The Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre is a Parastatal in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports.
It is principally a human development outfit established for the training and moulding of Nigeria citizenry to become responsible and respectable citizens and leaders.
The Centre is by all indication the only informal educational institution in Nigeria that executes experiential and Outward Bound education. It provides citizenship and leadership training in an atmosphere in which self-discovery and self-actualization are evidently based on one’s competence and ability, irrespective of one’s origin, belief or class.
The Centre has unwaveringly provided practical training that has positively reshaped the character and orientation of many Nigerians who have passed through her in any form.
It is also the parent body of Man O’ War Commands which exist in all States of the Federation including the FCT and Railways.
HISTORY
The Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), is apparently one of the few surviving national Institutions established in pre-independence days of Nigeria (just like the Nigeria Police, The Prison, The Nigerian Railways, etc).
It was founded as Man O’ War Training Centre (at Man O’ War Bay, Southern Cameroon) in 1951, by the British Government as the second institution in the world to run Man O' War Training Course in community development and leadership. The course covers all sorts of people—clerks, schoolteachers, junior Government officials, etc.—anybody who thinks he might benefit from a course by developing powers of leadership and learning to take a prominent part in the country's affairs, akin to the ones run by the Outward Bound Centre in the Aberdovey (UK).
It provided training for personnel officers mostly from within the West African Sub-region and as required by the Home Government (British Empire) to service the various Governments and Institutions within the countries colonized by Britain.
The need to formulate a new sense of direction and approach to human development led to the establishment of training in citizenship and leadership ideals. To meet up with the new idea the Nigeria government organized experimental courses for young and newly employed administrative officers and social workers between the month of March and May 1957 at Awgu in the eastern part of the country (now in the present Enugu State).The result of this experiment was fruitful.
By 1960, after running series of courses at the Man O’ War Bay, the Centre was moved to Kurra Falls in the Plateau province (now Plateau State) when the Southern Cameroon through the United Nations organized plebiscite seceded from Nigeria.
At Nigeria’s independence, the then Prime Minister, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa christened it “CITIZENSHIP AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING CENTRE”. The Centre’s existence as a structure in government was given a statutory recognition in 1960 by an Act of Parliament published in the Extra – Ordinary Gazette No 45 Volume 47 of August 10, 1960. The Act has been updated by Decree No 38 of December 1989.
At its inception, programs where ran from a base on the foot of the Cameroon Mountains in Southern Cameroon. Later the training was moved to a location in Kura Falls, Nigeria (1963). From there, the Centre re-established Mountain School at Shere Hills, Jos. In line with the geographical divide of the country, a Training Unit was established Sea School at Apapa (Lagos) in 1964, paving way for one at the eastern zone Forest School, Port Harcourt, River State in 1977. A Women Unit of the Centre was established in 1975. This Unit was recently relocated to a permanent site at Otu - Jeremi, Delta State. The relocation was facilitated by the Delta State Government. The Centre also established the following Units in 2002; CLTC Desert School, Fika, Yobe State; CLTC RockLand School, Kotokorshi, Zamfara State and CLTC HillTop School, Agwu, Enugu State; thus ensuring the spread of its operations across the six geo-political zones of the country.
Effective from 2002, the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, was upgraded to Parastatal ‘A’ category and from that point, it has been headed by a Director General.
It must be noted that the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre was the first institute to operate on the principle of the Outward-Bound education outside the United Kingdom. But subsequent to its success, the idea spread rapidly to other parts of the world such as Kenya, Zambia, Malaysia, Germany, Australia, Canada, United States of America, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Zimbabwe etc.
THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE CENTRE
The Centre is made up of:
Headquarters Office located in Abuja with 5 Departments namely;
Human Resource Management Department
Training and Operations Department
Finance and Account Department
Planning, Research and Statistics Department
Procurement Department
Eight (8) Training Schools/Units namely:
Mountain School, Shere Hills, Jos - North Central
Sea School, Apapa, Lagos - South West
Forest School, Port Harcourt - South South
HillTop School, Awgu, Enugu - South East
Desert School, Fika, Yobe State - North East
RockLand School, kotorkorshi, Zamfara - North West
Women Unit, Otu-Jeremi, Delta State - South South
Mobile Unit, Headquarters, Abuja
The Man O’ War Organizations with
Man O War Nigeria National Command
36 Man O’ War Nigeria State Commands and FCT Command Abuja
Man O’ War Nigeria Railway Command
Man O’ War Clubs in Secondary Schools and Higher Institutions
CENTRE’S CORE VALUES
The Centre as an informal educational institution uses the challenges found in the environment to confront participants for the purpose of developing the core values of courage, trust, integrity, and compassion for others. In order to actualize the development of these core values, the Centre incorporate the following into its training programmes:
Character Development: Developing capabilities of the mind, body and soul to understand one’s responsibilities to self, others and community.
