We Can’t Govern a 21st-Century Nation With 18th-Century Methods – FCC

The Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Kayode Oladele, has urged the Nigerian public service to abandon outdated administrative practices, stating that the country “cannot continue to govern a 21st-century nation with 18th-century methods.”

He made the remark on Monday at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, where he declared open a workshop and portal training for Desk Officers of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. The Commission organised the programme in partnership with the Pyrich Group of Companies.

Oladele stated that the shift to digital governance was no longer optional, emphasising that paper files, manual ledgers, and slow verification systems had hindered efficiency for decades. “The world has moved on, and so must we,” he told participants.

He described the FCC’s Online Nominal Roll Portal as a significant step toward faster, more innovative and more transparent operations. The new platform will enable MDAs to submit real-time personnel data, thereby reducing delays and enhancing accountability.

The chairman linked the initiative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, specifically targeting an 80 per cent computer literacy rate among civil servants by 2026.

According to him, the Commission’s core mandate of promoting fairness and equitable representation depends heavily on credible data supplied by MDAs. Desk Officers, he noted, remain “the bridge” between institutions and the Commission. “When the data is reliable, the Commission can act decisively to uphold the spirit of federal balance,” he said.

Meanwhile, the acting Executive Chairman of the FCC, Hon Kayode Oladele, has called for deeper collaboration between the Commission and Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), stating that universities remain central to promoting fairness, inclusion, and national unity.

Oladele appealed during a courtesy visit to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman.

He said the visit was part of the Commission’s broader engagement drive aimed at strengthening partnerships with tertiary institutions nationwide. According to him, the FCC’s constitutional mandate, as outlined in Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Character Commission Establishment Act, places the agency at the forefront of efforts to ensure equitable representation, fairness in public appointments, and balanced access to socioeconomic opportunities.

“Universities shape attitudes, challenge stereotypes and nurture civic values,” Oladele said, adding that NSUK occupies a strategic place in Nigeria’s diversity conversation. He noted that when students from different backgrounds learn and work together in an atmosphere of fairness, they help reinforce national integration.

Oladele also highlighted the Commission’s ongoing reform agenda under the Renewed Hope administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These reforms include a Digital Recruitment Monitoring and Nominal Roll Portal designed to improve compliance and data integrity among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

He further disclosed that the Commission is partnering with select institutions to establish a Federal Character Research and Documentation Centre, which will support policy research, civic education, and monitoring. Universities like NSUK, he said, can contribute empirical studies, policy papers and data that guide the government’s equity-driven development strategies.