Politics

Transforming Osun APC Elders Forum into a Leadership and Policy Powerhouse

Published by Akinwale Fakinlede on October 22nd, 2025.

In a political landscape increasingly shaped by competence and policy depth, the answer may lie in transforming the Osun APC Elders Forum from a ceremonial advisory body into a Leadership and Governance Think-Tank, modeled after the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) — the engine room of one of the most organized political institutions in the world.

*From Moral Voice to Governance School*

The APC Elders Forum has long served as a moral compass — mediating conflicts, guiding strategy, and preserving the unity of the Progressives family in Osun.

But the demands of governance today go beyond reconciliation and internal order.

Political parties must now produce competent managers of public trust — leaders who can translate party philosophy into measurable governance results.

That is why progressives within the party are calling for the Forum to evolve into a Leadership and Policy Development Council — a structured, knowledge-based institution tasked with training new leaders, developing policy ideas, and preserving the party’s ideological core.

*A Model from the East*

In China, the CPC Central Committee is far more than a political organ. It is the brain trust of the ruling party — coordinating research, leadership training, and long-term development strategy.

Every major leader in China passes through this institutional process of education and ideological grooming.

Its success lies not in propaganda but in the capacity it builds — transforming party members into competent state managers.

That same model, adapted for a democratic context, can give Osun APC a long-term advantage: a pipeline of well-trained, ethically grounded, and intellectually prepared leaders who can carry the progressive torch into the future.

*A New Institutional Structure*

The proposed transformation envisions a five-arm structure under the Elders Forum:

1. Policy and Research Bureau

To produce evidence-based policy blueprints on the economy, education, agriculture, and governance.

2. Leadership Development Institute (Osun Progressive Leadership Institute — OPLI)

To train emerging party leaders and public officials on leadership ethics, governance, and innovation.

3. Political Education and Ideology Unit

To revive the values of progressive politics — selfless service, discipline, and accountability.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation Unit

To quietly assess the performance of APC office holders and offer feedback for improvement.

5. Public Engagement and Communication Desk

To manage outreach, publish reports, and showcase the intellectual life of the party.

This structure will transform the Forum into a living institution — one that produces ideas, evaluates performance, and sustains continuity of vision from one administration to another.

*A School of Progressive Leadership*

Imagine a generation of Osun APC councillors, legislators, and commissioners who all passed through a Progressive Leadership Academy — a party school that teaches public finance, ethics, strategic communication, and policy analysis.

That is the essence of the Osun Progressive Leadership Institute (OPLI).

It would function as a short-course training and retreat platform for current and future leaders, run under the supervision of the Elders Forum.

Graduates of the institute could be prioritized for appointments, creating a direct link between competence and leadership opportunity.

*Mentorship as a Political Culture*

Beyond training, the new Elders Forum would also serve as a mentorship hub.

Each elder could mentor two or three young party members from their local governments — building a generational bridge within the party.

This model, if sustained, could end the cycle of political amnesia where experience dies with one generation. Instead, Osun APC would nurture leadership succession through knowledge, not favoritism.

*Policy Research and Public Engagement*

The Forum can also take on the task of policy innovation.

By producing regular Osun Policy Papers and hosting an Annual Progressive Governance Summit, the Forum would shape the public debate around governance and development in the state.

Such publications can influence not only the party’s manifestos but also the policy direction of future administrations — ensuring that every APC government in Osun speaks with intellectual coherence.

*Partnerships and Collaboration*

To achieve these goals, the Forum can partner with institutions like the Obafemi Awolowo University, NISER, and Lagos Business School, as well as international organizations such as UNDP and Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for governance training and capacity development.

Funding can come from modest party subventions, contributions by public office holders, and grants from partners interested in strengthening governance and democracy.

*Why the Time Is Now*

The urgency of this transformation cannot be overstated.

As the political space in Osun becomes more competitive, parties will increasingly be judged not by their slogans but by the quality of leaders they produce and the ideas they advance.

By institutionalizing leadership training and policy development, Osun APC will be securing its relevance beyond elections — creating a governance culture that breeds competence and continuity.

This reform could become the party’s single most important legacy before 2026 — a structure that produces thinkers, administrators, and reformers for decades to come.

*Inside China’s Central Committee — Lessons for Osun APC*

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the political heart of the world’s largest party.

It oversees national leadership appointments, sets ideological direction, and supervises the Central Party School in Beijing — where thousands of Chinese leaders, from governors to cabinet ministers, are trained in governance, economics, and ethics.

*Key Features of the CPC Central Committee Model:*

Ideological Consistency: Every leader is trained in the same values and governance philosophy.

Leadership Pipeline: Promotion is based on competence and ideological discipline.

Policy Research Depth: The Committee commissions studies that guide government strategy.

Mentorship & Discipline: Senior cadres mentor younger officials to preserve institutional memory.

Adapting this model to Osun’s democratic context would mean training, mentoring, and developing policy expertise within the APC — without authoritarianism, but with the same emphasis on discipline and competence.

*Toward a Progressive Future*

If successfully executed, the reformed Elders Forum will become the intellectual and moral compass of the Osun APC.

It will transform from a gathering of statesmen into a school of governance — a platform that nurtures talent, curates ideas, and sustains the progressive spirit that has defined Osun’s political tradition since the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

In doing so, Osun APC will not just prepare for 2026 — it will prepare for the next fifty years of governance, building a legacy of leaders who are as thoughtful as they are loyal, and as competent as they are committed.

*Bottom Line:*

The transformation of the Osun APC Elders Forum into a Leadership and Policy Powerhouse is not just internal party reform — it is a strategic evolution that can redefine governance in Osun, deepen democracy, and set a new national benchmark for political organization in Nigeria.

* Olalere Oladitan is a poultry farmer and political analyst. He writes from Ilobu.*