Adventure and Challenges: These are actions that require special efforts and exciting experience which involve uncertain outcomes but acceptable manageable risks.
Service and Compassion: This is a heartfelt caring connection to each other and the world around us. It is an expression of the value we place on our humanity, our diversity and the natural world.
Social and Environmental Responsibility: This inculcates in the participants a sense of integrity that results in choice and action that have a positive impact on society and the environment.
TARGET AUDIENCE/ BENEFACTORS
Nigerian from all sectors of the economy who benefit on the Centre’s Training include
Primary and Secondary School Students
Tertiary Institutions Students
The Military, Police, DSS, NIA and other Para-Military Formations
Public and private organization
Airline Operators
Man O War clubs and Command Members
Religious and Faith Based organization
All those in water related environment
Non - Government organizations and Youth organizations
Voluntary organizations and Vulnerable youths
National Youth Service Corps members(NYSC),
CENTRE’S COURSES
The Centre’s Courses are aimed at developing individual’s cooperation, initiative, communication skills, human control, management and a renewed sense of self-worth. Essentially adventure based, the Centre’s programmes use the challenges found in the natural environment of the location of the Training Schools to create fundamental noticeable behavioral changes in the participants.
The courses are classified under the following main categories:
Junior Courses
Intermediate Courses
Senior Course
Executive Courses
Women/Girls Course
Special course
CENTRE’S TRAINING ACTIVITIES
The type of training provided is a practical and experiential form of learning which is aimed at producing complete individuals who can make constructive use of his hand head and heart. It helps Nigerians who have benefited from the practical training methods to discover and develop their potentials to care for themselves, others and the community around them through challenging experiences in unfamiliar settings. Activities designed to achieve the above stated goals are divided thus:
Physical and Mental Activities
Technical and Adventure Activities,
Vocational and Community Development Activities
Cultural and Social Activities
Practical citizenship and leadership training
NYSC Orientation programme
MDGs Programme
CENTRE’S FOCUS /STRATEGIES
To create opportunities for character development and positive attitudinal change.
To provide an avenue for young people to discover themselves in challenging surroundings in the hope that their self-confidence, physical and mental fitness are enhanced.
To inculcate in participants the positive values of self-reliance, self-discipline and selfless service through the acquisition of relevant skills in the vocations and communal services.
To provide training that will address the issues of youth unemployment, loss of cultural and moral values and the dearth of entrepreneurship and leadership skills among the youth.
Re-organization of Man O’ War as existing platform for youth development and a community of youths who are amenable to discipline, available for training and looking for useful engagement.
To provide training that enhances value re-orientation and sensitization of citizens through the promotion of social welfare, culture and economic wellbeing.
To provide training for corps members during orientation programmes on leadership and good citizenship.
IMPACT/OUTCOME OF THE CENTRE’S TRAINING
Production of patriotic, courageous and disciplined people of character, integrity and service oriented citizens and leaders.
The Centre has also produced skilled, self-reliant and creative citizens which have helped in the reduction of social vices in the country.
The Centre has engendered the production of entrepreneurial youth capable of impacting positively on their environment while being globally competitive.
It had equally instilled in Nigerians those values which we hold sacrosanct and which today remain the memories of our greatness, the culture of decorum, honesty and patriotism which are the bedrock of leadership and citizenship
The training has uplifted the living standards of individuals by equipping them with requisite knowledge, skills, values and attitudes which are crucial for civic order and citizenship, sustainable economic growth, poverty reduction, etc.
Production of both Military and Para-Military personnel who are disciplined, efficient and prudent in management
The Centre’s training programmes are geared towards strengthening our democratic institutions and confronting the challenges facing our country with great determination and firmness.
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES
Amendment of the Centre’s Act: There is ongoing effort by the House of Representative to amend Decree No. 38 of December 1989 that established the Centre. A public Hearing in which the Centre participated was held on Tuesday, July 3, 2012. The need to amend the Decree was informed by the imperatives of repositioning the Centre to make it more efficient, effective and relevant to the modern day trends and needs of the Nigerian Nation.
INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS
The Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre is an affiliate member of the Outward Bound Organization World-wide which exists in over fifty countries of the world with Headquarters in United Kingdom.
The Centre promotes and fosters the development of United World College (UWC). It is privy to the formation of Nigeria National Committee for United World College, a body committed to using education to foster international understanding, peace and unity.
CHALLENGES
Status of our Training Units
Inadequate Funding
Inadequate Staff Manpower Training
Lock of Permanent Office Accommodation
Sea School Embankment
Upgrading of the facilities at the Training Schools
Useful engagement of the Man O’ War Members
Inadequate Utility and Official Vehicles, Water Transports Boats/Vessels.
Insecurity
Depletion of essential Staff strength
A high debt profile as a result of inadequate fund.
WAY FORWARD
Improved funding of the Centre.
Completion of the Amendment of the Centre’s Act
Mandatory citizenship and leadership training and Value re-orientation for Political Office Holders.
Mandatory citizenship and leadership training and Value re-orientation course for JSS 3 granduants before transiting to SS1.
Mandatory citizenship and leadership training for Prefects in all Secondary School and Student Union Leaders.
Establishment of more Training Schools for easier accessibility and coverage.
Mandatory citizenship and leadership training and Value re-orientation course for new entrant to the Public and Civil Service.
Upgrading of the existing Training Schools.
Useful engagement of the Man O’ War Members
WORK PLAN
The Centre intend to upgrade the existing Training Schools in terms of quality and standard training facilities, structures and gadgets and embark on massive manpower capacity building through the training and re-training of staff for better performance.
The Centre intend to execute a lot of capital projects such as construction and equipping of students libraries in all our Training Schools, construction of Executives hostels in all our Training Schools and rehabilitation/renovation of existing hostels, construction of 500 seater capacity lecture theatre in all the Training Schools, purchases of utility vehicles for all the Training Schools and Head Office, purchases for water boats and official vehicle for the Chief Executive among others.
The Centre desires to build or secure its own Permanent Office Accommodation that will be more befitting, better located, more spacious and corporate, with standard and modern office facilities, equipments and gadgets.
Re-organization of Man O’ War to be kept on course to conform to the Federal Government Reform Policy and the Centre’s vision and mission as well as completion of the Training and posting of the liaison officers to states.
Continual training for NYSC corps members during orientation programmes on leadership and good citizenship qualities.
An arrangement is to be made with the Federal Ministry of Education that will allow the Centre to continue to give moral talks to students in primary and secondary schools starting with the schools in Abuja and its environs.
The Centre wish to create a ‘Nigeria Dream Pattern’ that will encourage and develop in Nigerians principles of citizenship and leadership through character development, acquisition of leadership techniques for effective management of man and resources, encouraging the development of interest in creative leisure pursuit, community and social service while inculcating in them moral discipline and the spirit of nationalism, patriotism and national unity.
Specifically, in 2016 the Centre intends to train 15 thousand Nigerians on citizenship and leadership, capacity building, value reorientation, character development among others to address the issues of youth unemployment, loss of cultural and moral values and the dearth of entrepreneurship skills among the youth.
Also in 2016 the Centre intends to run 201 training courses in all the Training Schools located in the six geo-political zones.
CONCLUSION
The Centre is not only an important part of our nation’s history, but a pivot of our past, present and future which has been contributing tremendously to the strategic manpower development of Nigeria over the years and still stands to make more valuable contributions to national development. With improved infrastructures, the Centre will even do more. Similarly, the Centre has worked in collaboration with other Government and Non-governmental Agencies in the area of Youth Development and still hope to do more.
The Centre has also develop in Nigerians principles of citizenship and leadership through character development, acquisition of leadership techniques for effective management of man and resources, encouraging the development of interest in creative leisure pursuit, community and social service while inculcating in them moral discipline and the spirit of nationalism, patriotism and national unity.
Since inception, the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre has successfully trained many participants most of whom are past Head of States, past Military Governors and Administrators, past and present Civilian Governors and their Deputies, Inspector General of Police, Ministers and Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries, Director Generals, etc.
Though the Centre still have more areas to cover and more grounds to explore, if the awareness and impact created in our past and present participants and the entire citizenry is anything to go by, then it can be said that the Centre has succeeded in building the man that will build the community.
Thank you.
M.O Fawole
Director General
