Deadline: 24 May 2022
The Emerging Political Leaders Fellowship is the flagship Fellowship Program of The Bridge Leadership Foundation. It is a fully-funded, non-partisan Political Leadership development project which nurtures and prepares young Nigerians for leadership at the local, regional and national levels with a view to improving the quality of Nigeria’s leadership pool and the impact of its developmental interventions.
Over the course of a year, Fellows gain access to tailored content delivered by a carefully curated list of Politicians, Development Experts, Historians, Civil Society Leaders, Religious Figures, Advisors, and Mentors. The Emerging Political Leaders Fellowships also give Fellows the opportunity to demystify Nigerian politics by pairing them with credible past and serving Politicians through the program’s location-based Internship/shadow program.
The residential Bootcamp serves as a melting pot for Fellows to network, immerse in Nigeria’s federal political ecosystem, meet key decision-makers and present their capstone projects to several panels of seasoned Politicians and Technocrats.
ELIGIBILITY
Who qualifies?
Emerging Leaders:
- Who are active in mainstream politics in Nigeria
- With a proven track record of service within a community, region, and in Nigeria
- With a demonstrable track record of accountability, integrity, strategy, and resilience
- Aged between 25 and 45
- Who meets all statutory requirements to run for office at all levels in Nigeria
- With no criminal record
- With no ongoing criminal case/investigation with any national or international security body (Such as Interpol, EFCC)
TARGET AUDIENCE
Who Should Apply?
- Mid-senior level Technocrats
- Civil Servants
- Nigerians in Diaspora interested in running for office in Nigeria
- The technical staff of past or serving politicians (Special Advisers, Technical Assistants etc.)
- Political appointees (Such as Commissioners, Executive Secretaries etc.)
- Past candidates of political parties who ran for office at local/state/national level
- Current candidates of political parties running for office at local/state/national level
- Grassroots Activists/Changemakers with proven track record of impact in their communities
- Women, minorities (And other groups prone to discrimination and exclusion) with a track record of service and impact in their communities
BENEFITS
What do you stand to gain?
- Opportunity to be part of a pioneering program on political leadership on the African continent
- Access to a high-impact, 6-month political leadership development training
- Opportunity to have access to, and be trained by a world-class Faculty
- One-on-one mentorship by credible and seasoned Nigerian Politicians currently serving at various levels across the country
- One-on-one/group meetings with, and access to influential Nigerian politicians curated across party lines
- Cost for local air travel, airport transfers, accommodation, and feeding for the duration of the Bootcamp will be covered (Nigerians in Diaspora will be responsible for their travel arrangements to Nigeria)
- Opportunity to serve on subsequent programs as Facilitators, Program Ambassadors, Advisory Council members, and/or Mentors
- Increased visibility within Nigeria’s political space and amongst its most influential stakeholders
- Social media spotlights across The Bridge Leadership Foundation, Mentor and Faculty members handles/pages
APPLICATION CHECKLIST
A completed application comprises:
- A completed and submitted application form
- An up-to-date CV
- A 3-5 minute application video
SUBMISSION PROCESS
- Use the ‘Create A Project’ section to upload your application video or embed a link from 3rd platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
- Under ‘Title, use the subject: Application Video_Your Name’
- Under ‘Short Description’, share details we may need to access your video if any.
APPLICATION TIPS
We have put a lot of thought into the development of the application process to make it as easy as possible for you to respond to our call. We are not looking for perfect answers, we are looking for answers that reflect belief and conviction. All you need to do is fill out the application form, upload your CV and make a video. You will know where you stand no later than 2 weeks after the application deadline.
We are not looking for production-quality videos, just ensure you make your video under sufficient lighting and with very good sound quality. And tell us, why should you be selected for the fellowship? What about your vision is so compelling?
We believe this application process will help you articulate your thoughts in a way that is useful even beyond fellowship, and may very well help you present your vision in a way that galvanizes the kind of support you need.
