By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

ABUJA — Calls for leadership renewal and the restoration of trust among Nigerians took center stage on Saturday as the Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA) held its 46th Plenary Session in Abuja, urging a return to the founding ideals of national unity through education.

With the theme “Politics and Governance: USOSA’s Role in the Nigeria Project,” the plenary provided a platform for reflection on how governance challenges and leadership gaps have eroded both the vision of Unity Colleges and Nigeria’s collective identity.

Delivering the keynote address, former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, described the Unity Schools initiative as “one of the most visionary investments ever made by the Nigerian government.”

He said the country’s greatest challenge today was not merely economic or educational, but moral—rooted in the loss of mutual trust among citizens.

“The greatest challenge facing Nigeria today is a trust deficit. We have lost confidence in one another. Without restoring mutual trust and faith in our shared destiny, nation-building will remain elusive,” Chukwu cautioned.

He urged leaders and alumni to lead by example through integrity and accountability, emphasizing that Nigerians are “willing followers when they trust their leaders.”

USOSA President-General, Mr. Michael Magaji, lamented the steady deterioration of Unity Colleges—once symbols of excellence and national cohesion—citing poor infrastructure, declining teaching standards, and inadequate teacher welfare.

“Education and health are the twin pillars of any prosperous society,” Magaji said. “If we want to rebuild this nation, we must rebuild the minds that will lead it. That’s why Unity Schools must once again become models of learning excellence and good governance.”

He called on alumni networks to move beyond nostalgia and take active roles in public service and policy advocacy to influence meaningful change.

“Taxpayers invested so much in our education. Now it’s time to give back through service and leadership,” he added.

Echoing similar sentiments, Mr. Uyi Akpata, Chairman of the USOSA Board of Trustees and former President of the Nigeria Cricket Federation, stressed that Nigeria’s education revival must go hand in hand with national reorientation.

“Unity Schools were designed to bring Nigerians together, and that spirit must not be lost,” Akpata said. “Rebuilding classrooms is not enough; we must rebuild governance structures that promote transparency, accountability, and collaboration between government and alumni.”

He cited Rwanda’s public education reforms as evidence that African nations can successfully transform their school systems through technology and sustained policy implementation.

As the plenary drew to a close, USOSA members resolved to strengthen partnerships with government and reposition Unity Colleges as laboratories for leadership and national integration.

The gathering reinforced a deeper message—that Nigeria’s path to progress lies in rebuilding trust, renewing leadership, and restoring the unifying vision that once defined its educational system.