OSOGBO – The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Southwest Zone D, has formally commended the Osun State Government for its strategic inclusion of student leadership in governance-related frameworks.

In a press release issued by the Zonal General Secretary, Comrade Ojetola Babatunde Y., the association highlighted the appointment of Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode (BILLIONCODES)—the sitting NANS Southwest Coordinator—as the Director of Campus Affairs under the Imole Youth Campaign Team, an initiative of the Osun State Ministry of Youth Affairs.

NANS Southwest described the move by the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as a "progressive step" in strengthening the relationship between the state and its youth demography. The association argued that involving student leaders in administrative structures ensures that policy conversations regarding education and youth development are grounded in reality.

"NANS Southwest views this development as a recognition of the relevance of students as important stakeholders in governance," the statement read. “At a period where many young graduates continue to face unemployment and limited opportunities, deliberate inclusion remains necessary for sustainable growth.”

Metric Nigeria reports that the association utilized the announcement to challenge other Southwest governors to institutionalize similar inclusion models. NANS emphasized that youth participation in policy formulation is a critical metric for sustainable regional development and civic engagement.

The leadership noted that while NANS remains a non-partisan organization, it will continue to support government frameworks that prioritize the socio-economic advancement and welfare of the Nigerian student body.

The association urged other states across the Southwest to emulate the "Osun example" by creating high-level opportunities for student representatives to contribute to public service and leadership development. They reaffirmed that student leaders possess the capacity to offer "voices and ideas essential in shaping policies that directly affect national development."

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