₦airaland Forum

By Prince Victor.

Despite growing evidence of youth activism and mobilisation, Nigerian youths have yet to achieve the level of inclusion required to gain representation in politics. Leadership deficits, money politics, poor internal democracy among the older parties and an absence of a strategic political agenda pose ongoing barriers to young people playing a role in national development.
Africa’s political history is not complete without appreciating the roles that youths played in achieving their countries’ independence. In the years leading to independence, youths were the driving force behind the nationalist activities that led to the dismantling and eventual overthrow of colonialism and the colonial masters. Despite this, the role of youths in African politics has received less than commensurate attention in studies on democratisation.

In Nigeria, the activities of Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, H.O. Davies, Tafawa Balewa, Ahmadu Bello and Samuel Akintola among many others in their 20s and 30s are legendary. Some of these youths are reputed for the formation of political parties such as the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM), which was the first political party in Nigeria, the Nigeria National Democratic Party (NNDP), and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). These young Nigerians each used the media to speak against the evils of colonialism and demanded independence. Nnamdi Azikiwe, for instance, was reputed for the use of his newspaper, the West African Pilot.
Through these avenues, they created awareness of the evils that foreign domination posed to the country and, despite various constitutional reforms, these young people demanded independence. Their tenacity and determination eventually saw the country gaining independence from British colonial rule on 1 October 1960.

In the years after independence, particularly during the military era, young people opposed and fought gallantly against the profligacy and high-handedness of the military regimes of Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, and during the brutal and inglorious regimes of Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha in the 1980s and 1990s an entire generation of youth and student organisaions formed under umbrella organisations such as the National Association of Nigerian Students, the Campaign for Democracy, the Civil Liberties Organisation and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. These took the struggle to the streets of major cities across the country.

Despite the track record of older generation youths, Nigerian politics is fast becoming the exclusive preserve of the older politicians, as seen from the constant recycling of government officials, especially those in their 60s. For many years, particularly after the country’s return to democratic governance in 1999, youths were at best seen as supporters, mobilisers or political foot soldiers hired to instigate violence, manipulate elections and intimidate opposing parties. While this image is not completely the fault of the older generation, these groups enjoyed the idea of youths as political mercenaries rather than competitors.

With the signing into law of the Not Too Young To Run Bill in 2019, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, this trend seems to be changing as youths are beginning to see the importance of their role in governance. The Bill was part of the advocacy role of YIAGA AFRICA – the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement – and the Not Too Young to Run Movement which opened up the space to increased youth participation. Among other changes to the electoral law, it reduced the age for presidential candidates from 40 to 35 and for House of Representatives candidates from 30 to 25 years.

As a result of the Bill, there is a positive trend in youth participation, with youth candidacy increasing from 21% in 2015 to 34.2% in the 2019 elections. Despite these changes, the number of youths aged 18–29 (based on the youth definition given by the National Youth Policy organisation), voted into elective positions in Nigeria is less than 1%. Further, there are no youth in the new cabinet formed by President Buhari, and neither is there a youth in the National Assembly. This is despite youths making up over 67% of registered voters, on average, which means that whoever they decide to vote for is sure of winning the election.
Poor funding and high costs of nomination forms for various offices remain a major obstacle to youth representation in politics.

In the run up to the 2019 general election, the cost of nomination forms was as high as 45 million naira (US$125,000) for Presidential aspirants, 22.5 million (US$60,000) for governorship aspirants, 7 million (US$19,000) for the Senate and 3.8 million (US$10,500) for the House of Representatives. Few Nigerian youths are financially buoyant to pay these sums and, since donors and godfathers usually prefer older men whom they believe have the chances of winning, young people are naturally disenfranchised. Thus while in theory they are Not Too Young To Run, in practice, the youth find themselves Too-Poor-To-Run and in a dilemma of how to mobilise sufficient funds to be ‘eligible’ for representation.

With a rapidly expanding population, the future of Africa in general, and Nigeria, in particular belongs to the youth who have a vital role to play in national development. The onus therefore rests on African leaders to ensure that young people are given the pride of place in African politics.

which NIGERIA �� Youth want to rule?
the ones causing violence in the country or the lazy youths protesters abeg experienced politicians should ride on till year 3000 from the APC till the Second coming of Christ

LordviccoDaGuru:
which NIGERIA �� Youth want to rule?
the ones causing violence in the country or the lazy youths protesters abeg experienced politicians should ride on till year 3000 from the APC till the Second coming of Christ

I dey tell you. I know that funding an election is a capital intensive venture, but I still believe that the youths are more interested in celebrating rubbish like with BBN and other things of mediocirty.

Sadly Nigerian youths are worse than their elders.They are vacuous,vain,greedy and extremely unpatriotic.They are a sorry pitiable bunch

@ LordviccoDaGuru

Since the older ones have failed to solve the problems they created, I believe paving way for the youths might mitigate the situation as we have the voting strength to decide.

