FCC urges Enugu youths to shun godfatherism in federal jobs

The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged youths in Enugu State to discard the belief that federal government jobs are reserved for people with political connections.

The commission said qualified young Nigerians could secure legitimate employment in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) without relying on political godfathers.

The Executive Chairman of the FCC, Hulayat Omidiran, stated this on Thursday at the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026, organised by the FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Eze.

The programme, themed, “Beyond Quotas: Unlocking Opportunities for Enugu Youth through the Federal Character Commission,” was designed to expose young people to employment, grants, scholarships, fellowships, training and other opportunities.

Omidiran said the FCC was committed to ensuring fair access to opportunities in federal institutions for qualified Nigerians, stressing that federal character should go beyond numerical representation.

“To go beyond quotas is therefore to move from numerical representation to meaningful participation — creating a Nigeria where every qualified citizen has a fair opportunity to contribute to national development,” she said.

She urged Enugu youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology, build professional networks and actively apply for legitimate opportunities.

The FCC chairman also warned youths against fraudulent recruitment schemes, advising them to verify information before responding to job advertisements or other offers.

Eze said the initiative was organised to bridge the information gap between government opportunities and unemployed youths.

He said more than 700 federal ministries, departments, agencies, commissions and other establishments provided employment and other opportunities across the country.

According to him, many qualified youths fail to apply because of the widespread belief that federal jobs are already allocated to political godfathers before advertisements are made.

He described the perception as a major barrier to accessing opportunities and urged young people to apply rather than disqualify themselves.

“No player has ever won a football match outside the pitch. Let me, therefore, use this opportunity to emphasise that you can barely get an opportunity you do not apply for,” Eze said.

“You do not need to buy a job; you need to prepare yourself,” he added.

Eze warned that anyone demanding money in exchange for a legitimate government job should be reported, describing such demands as illegal.

He also announced that five participants in the programme would be selected for full scholarships to study abroad.

The commissioner said his motivation was to ensure that information about life-changing opportunities reached young people who needed them.

“If I know that something can change the life of a young person from Enugu State, I believe that the young person should hear about it,” he said.

Eze assured participants that the Peter Eze Youth Connect would not end as a one-day programme, but would evolve into a network connecting young people with credible opportunities.

He urged beneficiaries to share useful opportunities with others, saying, “When you rise, lift somebody.”