The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, has charged young women in the country to shun corruption and direct their creative energy towards promoting integrity, hard work and national development.
He gave the charge on Sunday, August 23, 2026, in his goodwill message at the graduation and award ceremony of African Girl Guide, AGG, 12-Week Leadership Exposure Programme, held in Abuja, with the theme, “Leading Beyond the Programme: Sustaining Purpose, Influence, and Impact.”
Represented by the Head of the Commission’s Enlightenment and Reorientation Unit, Assistant Commander of EFCC, ACE II Aisha Mohammed, Olukoyede noted that the training given to the graduates had prepared them for positive contributions to society.
“Your theme is exactly what Nigeria needs. In EFCC, we fight the ‘yahoo yahoo’ and the ‘get-rich-quick’ mentality that is destroying many of our youth. But we know law enforcement alone is not enough; we need home training; we need the Girl Guide training. In EFCC, we know that corruption starts with a compromise of character. And character is what you are building here,” he said.
He urged the graduates to lead with purpose, use their influence positively and say no to fraudulent activities, shortcuts, examination malpractice and bribery.
“Be the girl who says no to fraud, no to shortcuts, and yes to hard work. Your influence is powerful when you pool it together,” he said.
While charging them to be women of integrity in every sphere of life, the EFCC boss assured them of the Commission’s continued collaboration with youth organisations towards creating opportunities for young people to positively harness their talents, stating that “Nigeria’s future is in your hands, and we are counting on you to be women of integrity in school, in business, in government and in the home.”
On his part, the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, urged the graduates to embrace integrity, confidence, courage, responsibility and continuous learning as essential qualities of leadership.
Represented by Margaret Yenami, the Deputy Director, Abuse Rights Narcotics Department of NOA, Issa-Onilu pointed out that the National Values Charter was designed to reconnect Nigerians to the values that define the nation, noting that leadership remained one of the Charter’s key principles.
“Leadership is not all about wielding authority, giving command, or giving orders. It is all about your ability to create positive change, do what is right and inspire others,” he said. He charged the graduates to represent Nigeria positively wherever they found themselves.
Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, described AGG as a critical partner in the fight against human trafficking and other forms of abuse.
Bello, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Public Enlightenment, Kehinde Akomolafe, noted that the programme had empowered girls with knowledge and confidence to protect themselves and others from exploitation.
She charged the young women to know their rights, protect their dreams and become guides to others.
Founder of the African Girl Guide, Jindu Peter Elueze, expressed appreciation to government agencies, partners, parents and other stakeholders for supporting the programme.
Elueze, who observed the importance of empowering women and girls, stated that “The value of a woman should not be underestimated.”
He described the programme as a journey of transformation and empowerment, and expressed confidence that the participants had been equipped to make meaningful contributions to society.
Part of the high point of the programme was the award of “Distinguished Integrity” and “Legacy Advocacy” bestowed on Olukoyede in recognition of his “outstanding commitment to integrity, ethical leadership, accountability, and valuable contribution to inspiring young women to become principled and responsible leaders through the African Girl Guide.”
