The Nigerian Professor of African History, Peace and Conflict Studies and the pioneer Director of the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS), University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Isaac Olawale Albert, having been working tenaciously on the effective participation of youths in politics even before the Age Reduction Bill (Not Too Young To Run Bill) was passed into law, on Friday July 6,2018 gathered academics, youths, students from various disciplines to debate whether the Nigerian Youths are capable of a leading a complex nation as Nigeria.
The Symposium tagged “Youth Empowerment and Political Voice in Nigeria” aimed at changing the narrative of the Nigerian cliché that youths are not ready or capable was held at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies ,University of Ibadan.
It was not just another meeting but a strategic idea championed by a composite of intellectuals to help define the path the Nigerian youths should take.
Prof.Olawale in his speech, opined that if truly the country belongs to the youths, then they should be allowed to determine their future. He stressed that it is unfortunate to see intelligent minds rusting away alarmingly. “Our present leaders were less than 30years old when they ruled this nation during the military era. Why they simply won’t give the youths a chance to replicate same in this 21st century is condemnable. Young people invented the social media applications even our old men use today, yet they won’t invest on our youths to become useful to the society. If President Buhari can say that the youths should not run against him in the country 2019 general election, it only shows that the President himself has not bought into the idea of giving the youths a chance.”
He further argued that if the retirement age of civil servants was pegged at 60 years and 70years for those in the university, such policy should be well extended to politicians.
Peace and Conflict resolution consultant , however counseled the federal government to invest heavily on the youths as can be seen in other climes citing Jordan as an example where government is responsible for their education up to the university level, get them jobs particularly from oil producing nations like Qatar,Saudi Arabia etc. if Nigeria and Africa can birth new ideas empowering the youths, then steady growth and development would be largely experienced.
Professor Taju Akanji while addressing the attendants
Speaking on restructuring agenda that has made airwaves in recent times, Prof.Olawale maintained that restructuring was not only necessary but that it must also guarantee an opportunity for the youth to voice their opinions and yearnings in the chronicles of the Nigerian agenda. It gives them a chance to make their own decisions rather than being overlooked as inconsequential. This is what we call youth empowerment, he said.
In conclusion, Olawale believes that age does not necessarily equate to experience. The youths are already exposed to the modus operandi of the Nigerian politics. If the youths can take the quantum leap of leading a multi-ethnic society as ours using the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) programme as an example which preaches integration amongst our youths, then it will serve as a panacea for a paradigm shift.
Cross session of the audience at the symposium
Also, another keynote speaker, Professor Ajayi was more concerned about the exuberance of Nigerian youths. He said that although the leaders as of Friday may have failed in addressing lingering issues but that the youths are not better off. “It would be in our interest if the youths embrace the ethics and ethos of leadership to be able to thrive in a complex nation and continent as ours”
He advised the youths to shun violence, avoid bigotry, tribalism, nepotism sold to us by our leaders and embrace oneness and peaceful coexistence across tribes if they want to succeed as Nigerian future leaders.
In the same vein, a participant of the symposium who although is a postgraduate student of the University and a young politician with ANRP,Mr. Adewale called for mass support in the difficult but achievable quest of unseating the old war horse in power.
State Spokesman for ANRP, Ogun State Chapter,Mr Adewale during an interview with CEOAfrica
He pleaded for financial support towards any young and promising Nigerian Youth who intends to run for the elective positions at the forthcoming 2019 general election. Most importantly, He preached peace and harmony so that the dream would be a reality.
Group picture of Intellectuals who attended the symposium
The forum was well attended by young politicians, students of various sorts and passionate Nigerian Youths in whose shoulder lies the fate of the Nigerian project and Africa at large.
