ACTIVISTS DEMAND MAINSTREAMING YOUTHS IN NIGERIA’S POLITICAL LEADERSHIP

Reporter : CHRISTIAN NWANGENE

For a robust, competitive, innovative and sustainable political engagement, there should be a delibrate efforts to create a political culture that mainstreams young people in the governance process of the country. These were the submissions by a cross section of residents of Enugu as Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate International Youth Day.

A gender activist, Dr. Nnenna Anozie, canvassed a political system that is mutually inclusive, gender balanced and participatory.  Dr. Anozie said young people should be seen as partners in progress to promote efficacy, equity and empowerment for everyone.

“These youths will bring up innovations, fresh ideas and with their energy, they’re ready to research, they’re ready to travel, they’re ready to make moves just for the betterment of the society.

“But as long as the older ones continue to be there, they can only act within their knowledge and space, but these young ones, if we can utilize their energy, tap into their strengths, it will go a long way in giving us prosperity, reviving our economy and the rest of them,” she said.

A legal practitioner and Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Enugu State Chapter, Mr. Onuora Okeke, said the current political culture in the country had not shown serious commitment to the development of youths apart from violence.

Mr. Okeke canvassed a political behaviour that was hinged on youth mentoring and political socialisation that would enhance sustainable development and institutionalized method of engagement.

“There should be adequate political mentorship as part of our political culture.

“There should be institutionalized way of bringing up the youth.

“When we have a system, a structured way, anybody that comes in will fix himself or herself into it, not when you come you die with it.

“There should be an institutionalized method of bringing youths into politics, training them in such a way that even when our leaders will handover by way of transition. The people that will take over in form of inheritance will have something to inherent and handover to other persons, once there is that projections, you see the system will be streamlined.

“Once we have a mentored system of youth development and a sustainable way of institutional development of the youths as part of our political culture will help for greater impact of sustainable development in our country,” Mr. Okeke stated.

The Enugu State CAN Secretary, said if there was a political culture that had sustainable development for youths, it would help in the diversification of capacity of young people in developmental activities. 

The Executive Director, LEAD Network, Mr. Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa, said young people had been mainstreamed in other sectors of the nation’s life. He however expressed regret the mainstreaming of youths was lacking in Nigeria’s political environment.

“To mainstream young persons in our political environment, first and foremost, young people should be included as part of governance in key positions”

“We want to see young persons seat at the state executive Council, seat at the Federal Executive Council, through that, the administration demonstrates to them that they’re part of the government, after politics, comes governance and of course that should be demonstrated to young persons,” he remarked.

Mr. Okenwa noted that if young people were properly integrated into governance, the country would be positioned for global competitiveness.

In the words of Mr. Okenwa: “Once we mainstream young persons that are credible in governance, what they have demonstrated, the productivity, the innovation they’ve brought to the table in every sector: ranging from oil and gas, to banking, to private institutions, schools because of the productivity, the innovation, the strength for research and development associated with the youthful. We’re going to see same replicated in government and governance.”

International Youth Day is usually marked by with concerts, workshops and cultural events.