Rafsanjani Heads FLONY Advisory Board as CISLAC, Foundation Deepen Partnership

The Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Comrade Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, has accepted his appointment as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Free Light of Nigerian Youth Foundation (FLONY), in a move aimed at strengthening collaboration between both organisations.
FLONY, a youth-led non-governmental organisation focused on skills acquisition, capacity building and advocacy for young people and women, currently operates in more than 18 states and says it has impacted over 10,000 beneficiaries through various empowerment initiatives.
The appointment was confirmed during a courtesy visit by the Founder of FLONY, Ambassador Farid Musa Jauro, to the CISLAC head office. Jauro described Rafsanjani’s emergence as strategic, citing his longstanding advocacy for youth inclusion, transparency and good governance as key assets for the foundation’s next phase of growth.
She noted that his experience in governance reform and youth development would provide stronger direction as FLONY consolidates its programmes and expands its national reach.
Also speaking, the Acting Secretary-General of FLONY, Alhaji Aminu Lawal Usman, thanked Rafsanjani and the CISLAC team for accepting the advisory role. He expressed optimism that the new leadership would enhance the foundation’s growth, deepen its community impact and open up more partnership opportunities.
“With Comrade Rafsanjani on board, we are confident the foundation will benefit immensely from his knowledge and experience to do more for Nigerians and Africans,” Usman said, commending his consistent support for civil society initiatives.
In his acceptance remarks, Rafsanjani, who also heads Transparency International Nigeria, applauded FLONY’s commitment to youth and women empowerment, particularly its ability to implement programmes despite limited external funding.
He urged the foundation to maintain political neutrality to safeguard its credibility and called for stronger documentation of activities, strategic alliances with credible stakeholders and the attraction of partners who align with its vision.
Rafsanjani further encouraged the organisation to intensify policy advocacy in areas such as job creation, poverty reduction, youth and women empowerment, and security, stressing the critical role of civil society in addressing Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges.
The renewed partnership between CISLAC and FLONY is expected to bolster advocacy efforts, strengthen youth-focused programming and promote sustainable development initiatives across the country.