oyo North Youth Organizations (CONYO) successfully held its much-anticipated Capacity Building Programme on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Golden Class Hotel and Suites, Saki, Oyo State. It features all the representatives across 13 local government of Oyo North Senatorial District.
The project was a three-faceted designed with advocacy, research and capacity building incorporated. The advocacy visit featured all the traditional rulers, stakeholder in the zone, and religious leaders.
The programme Themed “Facilitating Improved Local Governance and Legislative Representation in Oyo North Senatorial District,” the event brought together youth leaders, civil society actors, and governance advocates across Oyo North to build knowledge and share ideas on effective local governance and advocacy strategies.
In his opening remarks, Samad A. Adewale, the project lead and a community development advocate, emphasized the importance of empowering community-based organizations (CBOs) to play strategic roles in local governance.
This was followed by a speech from the project co-initiator and President of the Saki Youth Organization (SYO), Kazeem O. Oladejo, who spoke passionately about the need for youth coalitions to unite in influencing policy outcomes at the grassroots level.
The program featured three major sessions “Roles of CBOs in Advancing Change at the Local Level” presented virtually by Kamal Afolabi, a leadership development consultant. He highlighted how CBOs can bridge governance gaps and influence positive development outcomes in rural communities.
Also, “Role and Responsibilities of Local Government and Legislative Representation” was delivered physically by Mahfuz Alabidun, who outlined the constitutional functions of local government officials and how constituents can demand accountability.
In his part, Ismail Opeyemi, a research and development consultant, talked on Evidence-Based Advocacy, Communication, and Stakeholders Engagement. His virtual presentation stressed the need for data-backed advocacy and effective communication strategies in civic campaigns.
Each session was followed by interactive Q\&A segments, allowing participants to engage with the facilitators and share perspectives.
The event concluded with the unveiling of the CONYO Project Report by the Project Management Team (PMT) which includes Daranijo Habeeb, Communication Manager of the CONYO, Abelere Grace, Finance Officer and other local government representatives, marking a new phase of strategic advocacy and engagement across the senatorial district.
The programme was sponsored by LEAP Africa, Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF), and MacArthur Foundation, underscoring the role of donor support in grassroots governance interventions.
With strong representation from youth organizations and key facilitators, the CONYO Capacity Building Programme set the tone for more inclusive and responsive governance in Oyo North.
