It is with great pain in my heart that I write this essay.

We have indeed moved from intellectual activism to irrational crowd follow-follow activism. As I sit back to critically analyse the impact of these election campaigns, I became amazingly shocked at the kind of momentum these campaigns generate.

The Nigerian Youth which ought to be the driver and at the same time focus of these campaign messages unfortunately is the 'killer' and 'saboteur' of what it symbolises. The essence of this election amongst others is to bring to the fore, the level of understanding, quality of knowledge and how informed the Nigerian youth is. Sadly, it is unfortunate that we are yet or not in any way close to being developed be it mentally, socially, psychologically or intellectually.

These elections are supposed to be ISSUES BASED but trust the Nigerian youth, everything na play. We are being presented an opportunity to actively participate in the process of national development but as usual we dey play with am. We should in fact drive the process, ask intelligent questions, challenge certain ideas based on facts from OUR own research and not hear say. Of course, all na play!

It baffles me when the Nigeria youth is being told by this government that: we'll build 1 million megawatts of electricity and we can't ask HOW?

It baffles me when these politicians tell us what they will do, how they will recreate the heavens and not tell us HOW! That they will create 5 billion jobs and not HOW! That they will ensure security of lives and properties without the HOW! That they will give stipends (5000 naira - is that not an insult to us) to the unemployed without telling us HOW and that money will come from! That they will stabilise international oil prices without the HOW component! Even in interviews we attend, the Nigerian Youth, note that we are always asked HOW because employers do not want an employee who'll spend resources building CASTLES in the AIR!

Sometimes its not only the HOW that matters but the JUSTIFICATION for such project! One said he'll provide free internet access! Is it logical? What of the business implications in a capital focused economy as ours.

Someone said he'll stop terrorism in Nigeria. But how? Its very possible but tell us how? Your response will give us an idea of how intelligent, exposed, informed and knowledgeable you are because we are en-trusting our journey as a national stakeholder to you.

One of the contestant is a serving president. Nigerian Youth, ask him why after spending 4 years he deserves my vote! Ask him to give you a score card of his achievements, milestones, and most importantly, his CHALLENGES and WHAT he is doing about it!. And please when he DOES, LOOK at his report card and be OBJECTIVE!

The Nigerian Youth asks me: why did it take the Federal Government this long to reduce the pump price of PMS going by the fall of international crude oil prices (probably doesn't even know that there are different variant of crude oil and so the prices)? Then he goes on to say it is Election! What this means is that firstly he's limited in scope and hence not open to research. And secondly he has made up his mind about what he feels is correct. But the worse is when you challenge his facts, he either bluntly refuses your own idea or fights you! Common sense says if you don't know, make effort to know!

When we fail to ask the right questions, the politicians use this to our disadvantage. The Nigerian Youth, have you asked this administration to clear or state its position on the Pipeline Contracts allegedly awarded to Global West Vessels Security Ltd? Have you asked the government to make known to us, her position on the allegedly crude oil theft? Have you asked this government what effort(s) or steps or measures she has put in place or is putting in place to determine in almost clear certainty the amount of crude oil produced, stolen, lost, sold? These are questions we should be asking!

Have we evaluated the impact of government's support to SMEs and the desired impact in the economy? Take Lagos for example, Nigerian Youth, haven't you thought it wise to ask the State Government the justification for maintaining TOUTS in EVERY BUS STOP? Don't you care about the TIME you WASTE on a journey of 30 minutes all because some POLICE OFFICERS want some share, MOTORISTS stop anywhere even in the middle of the road to pick passengers ESPECIALLY at night? Haba!

Oh...how about our LOCAL GOVERNMENT! They are supposed to be the first level of connection between citizens and government!

Nigerian Youth, let's not sit behind a computer living in a place like Lagos only to make damning and dangerous verdicts on the activities of the government. Let's not be so carried away with our own refusal to learn and penchant for continued ignorance!