The Director-General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS), Prof. Abubakar Olanrewaju Sulaiman, has called for greater civic education among young Nigerians, saying democracy can only be sustained by an informed and responsible citizenry. Sulaiman made the call while welcoming participants to the 2026 National Quiz Competition for Senior Secondary Schools on Legislation and Democracy held in Bauchi on Tuesday.
Ably represented by Engr Adamu Yahaya Abdulhamid, the DG said the competition was designed to nurture the values of participation, accountability and patriotism among students while giving them a better understanding of democratic institutions. According to him, citizens, particularly young Nigerians, need to understand the roles, powers and limitations of the legislature to enable democratic institutions to function effectively.
He said the 11-year-old initiative had grown from a programme involving schools in the Federal Capital Territory to a national platform covering the six geopolitical zones. The NILDS boss said the programme had exposed students to the processes of lawmaking, representation and the importance of the rule of law. He identified apathy, misinformation and intolerance as some of the challenges confronting democracy, stressing that civic education, critical thinking and active participation were important in addressing them.
Sulaiman urged the students to use the competition to develop leadership qualities, integrity, teamwork and respect for diverse opinions. “You are the future custodians of Nigeria’s democracy,” he said, urging them to compete with fairness, passion and humility. Representing the Bauchi State Commissioner for Education, Abdulkadir Mohammed Ibrahim, the Director of Quality Assurance, Hassan Sulaiman, urged the participants to demonstrate what they had learnt and remain disciplined throughout the competition.
He said the competition should not be viewed solely as a contest for prizes, but as an opportunity for the students to acquire knowledge and develop themselves for future responsibilities. The participating schools included Dolphin Marria School, Bauchi, GDSS Dagu, GDSS Madara, GDSS Dagauda, Iqamatun Sunnah Gamawa, and GGAC Alkaleri. Sulaiman commended teachers and state representatives for their contribution to the development of the students and appreciated NILDS partners for supporting civic education across the country.
He explained that the winners would receive cash prizes of ₦70,000, ₦50,000 and ₦20,000 for the first, second and third positions, respectively, as part of the support. At the end of the competition, Dolphin Marria won first position; Government Girls Arabic College, Alkaleri LGA, came second, while Government Day Secondary School, Dagu, in Warji LGA, came third.
