By Edith H. Tsokar
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Ideological Group (BAT-IG) has unveiled an Engagement Programme and Media Enthusiast Platform aimed at mobilising 10,000 Nigerian youths to deepen civic participation and strengthen grassroots engagement in governance.
The Convener of the group, Bamidele Atoyebi, at the launch of the platform in Abuja on Thursday, described the initiative as a strategic effort to bridge information gaps among citizenry.
Atoyebi said information gaps must be bridged between government policies and public awareness.
According to him, many Nigerians have benefited from various federal programmes, yet their impact remains largely underreported because beneficiaries themselves are not actively telling their stories.
”BAT-IG is a sociopolitical, humanitarian and policy-advocacy organisation committed to promoting grassroots-driven governance, youth empowerment, healthcare advocacy, educational support and national unity.
”This is in alignment with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
”Our aim is to raise men and women to become walking carriers of president Tinubu’s political strategy and spirit.
”But beyond the name, BAT-IG is a movement of people who believe governance should not remain only in offices in Abuja. Governance must reach the grassroots who are the original custodians of our polity.
”Governance must touch the ordinary citizen. Governance must be seen in communities, schools, hospitals, markets and homes across Nigeria,” he said.
He noted that the platform would allow citizens who have gained from government interventions to explain how the policies work and how they have improved their lives.
Atoyebi explained that selected participants would receive a monthly stipend of N20,000 for one year, provided they actively carry out sensitisation activities.
”Participants are expected to produce videos, engage communities, and document testimonies showing the impact of government programmes.
”The payments will be performance-based, requiring participants to complete advocacy tasks such as producing multiple videos and conducting community outreach before receiving monthly remuneration,” he said.
The initiative, he said, would target between 8,000 and 10,000 participants drawn from electoral wards, with the goal of having at least one advocate representing each ward across the federation.
Atoyebi disclosed that the initiative would require significant monthly funding, stressing that BAT-IG would collaborate with stakeholders and partners to sustain the programme rather than shoulder the financial burden alone.
He said the advocacy would highlight several federal initiatives, including student support schemes, youth employment opportunities, civil service benefits, skills acquisition programmes and loans available to entrepreneurs and professionals.
To ensure nationwide reach, he said BAT-IG would deploy digital registration alongside grassroots mobilisation through ward coordinators and community structures.
He said the group would leverage its homestead units and local coordinators to carry out door-to-door sensitisation campaigns, ensuring government policies were explained directly to citizens at community level.
He also noted that the programme was not designed for propaganda but to enable participants to share verified information, opportunities and personal experiences on how government interventions and empowerment programmes impact their lives.
”Too many opportunities fail to reach the grassroots simply because people are not informed. Our mission is to bridge that information gap.
”We want communities to hear directly from real Nigerians whose lives are changing through empowerment programmes, educational support, skills development, and government interventions.
”We want Nigerians to know that governance works best when citizens are informed, engaged, and involve,” he added.
The convener encouraged beneficiaries to produce monthly videos documenting how they accessed opportunities and benefited from various initiatives of this administration.
He noted that the testimonies of beneficiaries would be shared across social media platforms to help more Nigerians access available programmes.
Atoyebi urged young Nigerians to move beyond online complaints and become active participants in governance and policy implementation. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi
