The Mariam Webster Dictionary defines youth as the time of life when one is young and not yet an adult. A time when something is new and not yet established. The usage of the term “youth” is rather flexible. It is unlike the fixed age group that can be easily categorized. It therefore follows that a youth in a one society is an adult in another. The United Nations gives an insight into the age grades that could be classified as youth thus: “The UN, for statistical consistency across regions, defines ‘youth’ as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years, without prejudice to other definitions by Member States.”
All UN statistics on youth are based on this definition as illustrated by the annual Year Books of Statistics published by the United Nations system on demography, education, employment and health.
For activities at the national level, for example when implementing a local community youth programme, “youth” may be understood in a more flexible manner. UNESCO will then adopt the definition of “youth” as used by a particular member state. It can be based, for instance, on the definition given in the African Youth Charter where “youth” means “every person between the ages of 15 and 35 years”.
For the purpose of this article, I want to safely assume that Nigeria’s definition of who is a youth is within the description opined by the African Youth Charter. Therefore, a Nigerian youth is within the ages of 15 and 35 years. Though most political parties in Nigeria have men who are well over 45 years old as youth leaders. The Nigerian youth has excelled in almost very facet of life, in spite of the enormous challenges that they usually have to overcome in a country like ours. From the academics to sports, movies, sciences, engineering, banking, the Nigerian youth can compete with the best anywhere in the world. The Nigerian youth is resilient, determined and dogged in the pursuit of any given dream. They are ever willing to pay the price for success in a dream they believe in. Hence they have always recorded successes.
However, politics remains an aspect of our national life in which the brightest of the Nigerian youth has consistently shown insufficient interest. The few who do are barely literate and are deployed to be used as thugs. It is easier to see a Camel go through the eye of a Needle than to see a young Nigerian graduate be part of a Political Party at community level or playing any major role politically at the grassroots. In every aspect of life where they excelled, they have gone through detailed mentoring and have dutifully borne the rigours that such professions have demanded from them. However, it is sad to observe that when it comes to politics, they want opportunities thrust upon them without their fighting or striving for it. Having not learnt the intricacies and art of politics, they erroneously assume that because they have achieved some level of successes in their chosen professions, they can do same in politics without learning the ropes. Nothing can be further from the truth.
In attempting to wrest political power from the so called “Older Generation”, they have resorted to cheap blackmail asserting that some particular set of leaders have been within the corridors of power forever and therefore too old. They forget that the chairmen of the blue chip companies they are coming from are, in most cases, older than the political leaders who they seek to crucify for no other reason than these men and women being advanced in age. How is it possible that an athlete who is not on the track for a relay race would want the baton passed on to him? The youth ask for power shift without having gone through the required and necessary rigours of political schooling. They ask for a generational shift in political power without being active in political processes.
Chuka Umunna is a young British parliamentarian who might become one of the youngest, if not the youngest Prime Minister Britain ever had. He is of a Nigerian father and a Scottish mother. He joined politics when he was 20 years old under the mentoring of the present leader of the labour party, Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband who introduced him into politics. After about 15 years of learning under Miliband, come May 7, 2015, Chuka Umunna is being tipped as the likely replacement for his political mentor. If he can become the leader of the Labour party, he is eligible to be Prime minister at just 36 years of age!
Should the above scenario play out, I can wager that the Nigerian youth would be quick to make Chuka Umunna a rallying point in the pursuit of their demand for generational shift in power. They would forget that Umunna had spent a great part of his life under the mentoring of a political leader. He fought and worked hard to get to where he is today. The opportunity he has now was earned. It was not thrust upon him.
There are political leaders today who are committed to grooming some youth to assume political Position in Nigeria. However, the question to ask is: Can the Nigerian youth be like Chuka Umunna? Are they ready to go through the rigours that will birth the generational Shift in power that they clamour for? All I see them crave is the “fast food” approach to power.
The Nigerian youth, in my humble opinion, has not sufficiently demonstrated that they are prepared to assume the leadership of the country. They have refused to receive political tutelage from the older generation but are quick to remind us of how young our iconic leaders such as Awolowo, Zik, Enahoro and many others were when they assumed leadership position. They forget that all these leaders, at over 70 years, were still actively involved in politics. The so-called “older generation” that the youth are now eager to do away with are those who painstakingly learnt the art and act of public service from our heroes past.
Today, we have politicians who are less than 50 years old with no political training whatsoever clamouring to govern a state with their unique selling point being: “I represent the younger generations,” wishing the electorate to exchange experience for experiment. The slogan of the so-called younger generation of Nigeria’s political youth who do not exactly fall within the definitions of youth as stated earlier is: “I may not be experienced, most of the things I will do when elected may be trial and error, but let me rule over you because I am a younger candidate.” How pathetic. Besides the benefit of strength, what other advantage does youthfulness have over the experience and wisdom of the aged? Over and over again, wisdom and experience will trump the strength of the youth in state affairs.
The Awolowos, the Tafawa Balewas and Azikiwes fought for what they became. It was never handed to them on a platter.