Communities across Rivers State are set to benefit from a major education and leadership development project as the COLE2Lead initiative rolls out 23 virtual learning hubs across the state.
The centres are designed as technology-enabled spaces to promote academic excellence, skills acquisition and leadership development among young people. The programme will operate in all 23 local government areas and is expected to engage more than 31,900 emerging leaders.
Tonye Cole, the programme initiator, said the initiative, tagged COLE2Lead, is a policy and leadership accelerator created to bridge the gap between political ambition and effective governance by focusing on policy literacy and civic responsibility.
“The initiative reinforces The COLE’ctive’s commitment to building inclusive systems that ensure leadership renewal is intentional and grounded in community realities,” he said.
Cole added that the programme seeks to democratise leadership by making opportunities accessible to committed individuals from communities, professional sectors and youth networks, not only those with proximity to power.
“Leadership should never be accidental. COLE2Lead is about preparing people to lead with clarity, competence, and a deep sense of responsibility to the public.
“The programme’s structure includes establishing 23 virtual learning hubs and delivering governance training across 319 wards,” Cole noted.
He further explained that participants, drawn from civic platforms such as FREE2RUN Rivers, will take part in workshops and mentorship sessions aimed at strengthening ethical decision-making and shaping a strong public service mindset.
Cole emphasised that the programme is designed to demystify governance and equip emerging leaders with practical tools to understand policy processes and lead with credibility.
According to him, by embedding leadership development within real civic engagement, COLE2Lead aims to build a sustainable pipeline of competent leaders across the state.
