Man O’ War Commander hailed as inspiration to Nigerian youths

The Minister of Youth Development, Hon. Wisdom Ayodele, has described the National Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria, Prince Adedamola Gbenga Emmanuel, as an inspiration to young Nigerians whose life and leadership embody integrity, perseverance, and service.

Speaking through his Special Assistant on Gender Matters, Kehinde Awujuola, at a lecture in Abuja to mark Prince Emmanuel’s 45th birthday, the Minister said the celebrant’s journey from humble beginnings to national leadership demonstrated the ideals of discipline, responsibility, and nation-building.

“Your life embodies the very ideals we promote, your character, your practice, and your commitment to building a generation of young people who see service as a calling and leadership as a responsibility,” Ayodele said.

He added that Prince Emmanuel’s impact transcended the Man O’ War organisation, influencing young men and women across the country who now see him as proof that perseverance and integrity still matter in leadership.

The National Commander of the Nigeria Peace Corps, Dr. Dickson Akoh, also praised the Man O’ War leader as a trailblazer in youth leadership and peacebuilding. Represented by Dr. M. K. Mohammed, he described Emmanuel as a “visionary, humble, and inspirational personality” whose contributions to national development remain a model for the younger generation.

“Under his leadership, Man O’ War became more than a uniform body; it became a movement,” he said, noting that Emmanuel’s recent appointment as Interim National Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) was a well-earned recognition of his consistency and integrity.

The Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC), Ms. Rinsola Abiola, represented by the Director of Special Duties, Ada Veronica Uche, said Emmanuel’s decision to mark his birthday with a lecture reflected his deep commitment to service. She described him as a leader who embodies discipline, patriotism, resilience, and service to humanity.

The Nigerian Youth Congress (NYC) in its congratulatory message signed by its National Secretary, Dr. Raymond Edoh, also paid glowing tribute, describing him as “a rare gem whose life of purpose, selflessness, and commitment to youth development continues to inspire.”

In his own remarks, Prince Emmanuel emphasised that security must be seen as a collective responsibility. He commended the Federal Government and security agencies for their efforts but noted that more needed to be done at grassroots level, particularly in securing schools.

“For us in the Man O’ War, we have been able to identify a gap in the security architecture, which is the security of schools. We have taken up that challenge through our Safe Schools Initiative and are working with government to see how we can contribute in providing security and intelligence support,” he said.

He urged Nigerians not to leave the burden of security solely to government, stressing that every citizen has a duty to contribute.

Reflecting on his journey at 45, Emmanuel described it as both joyous and bittersweet, particularly because of the absence of his late parents. He expressed gratitude to colleagues, friends, and associates who organised the birthday celebration on his behalf, urging young people to remain focused and mindful of their steps.

“We should not allow anything to derail us from becoming what we want to be. We must remain conscious and mindful of our steps because we all have a duty to protect,” he said.

Prince Emmanuel, who also founded the Centre for Peace and Community Repositioning, has continued to receive accolades for his contributions to peace, youth empowerment, and community service across the country.