Nigerian youth must get involved in politics
A report by Statista.com ranks Nigeria in the 18th position of the world’s countries with the most youthful population. The report, which further explained that half of the population in Africa is aged under 19 years, is yet another strong affirmation that Nigeria is indeed endowed with youthful and useful human resources that can be harnessed […]
A report by Statista.com ranks Nigeria in the 18th position of the world’s countries with the most youthful population. The report, which further explained that half of the population in Africa is aged under 19 years, is yet another strong affirmation that Nigeria is indeed endowed with youthful and useful human resources that can be harnessed for a progressive transformation.
Nigerian youths are also acknowledged to be trail blazers and pathfinders in their respective endeavours in and outside the country as evident in their technological innovations, scientific innovations, entrepreneurial leadership and social innovations.
What seems to be very unclear with “the Nigerian spirit of the youths” up till today is their invisibilities in the Nigerian political ecosystem. Today, there are still fewer youths in active politics. The reasons for our hesitations are sometimes unclear too.
While a good percentage of the youth distest it, others perceive it as an exclusively reserved right of the rich and many of us, including the highly educated, are in a way unaware of things that have connections with politics.
As young people, it is now pressing on us more than ever before to, by our own selves, begin to engineer a shift in our pattern of perception, our mindset and our willingness to take control of our most needed roles in the Nigerian political system.
More Nigerian youths and women must begin to recognise and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the recent development, like the passing of the “Not Too Young to Run Bill”, the Freedom of Information Act as well as the possibilities presented by the proliferation of technological innovations to explore and lead a youthful reform.
The struggles and agitations surrounding the passing of the “Not Too Young to Run” bill and other related bills into law is just a foundation. The other phase, and the most important as a matter of fact, lies in the willingness of the youth to explore the possibilities granted them by the acts not only by ways of contesting for political offices but also by deliberately altering our statuses from mere political instruments into active political agents who can act constructively and responsibly to shape the political narratives of our country and by extension, shape our destinies and fates.
Sule Matthew is a fellow, Gidan Yanci Fellowship.