With a view to to strengthening transparency and public confidence in civil society, the Ethics and Good Management Consciousness Initiative (EGLAI) has began a two-day capability constructing workshop for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) throughout the South-West.
The coaching, which began on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, is holding in Ikeja, Lagos State and can finish on Wednesday, February 11.
THE POINT reporter, who is likely one of the media members on the programme, experiences that the occasion is organised to empower CSOs, different community leads and Cooperative Federation throughout the South-West.
The 2-day capability constructing undertaking is organised by EGLAI, with help from the European Union-funded CSO Strengthening Bridge Challenge (EU CSO Bridge) and carried out by the Worldwide Institute for Democracy and Electoral Help (Worldwide IDEA).
These invited to the essential occasion are civil society organisation champions drawn from the six South-West states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti, media professionals, and govt officers of civil servants throughout the area. The leaders of the Cooperative Federation in attendance included Elder Isaac Aladesiun, Vice President of Federation of Ekiti State Cooperative; Dr. Ola Olayode Oluwatosin, Government Secretary of Ondo State Cooperative Federation Restricted, Akure; Alhaji Tiamiyu Wasiu Adeoye, Government Secretary of Federation of Osun State Cooperative and the Government Secretary of Lagos State Cooperative Federation, Ebun Akin-Falaiye.
The workshop is themed: Scaling the Adoption of Civil Society Group (CSO) Self-Regulation in Nigeria: Zonal Capability Constructing For CSO Champions And Sub-national Community Leads.”
The attention-opening programme introduced collectively representatives of various civil society organisations throughout the area for intensive studying, peer engagement and sensible planning classes aimed toward strengthening governance, transparency and sustainability inside the civic area.
Addresing the members in his opening remarks, Dr. Harry Udoh, the Staff Lead of EGLAI, famous that the coaching is aimed toward strengthening CSO governance buildings and operational methods, notably within the face of rising legislative and regulatory pressures that usually didn’t adequately mirror the realities of civic engagement.
The EGLAI group lead famous that the occasion is a train-the-trainer workshop of which members are anticipated to return to their respective States and cascade the conversations and classes to different CSOs.
Udoh confused the necessity for CSOs to self-regulate with a view to sanitise the sector and be sure that governments, companions and different stakeholders get to belief civil society {groups}. He urged members to amplify their efforts with a view to showcase their interventions telling them that “your reputational worth is instantly proportional to the variety of individuals who know you.”
In accordance with him, the Self-Regulation motion would additionally deal with and expose ghosts CSOs, reform the sector and be sure that the CSOs do extra in fixing issues in varied communities, turning into considerably “different authorities” to folks and maintain the nation secure and secure.
Udoh opined that some unethical actions of CSOs had solid darkish clouds within the civil society area and had made it tough for members of the general public to belief and interact civil society organisations, including that the workshop is supposed to reposition the sector by empowering CSOs on the right way to deepen inside self-regulation and moral practices.
He stated cooperative societies are a part of the workshop as a result of they’re mannequin of civil society organisations.
He stated the organisation invited journalists to cowl the workshop as a result of “we think about the media a essential stakeholder in selling civic accountability and safeguarding civic area.”
Udoh instructed the media members, “Your protection of this workshop will assist to: Enhance public understanding of CSO self-regulation and its relevance to good governance; Spotlight constructive, non-coercive approaches to strengthening accountability within the civic sector; and promote knowledgeable public discourse on civic area, compliance, and the position of CSOs in nationwide growth.”
The Challenge Supervisor, CSO Strengthening Bridge (EU CSO-BRIDGE) Challenge, of Worldwide Institute for Democracy and Electoral Help (Worldwide IDEA), Idem Udoekong, in his opening remarks, began by asking members who they suppose a CSO is. From responses, it was found that CSOs are people and that Self-Regulation is speaking about “people and individuals.”
“It’s about you. Particular person Self-Regulation. Regulating your self. It’s about belief. Why ought to authorities, companions and different stakeholders belief you? That’s the place Self-Regulation is available in. It makes authorities to belief you. Self-Regulation is self self-discipline,” Udoekong knowledgeable the members.
Seyi Tetteh, Affiliate Challenge Officer for the CSO Strengthening Bridge (EU CSO-BRIDGE) Challenge and the Governing Council member and Chairman Audit & Threat Administration Committee of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Directors of Nigeria (ICSAN), Babatunde Pelewura, had been additionally current on the workshop.
EGLAI is a civil society-led platform devoted to strengthening self-regulation for Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in Nigeria. Previously often called the Civil Society Nationwide Self-Regulation Council (CNSRC), EGLAI works to advertise moral requirements, good governance, transparency, accountability, and credibility inside the civil society sector.
Talking, EGLAI Programme Officer, Shiiwua Mnenga stated that the organisation plans to carry the engagements in all geopolitical zones throughout Nigeria. He disclosed that the organisation has already empowered CSOs in North-West and South-East and presently coaching CSOs from South-West.
It’s anticipated that CSOs and different members will likely be extra trusted, environment friendly, sustainable and impactful for the betterment of communities and cities within the area.