By Nwajie Rose

When I enrolled in the Aig-Imoukhuede Public Leaders Programme (AIG PLP), I knew I wanted to make a difference, but I wasn’t entirely sure how far my influence could really go. Like many people in the civil service, I had believed that meaningful reform was something that only happened at the top. The AIG PLP is a leadership development initiative designed to equip public servants across Africa with the skills, networks, and practical tools to drive reform and improve public service delivery. The programme changed that mindset for me in ways I did not expect.

One idea that stayed with me long after the classes ended is leading from the middle. It sounded simple at first, but it challenged me deeply. I began to see that I didn’t have to wait until I got to a certain level before I could act. I could start from where I was, right in the middle of the system and still drive change. That realisation gave me both the courage and the responsibility to do something about a problem I had been seeing for years.

My capstone project from the training was a confidential case reporting platform for school counsellors, which was born out of that conviction.

Working in the education system, I have seen how sensitive cases, especially those involving child abuse, are often handled. Many times, these cases are not reported through the proper channels. Instead, they are managed quietly within the school. The intention, more often than not, is to protect the school’s reputation. Principals do not want their schools to be associated with scandals, so cases are either downplayed or completely swept under the carpet.

But the truth is, when we protect institutions at the expense of children, we fail in our duty. I have seen children suffer in silence. I have seen situations that should have triggered immediate intervention being treated casually or even ignored. It became clear to me that counsellors needed a safe way to speak up without fear of being shut down or victimised. That was the gap this platform was designed to fill.

The platform provides a confidential and secure channel for school counsellors to report cases directly, ensuring that they are handled properly and professionally.

Since we launched it, we have recorded a number of cases and each one has reinforced the importance of what we are doing, but one case, in particular, has stayed with me. It involved a young girl who was being molested by her father. What made it even more disturbing was that the father is a police officer, someone expected to uphold the law. Because the case came through the platform, it could not be suppressed or mishandled. It was escalated appropriately. Today, that man is in police custody. The girl has been taken out of that dangerous environment and placed in a safe home. She is receiving care, recovering, and has even been enrolled in a new school close to where she now lives.

When I think about that outcome, I feel a deep sense of relief and gratitude. It reminds me that this work matters and that behind every report is a life that can be protected and a future that can be restored.

Of course, the journey has not been smooth. One of the biggest challenges I have faced is bureaucracy. There have been moments when urgent action was needed, but processes slowed everything down, files moving from one desk to another, approvals taking longer than they should, and unnecessary bottlenecks delaying intervention. It can be frustrating, especially when you know that time is critical in cases involving children.

At some point, I had to learn how to navigate that system rather than be discouraged by it. I learned how to engage, how to follow up, and how to push respectfully but firmly. It has not been easy, but I have learned patience and strategy.

Beyond the technical aspects of the project, this experience has stretched me personally. I have learned tenacity, which is staying committed even when things are not moving as fast as I would like. I have learned perseverance, refusing to give up, even when faced with resistance. I have also learned how to negotiate and build relationships, because change in the public sector is never a one-person effort.

Looking ahead, I hope to see this initiative grow beyond my current district. I serve in Education District IV, but there are five other districts in Lagos State. My desire is for this platform to be adopted across all districts, so that more counsellors can speak up and more children can be protected. What we are seeing now is just a glimpse of what is possible.

If there is one thing the AIG PLP has taught me, it is that reform does not have to wait. It can start now and start with me. For anyone who will go through this programme in the future, my advice is simple; find a problem that truly bothers you, something you cannot ignore and commit to solving it. When you are passionate about an issue, the work does not feel forced. You will push harder, stay longer, and go further than you thought you could.

This journey has shown me that change does not only come from the top. Sometimes, it begins quietly, from the middle and from there, it spreads.

And I am proud to be part of that change.

Rose is a District Administrator and Data Analyst with Lagos State Government.