What we need is youths actively involved in politics and just maybe we shall see eldorado.

@ Kingosytex

You are not far from the truth but I think rigorous sensitization should be carried out in regards to that.

Everything begins with a step!

Babalegba:
Sadly Nigerian youths are worse than their elders.They are vacuous,vain,greedy and extremely unpatriotic.They are a sorry pitiable bunch

Explain your statement, unless this is the only thing your brain could muster.

@ Babalegba

To you Nigerian Youths might be greedy and unpatriotic, these is because the older men at the helms of affairs have learnt how to use the youths for a particular interest and drop such youths at the the attainment of the course of which he/she was used.

Hence they become greedy and unpatriotic, if the youths can resist this self-centered old politicians and crave to attain that height by retiring them from politics, I think we will all have a country to proudly call ours.

Princevictor966:
@ LordviccoDaGuru

Since the older ones have failed to solve the problems they created, I believe paving way for the youths might mitigate the situation as we have the voting strength to decide.

What we need is youths actively involved in politics and just maybe we shall see eldorado.

Youths that takes tramadol

[quote author=LordviccoDaGuru post=98551342]Youths that takes tramadol

That's quite hilarious!

But you got to believe in the circumstances of possibility

Same youth that protested #Endsars and did a good job while at it? Is is not the same youth that made sure medical care was available during the protest, food, water, handling donations globally even though their budget was less than the donations the government received to tackle the pandemic?

I'm in the business world and I see lots of young, intelligent and conscientious Nigerians doing great things for themselves even without the support of the government. Do not make the social media fool you, those are noise and one need to dig a bit deeper, to see that there are great Nigerians that will turn this country around if they are given the opportunity.

I've not even mentioned the reserves from Nigerian diaspora that have all kinds of professional expertise and more. And if a well trusted Nigerian youth comes out to run for a political office, the fund to support the candidate will show up instantly, just as it happened in #Endsars. There is hope.

Princevictor966:
@ Babalegba

To you Nigerian Youths might be greedy and unpatriotic, these is because the older men at the helms of affairs have learnt how to use the youths for a particular interest and drop such youths at the the attainment of the course of which he/she was used.

Hence they become greedy and unpatriotic, if the youths can resist this self-centered old politicians and crave to attain that height by retiring them from politics, I think we will all have a country to proudly call ours.

Excuses, excuses, almost any action or mindset can be rationalized but nothing is solved that way. Nigerian youths are just plain bad at the moment.A typical example is Bello who is lording it over a stagnating kogi state but wants to be president. Youths don't need billions to sweep aside the old guard just a vigorous campaign on the internet and running expenses can be donated by grassroot youths. They have the numbers on their side so as long as the youths vote for their agreed candidate they would win the south west south south and south east , the north could fall to them and therefore the presidency at the next election.Nigerian youths want money at all cost and would eat a sheit sandwich just to drive a fourth hand 2008 Camry.Rubbish.

privaldo:
Explain your statement, unless this is the only thing your brain could muster.

Yahoo Yahoo,cultism, reckless and criminal pursuit of money.Any of this ring a bell.One fool phoned me five days ago purportedly from my bank about bvn, activities that are extremely damaging to the economy.

Babalegba:
Yahoo Yahoo,cultism, reckless and criminal pursuit of money.Any of this ring a bell.One fool phoned me five days ago purportedly from my bank about bvn, activities that are extremely damaging to the economy.

That is not enough to write off a whole generation, the current leaders did worse when they were younger. There generation began the movement of drugs to other countries, money ritual, and so many more but nobody wrote them off.

There are always goats in the gathering of sheep, it is left for the shepherd to select the sheeps and do away with the goats.

Babalegba:
Sadly Nigerian youths are worse than their elders.They are vacuous,vain,greedy and extremely unpatriotic.They are a sorry pitiable bunch

Last I checked, most of these youths have their assets in Nigeria meanwhile the oldies have theirs in the UAE, Switzerland, UK and US. But hey, Nigerian youths are uNpAtRiOtIc

Babalegba:
Sadly Nigerian youths are worse than their elders.They are vacuous,vain,greedy and extremely unpatriotic.They are a sorry pitiable bunch

The youth are the product of the elders,
The youth didn't come out of a vacuum,
While you insult the youths, take a minute to consider what the next generation would be like,
But black people can't think that far

privaldo:
That is not enough to write off a whole generation, the current leaders did worse when they were younger. There generation began the movement of drugs to other countries, money ritual, and so many more but nobody wrote them off.

There are always goats in the gathering of sheep, it is left for the shepherd to select the sheeps and do away with the goats.

Sadly and unfortunately there are far more goats than sheep among Nigerian youths.The value system is upside down and to correct something like that takes decades.I find it painful that Nigerian youths live such empty materialistic lives and even wash hands with expensive champagne at nightclubs just to appear rich.

Instead of Nigeria youths to takeover political position it's better for those old folks to continue ruling.
Many youths who are opportune to be in leadership position today is absolutely failure. The example is yahaya Bello of kogi state, chinedu orji of abia state and many more

Thus....charity begin at home, Even in my state we have some youths who occupied political position from councilorship to local government charman but non of them is transparent.
All they do is to be moving from one club to another, defiling innocent girls with their influence. From antecedent this youths are not better if they are giving power.
Problematically...Nigeria system is build in faulty foundation it can not get better, unless it's redesign

Babalegba:
Excuses, excuses, almost any action or mindset can be rationalized but nothing is solved that way. Nigerian youths are just plain bad at the moment.A typical example is Bello who is lording it over a stagnating kogi state but wants to be president. Youths don't need billions to sweep aside the old guard just a vigorous campaign on the internet and running expenses can be donated by grassroot youths. They have the numbers on their side so as long as the youths vote for their agreed candidate they would win the south west south south and south east , the north could fall to them and therefore the presidency at the next election.Nigerian youths want money at all cost and would eat a sheit sandwich just to drive a fourth hand 2008 Camry.Rubbish.

The vast majority of Nigerians are not using the Internet. Globally, elections aren't just won on the Internet let alone in developing countries where poverty, uneven development and illiteracy are rife. Banky W and Yul Edochie are prime examples. Winning elections require a whole lot of money. Unfortunately, Nigerian youths have been subjected to anaemic economic growth over the years which has reduced their earning potentials resulting in poor finances to singlehandedly sponsor themselves to contest. Fortunately, tech is providing a source of earnings which I believe will be deployed in the next decade or less.

LordviccoDaGuru:
which NIGERIA �� Youth want to rule?
the ones causing violence in the country or the lazy youths protesters abeg experienced politicians should ride on till year 3000 from the APC till the Second coming of Christ

Lot of Wisdom...
God bless Buhari
God bless Nigeria
Thunder fire the Wailers

Gerrard59:
The vast majority of Nigerians are not using the Internet. Globally, elections aren't just won on the Internet let alone in developing countries where poverty, uneven development and illiteracy are rife. Banky W and Yul Edochie are prime examples. Winning elections require a whole lot of money. Unfortunately, Nigerian youths have been subjected to anaemic economic growth over the years which has reduced their earning potentials resulting in poor finances to singlehandedly sponsor themselves to contest. Fortunately, tech is providing a source of earnings which I believe will be deployed in the next decade or less.

Demographically Nigeria is different to many world nation's. A mostly youthful population on WhatsApp and social media could be harnessed to bring about political change.Bankyw and his ilk are in the kleptocratic mainstream parties and appealed to the older people for votes but when the numbers are loaded in their favour the youths will not need older people's votes but wait a minute did I not hear about gun battles at the recently concluded students national election.Present day youths are worse

Babalegba:
Sadly and unfortunately there are far more goats than sheep among Nigerian youths.The value system is upside down and to correct something like that takes decades.I find it painful that Nigerian youths live such empty materialistic lives and even wash hands with expensive champagne at nightclubs just to appear rich.

The percentage of Nigerian youths involved in these activities are certainly not up to 7%. There are several others who are trying to survive legally, so there is no need for the generalisation.

Babalegba:
Demographically Nigeria is different to many world nation's. A mostly youthful population on WhatsApp and social media could be harnessed to bring about political change.Bankyw and his ilk are in the kleptocratic mainstream parties and appealed to the older people for votes but when the numbers are loaded in their favour the youths will not need older people's votes but wait a minute did I not hear about gun battles at the recently concluded students national election.Present day youths are worse

Nigeria's demographics is actually an anomaly where the ethnicity and religious bigotry thrive with wanton abandon. Banky W was not in a mainstream party and even those candidates who won elections on non-mainstream parties later changed to mainstream parties (happened in Oyo state).

BTW, if na so e easy to win election in Nigeria, run for a political position or sponsor someone to do so rather than criticise endlessly.

pansophist:
Same youth that protested #Endsars and did a good job while at it? Is is not the same youth that made sure medical care was available during the protest, food, water, handling donations globally even though their budget was less than the donations the government received to tackle the pandemic?

I'm in the business world and I see lots of young, intelligent and conscientious Nigerians doing great things for themselves even without the support of the government. Do not make the social media fool you, those are noise and one need to dig a bit deeper, to see that there are great Nigerians that will turn this country around if they are given the opportunity.

I've not even mentioned the reserves from Nigerian diaspora that have all kinds of professional expertise and more. And if a well trusted Nigerian youth comes out to run for a political office, the fund to support the candidate will show up instantly, just as it happened in #Endsars. There is hope.

Truly there's Hope and we can make it happen as we believe in the circumstances of possibilities.

Thanks for that salient comment