By Michael Ofulue, Osogbo
In a bid to promote civic education and democratic values among young Nigerians, the Osun State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hosted students of Ebunoluwa International School, Osogbo, on an educational excursion aimed at familiarising them with the Commission’s organisational structure and electoral responsibilities.
The visit provided the students a rare opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge of the inner workings of Nigeria’s apex electoral body and how it executes its constitutional mandate.
Receiving the students and their teachers at the INEC office in Osogbo, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, led an interactive session that explored the Commission’s structure, administrative setup, and operational functions.
Dr. Agboke, who was joined by members of the INEC Management Team, gave a comprehensive breakdown of the Commission’s hierarchical structure, explaining how its national headquarters interfaces with state offices, local government branches, and electoral officers at the grassroots.
According to him, understanding the structure of INEC is vital to appreciating its roles in sustaining Nigeria’s democracy, especially as it pertains to election planning, voter registration, logistics coordination, and result collation.
He also walked the students through key departments such as the Voter Education, ICT, Legal, Election and Party Monitoring units, among others, highlighting their unique contributions to the Commission’s overall mandate.
“INEC is more than just elections on voting day,” Dr. Agboke told the students. “We operate through a well-defined structure that ensures transparency, accountability, and efficiency in all our electoral processes. From voter registration to result declaration, every unit plays a vital role.”
The students were introduced to key technological tools used by the Commission, including the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED), which are critical to voter authentication and data management.
During the tour of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) centre, the students observed how the Commission registers eligible voters and maintains its database a practical demonstration that further deepened their appreciation of INEC’s responsibilities.
The students actively participated in the session by asking probing questions on issues such as voter card processing, electoral integrity, and the legal framework guiding INEC’s operations.
Dr. Agboke commended their enthusiasm, stating that early exposure to such knowledge was key to nurturing informed citizens who would uphold democratic ideals.
He also lauded the management of Ebunoluwa International School for the initiative, describing it as a model worth emulating by other educational institutions.
“We encourage more schools to take advantage of our open-door policy and visit INEC to learn about how elections are managed. Civic education must go beyond the classroom if we want to build a more democratic Nigeria,” he said.
The excursion concluded with a tour of INEC facilities and a group photograph involving the students, their teachers, the REC, and INEC officials marking the end of a memorable and enlightening visit.