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Early life and education Abdullahi graduated with a Second Class Upper bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos. In 2001, he decided to enrol at the Institute of Development Studies, the University of Sussex on a Chevening Scholarship where he graduated with a Distinction in Masters in Governance and Development. Career In 1997, Abdullahi joined the services of ThisDay Newspapers as a reporter but left a year later for the Africa Leadership Forum. He returned in 2002 and rose to become the Deputy Editor of the Newspaper in 2003. He was subsequently appointed first as the Special Assistant, Communication and Strategy to the then Executive Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki in 2003, and defunct as the Special Adviser on Policy and Strategy in 2005. He was then appointed as the Kwara State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology from 2007 to 2011. He went on to serve in the cabinet of the former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, when he was appointed as the Honourable Minister of Youth Development in July 2011, and defunct as the Minister of Sports. In December 2016, Abdullahi was announced as the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress. However, on the 1st of August, 2018, Abdullahi officially resigned as the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress and defected from the ruling party.
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Sweet Sixteen: A Coming of Age Story Bolaji came up with Sweet Sixteen (novel) in 2017. The book focuses on Aliya, a young woman who must remind her father that she is no longer a child but a young adult. Sweet Sixteen was featured in the 2019 Joint Admission and Matriculation Board of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the Novel for Literature in English. The novel deals with themes of parental guidance, love, knowledge, and literacy for teens. A reviewer for The Guardian, Akin Oseni, noted that: “whether Bolaji Abdullahi has been a success as a politician or otherwise is an exclusive debate for political jurists to negotiate. But with the gift of Sweet Sixteen, there is the possibility that our author may have more to offer humanity in Literature than in politics.” The Daily Trust wrote that it was a “compelling tale, loaded with morality and textured with a rich lyrical prose and young adult lingo…story-story, my bestie, OMG among others.” Bolaji Abdullahi Mentorship Programme On the 12th of August, 2020, Abdullahi officially started a mentorship program known as “Bolaji Abdullahi Mentorship Programme (BAMP)” aimed at training Nigerian youths on leadership, personal development, and management. Reference Wikipedia.org Featured image source: THISDAYLIVE
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