The promise of President Muhammadu Buhari during his Democracy day speech on May 29, 2018 to sign the “Not too Young to Run Bill” into law to give opportunities to Nigerian youths to participate in politics and governance has sparked off fresh hope for Nigeria’s youths who have been agitating, desiring to participate in political and governance activities in the country. This issue has been dominating public discourses in recent times. Suffice it to say too that it is a trending global movement that hallmarks the pattern of leadership thoughts in the 21 Century open society, particularly in virile democracies in Europe, US and Australia.
Historically, the independent struggle to liberate Nigeria from colonial grip was fought by youths in the 20s and early 30s. Till date, the youths that wrestled power from the colonial administrators in the early 60s, the revolutionary young military officers that ousted them from power six years after in a coup and counter court of January and July 1966, as well as actors of successive regimes and civil rules dominated and continue to wield the lever of power in the country’s power space till date.
There is an old maxim that youths are the leaders of tomorrow; however, it is regrettable that the Nigerian youths have been suffering from complications of denial, docility, experience and lack of capacity. But at this point, we stand with this popular demand by the youths. The metaphorical yoke of “tomorrow” which has become an endless and elusive dream for the youths that has perpetually shot them out of the corridors of power in Nigeria should be broken to let them in the interest of democracy, development and inclusive governance.
Evidences abound that countries that entrust the leadership of their nations in the hands of youths are doing better economically, militarily, politically, scientifically and healthy cultural civilisation. From, Austria to San Marino, North Korea, New Zealand, France and so many other European nations, there is an enviable roll call of youthful leadership.
As the nation celebrate 19 years of unbroken democratic experience, the issue of youths inclusion in the governance of the country must take the front banner with pragmatic advocacy.
Only few days ago, young Nigerians who converged on Abuja at a Youth Awareness Conference put together by Youth Empowerment Strategy for Good Initiative, (YES4GI) on Democracy Day with the theme “Educating Citizenry on Ways to Achieve a Better Democracy, Good Governance and Inclusive Growth” also re-echoed the same sentiment about participation of youths in governance.
Young presidential aspirants emphasized the urgent need to wrestle power from those they described as grandparents and analogue thinking leaders currently holding sway. There are hardly young people in their early 30s in the present government.
Only recently, some former Nigerian leaders such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ibrahim Babangida, General TY Danjuma, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, etc, lent their influential voices to the debate. Looking at history, and perhaps, dissatisfied by the performance of their own generation, advocated for a change in the country’s leadership to the younger generation.
President Buhari has been advised not to run for the presidency in 2019 in the interest of the nation considering his age and health factors. But will that matter? Officially, Buhari is 76 years but his younger sister is said to be 82 years! This type of malady and insanity can only happen in Nigeria. Since the past 19 years, Nigeria has been under the crunching yoke of the combination of gerontocracy and kleptocracy.
Going forward, let political parties initiate a process that would inspire and encourage youths to participate in the political process. We oppose the current system where over 60 and 70 years old men and women dominate the power base in the country.
Mechanism should also be put in place by political parties to discourage money politics that is scaring most youths away from aspiring for elective positions in the country. This could be in form of waivers to youths aspiring for positions the party platform. We equally challenge the youths to build their capacities through acquisition of relevant knowledge, participation in party activities, learn stewardship so as to gain experience, demonstrate sound or alternative ideas to the senile political woods, courage, as well as loyalty to the nation.
