Rinsola Abiola has been appointed by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the new Director-General of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre (CLTC) and promoting her from the previous appointment as the Senior Special Assistant to the president on Citizenship and Leadership. During her service under the office of the president, she pioneered citizen engagement/townhall events to sensitize and educate Nigerians on the policies and programs on civic responsibilities and opportunities. These events were organized across the geo-political zones, amongst women groups and socio-political leadership forums in some states across the country.
Before her appointment by earlier appointment by president Tinubu, she was involved gender advocacy, media strategy, politics, and most popularly known as the daughter of Nigeria’s democracy hero, Late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola, the winner of the popular June 12, 1993 presidential elections annulled by the military.
She is one of the founders of Progressives Sisters Network under the All Progressives Congress around 2019-2023, focusing on promoting and canvassing for increased participation of women in politics and engaging government for greater gender representation in governance, and member of the APC.
Rinsola is one of the four children bore by Folashade Abiola, wife of the late MKO Abiola. The young lady who in her late 20s worked as a special adviser on New Media to the former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara. She was born in London, trained as a statistician and public relations guru trained at the University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Ogun State and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations. Born at a time that gave very little time to know her late father her trajectory was bordered on tragedy, hope and blessings. For a young woman who hardly knew her father growing up, she has decided to take shot at a political office. Imbued with intelligence, diligence and excellence, Rinsola exudes class, simplicity and a grass-roots camaraderie that are uncommon among individuals of her pedigree.
In 2019 she left the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Action Democratic Party (ADP) to contest for the office of Federal House of Representative for Abeokuta North/Odeda/Obafemi Owode, Ogun State. For many political observers her tenacity and bravado was to be taken more seriously. It is no secret that she is intelligent and service driven considering her ability to stay off controversies and media splurge over the years despite her father’s enormous wealth and reputation.
During the 2022 battle for who will the ruling party, APC’s national youth leader, Rinsola threw her hat into the ring to such surprise by many who undermined her introvert demeanor. As tough as the bid was, her ambition was not shoved aside by the party chieftains in consideration of her father’s legacy and the grave debt that he paid some of the political actors to become benefactors.
The nod by president Tinubu to promote Rinsola to lead the directorate for Citizenship and Leadership Center in the country portends an applauds to her achievements in the past two years serving under the administration. This new appointment paves way for implementing of deeper citizens and leadership initiatives for women and young people for national development.