Written by Mustapha S. Umar Please correct me if I am wrong : It's obvious that youths play the most significant role in prep...
 |
Please correct me if I am wrong : It's obvious that youths play the most significant role in preparation, before, during and after every election in Nigeria. It is also true that, in some parts of the country, youths have started contributing directly to issues of governance in terms of gaining political appointments, from counselors, Local government chairmen, Commissioners, special advisers, and the rest.
The saying... Youths are the leaders of tomorrow, vis-a-vis the number of appointments given to those cohorts to justify the saying, leaves much to be desired. Up till this time (in the 21st century for that matter), youths are still looked upon as options, not priorities. We attend preparatory meetings, we scribe almost all meetings, we stay late in party offices (because they say we are still young to take pressure), we follow all campaign trains, we type speeches, we mobilize, we shout, we also ensure last minute issues before election day and we finally stay in the scorching hot weather or the hash cold weather to vote for the "Youths". At the verge of setting up transition committees, youths figure start thinning. When mantle of power is taken over, youths have little to say. Contracts are also mainly awarded to the same cohort of people who have been enjoying the gesture even before democracy. Criteria for contract awards are usually set, such that, only the old clique wins something reasonable. You can continue to mention. And this is common to all levels of government in all states of the federation, with only few lights in some areas.
This was, is and may likely continue to be the benchmark of assessing youths contribution to National development.
2019 election is already around (with the way things are going and the body languages from many directions) and the same youths will be hired for the job. If we did not device the means to take ownership of many or all positions, we will continue to be in this state or worst still, be going backward.
As for me, for now and henceforth, my vote goes to the youth, the true dictionary meaning of youth in all ramifications. How we are going to ensure this happen, time will tell.
//
As for me, for now and henceforth, my vote goes to the youth, the true dictionary meaning of youth in all ramifications. How we are going to ensure this happen, time will tell.
