The idea of Nigerian youths in
politics and governance has been advanced by several youths and youth
groups in recent times. In 2014, I led a group of young Nigerian
professionals under the banner of Rethink Nigeria to present a document
on this issue to the then National Conference.
The document made a case for youth
inclusion in politics and governance. The argument we made back then,
remains the same today. The idea of youth as leaders of tomorrow has reduced a demographic majority to a political minority. What
this means is that while the youths control the majority of votes cast
during elections, they end up controlling nothing after politicians win
elections.
A close look at the history of
Nigeria show how much the youth have featured prominently in political
leadership and governance. But in recent times, the story is not exactly
the same.
Shehu
Shagari became a Federal Legislator at the age of 30 and a Minister at
the age of 35. M.T. Mbu became a Minister at the age of 25 and Nigeria’s
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom at the age of 26. Richard
Akinjide became Minister of Education at the age of 32. Maitama
Sule became Oil Minister at the age of 29. Audu Ogbeh was a Minister at
the age of 35. He is still serving today as a minister. And the list goes on.
In contrast, today’s reality is a
polity where Nigerian youths are used as election consultants, social
media battalions and political thugs. Many have blamed the new trend on a
conspiracy of the elite class who just cannot stand the idea of
vacating the scene for the younger generation creating a system that
makes it impossible for young people to emerge and succeed in politics
and governance. While this perspective is not entirely incorrect, there
are more than enough premises to validate the argument that Nigerian
youths are their biggest problem.
Greed, selfish ambition, lack of
capacity and “over-competition” have conspired to weaken the ability of
Nigerian youths to collaborate effectively as a united front that
advances the well-being of young Nigerians.
Let’s look at some of the challenges
that have constrained the Nigerian youth to the fringes of political
leadership and governance and why nobody really takes them seriously.
First, selfishness. The idea that
you must have everything for yourself alone and others can go to hell is
a predominant characteristic of young people today.
Then you have the integrity
challenge. Young people cannot expect to be trusted with leadership if
they insult politicians in the social media one moment and the next
moment approach these same politicians cap in hand.
Third is the mentality of every man
for himself; the idea that you must demonize and destroy other youths as
long as it guarantees you a spot at the top.
Lack of capacity is another major
issue. The urge by youths to arrive quickly at the top without first
subjecting themselves to building capacity going through process;
mentorship, followership and apprenticeship. Today, many young people
want to own a company and lead an organization, even when the capacity
for such leadership is lacking.
We must not forget poverty. Many
youths are constrained by sheer economic pressure and find themselves
ready to do anything for survival.
Competition in place of healthy
collaborations has turned many young people into rat race runners who
feel compelled to prove a point that they are the best at what and end
up not seeing any good in others.
A recently disturbing trend is the
rising wave of intolerance to dissenting viewpoints and ideologies. Come
to the social media and see what young people are doing to themselves
in the name of politics and the superiority contest to establish who
holds the best opinion.
The ‘Pull Him Down’ syndrome is a
predominant characteristic of today’s youth. If it’s not me in that
position, whoever else is there must be disgraced, embarrassed and
pulled down.
I remember being labelled with all
sorts of names in the social media and the only crime I committed was
taking a political appointment to work in the Nigerian Govt. Every
ministry where I served as a ministerial aide, much of the attacks I
faced came from young people. Ministries that were forgotten suddenly
became trending topics on Twitter because Ohimai went there. They
completely forgot I was a young person like them and needed their
support to succeed. As far as some were concerned, I had joined their
oppressors on the other side. Today, many of such critics back then have
now lost their voices. Everything is now fine with the Defence, Foreign
Affairs, Youth and Sports ministries… Ohimai is no longer there!
Frontline Nigerian blogger Linda
Ikeji bought a house and the greatest noise came from young people like
her. There was even a time attempts were made to take down her blog.
Audu Maikori was arrested for a
Facebook comment he apologized for and some youths in the Nigerian
social media wanted him jailed.
I was shocked during my visit to
Harvard when I discovered how a contemporary has been going about in
international circles parading himself as “Mr Fix Nigeria”. I am mostly
known by the name “Mr Fix Nigeria”. It’s the username for all my social
media handles. It was a name I earned in 2007 while carrying out my
national youth service assignment at the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC). So I told the folks at Harvard there is only one “Mr
Fix Nigeria” and he’s not the one you have been dealing with.
But on a serious note, these are
reflections of what young people do to themselves in the name of
competition and survival and these are the complicated symptoms that
characterize why young people are failing to organize themselves
effectively into a powerful bloc of change makers who can inspire true
leadership beyond exploits in business and the creative industries.
Looking at the concept of political
participation and the way forward, it is instructive to note that
Nigerian youths must wake up and face the reality that their votes on
election day gives them enough power as youths. It is a necessary first
step but it is more complicated than that.
If you observe critically, you will
discover that what most young voters are able to achieve on election day
is to validate the options presented to the electorate by political
parties. What this means is that the voter is not really the one who
wields political power but the party people who decide the candidates we
all vote for on election day. The far-reaching implication of this is
that when party A and party B give us bad candidates, whichever
candidate the majority decides ends up being a bad leader anyway.
Going forward, the key to effective
youth participation in politics and governance is to begin to get
involved at the political party level. That is where all sort of
characters we disdain as leaders first emerge. If we are not involved at
the level of the parties where decisions are taken on the candidates
presented to the electorate, the youths, despite their demographic
majority, are unable to effect real change.
But let me sound a note of warning.
The advocacy for more youths in politics and governance does not
automatically guarantee good governance. Corollary to the earlier
context I provided is the fact that there are young people who are
incompetent, dishonest and corrupt. I have been a passionate advocate of
youth in politics and governance but I’m always quick to add that they
must be young people with character, integrity, a pedigree and a
track-record. In Nigeria, we don’t look at track-records anymore. We
need to start really looking at people’s track-records, what they have
done and where they are coming from.
Packaging and social media
followership is the language of today’s generation, but it does not
qualify you for leadership. Young people must start asking aspiring
leaders, especially fellow youths: what have you done? Show us your
resume.
We must also encourage young
Nigerians to build capacity first before parading themselves as
superstars. There are no short cuts. A good number of our elders may
have stumbled on leadership at a very youthful age, but increasingly,
today’s reality requires competence and hard work.
All youths cannot go into politics
but many of them; the competent ones with character and integrity must
get in there. And their fellow Nigerian youths must encourage and not
demonise them.
I look forward to the day youthful
and youth-friendly people like Toyosi Akerele, Chude Jideonwo, Kola
Oyeneyin, Linus Okorie, Fela Durotoye, Hassan Rilwan etc will run for
office. Young Nigerians must support them if ever or whenever that time
comes. I’m aware my good friend Dayo Isreal is seeking political office
in Lagos. As young people, we should support him.
Conclusively, young Nigerians will
need to also understand that as youths, we are not in a rat race
competition. We can coexist to ‘coopete’ – working together even when we
have different targets and aspirations. We all need to start looking at
ways we can collaborate as young people across political divides. We
must learn from the older generation and how they team up together to
advance their interests. Enough of this politics of APC versus PDP that
has turned young Nigerians who were once friends into public enemies.
This is the only way we can begin to win and change Nigeria together.
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