Youth and a Nation That Builds on Weak Foundation

Image

By Jerome-Mario Utomi

Prior to the recent ‘youths revolt’ in the country which got the young Nigerians once described as ‘lazy’ busy on and off the social media platforms and led to alignment and realignment of opinions as well as resulted in the proliferation of leadership related associations, I have had the opportunity to read with rapt attention about the danger of building a nation without the youths, written by some prominent and well foresighted Nigerians on one hand and relatively controversial citizens as well.

It was against this backdrop that this piece stems to among other aims examine and weaves together the spiralling counter, trans, cross opinions by these public affairs commentators particularly as their comments in a larger context, surprisingly points to the fact that as a nation, we are faced with an urgent responsibility of nation-building.

With the above highlighted, let’s focus on specific arguments.

The first school of thought argues that since May 1999, when democracy re-emerged on the nation’s political sphere, only the likes of the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello, and former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), have been able to emerge state governors at a relatively youthful age.

This they argued is not a sign that Nigerian youths are not matured politically enough to be saddled with critical political positions, but simply because the nation is unfortunately blessed with a huge number of ‘coercive’ and selfish leaders as against truly ‘democratic, pacesetting and coaching’ leaders

Leaders who believe that they are laced with the wisdom of Solomon, feel they are more nationalistic or patriotic than other citizens, yet, cannot accommodate to coach or invite the youths to start learning leadership via a sincere political apprenticeship and do not believe in grooming of the youths. They (leaders) lack the idea of community organizing and are also deficient in emotional intelligence that is needed for providing good governance.

While noting that today, youths lack leadership experience because they have not been given the opportunity to participate and learn what leadership is all about like the Obasanjos and Gowons of this world that had that opportunity at their very youthful stage, these Nigerians with critical minds submitted that Nigeria will continue to build on the weak foundation until the present crop of leaders recognises that naturally, any nation that fails to accommodate its youths, those that will provide the future leadership of the nation, will continue to encounter difficulty in nation-building and national development.

In the same vein, others rued that the inability of Nigerian youths to occupy political or leadership positions in the country, be it elective or appointment should be blamed on the nation’s inglorious departure from politics of ideas to money politics or what is currently referred to as the politics of the highest bidder which the youths have no financial muscles to partake in and, therefore, settled for the easiest option at their disposal which is praise singing or what is referred to as Otinkpu in Igbo local palace.

Responding to the allegation by some that In today’s Nigeria, and in politics, both the adults and the youths in politics are bonded by a common denominator: corruption and abuse of public office, these pro-youth commentators again described such allegation as baseless as corruption knows no age, gender or tribe and is not limited to the youths but cuts across all spectrums.

To further validate their argument in defence of the youth, they pointed out that without the youths in the present government, corruption has become even more entrenched as scandal upon scandal have completely laid bare the anti-corruption stance of this administration and those who were initially deceived by the present government’s alleged fight against corruption has come to the conclusion that nothing has changed.

Whatever the true position may be, in order to take the right part, choose the right values and adopt the right perspectives, there are some facts that need to be underlined about the nation’s leadership imbalance.

First is that in this clime, “youths are the leaders of tomorrow” has become a form of a mantra, a sermon by our leaders that we can describe as gospel without the truth. They preach this without taking pragmatic steps to develop or design strategies that will help it see the light of the day. While the mantra rends the political wavelength, this category of political office holders remains in leadership positions till they are well above 70. It becomes more of a slogan or anthems for the political parties. It lasts as long as the electioneering period and fizzles out as soon as the winners emerge. Youths are never assured again that they are “the leaders of tomorrow” till the next electioneering campaign. And the cycle goes on and on. This has been the grim fate and burden which successive generations of Nigerian youths have grappled with since 1960.

Secondly, the youths that hitherto watched their nation’s political and leadership affairs from the political gallery are, however, beginning to view public office holders’ tales and narrative as one-sided especially when it is coming from our present crop of leaders. It has become a tale that revolves around a particular plot constructed around electioneering, with the sole aim of achieving an electoral victory.

Meanwhile, as a fallout of the above coupled with recent happenings around the world’s political arena as regard emergence of some youthful Presidents occupying exalted positions in their countries have served as an awakening of political and leadership consciousness among Nigerian youths. Heightened youth agitations around the country have become a hot topic for national discourse and have taken the centre stage around the world.

Apart from the just-ended #EndSARS protest, supporting the above assertion is the recently held youth dialogue themed “Towards A Peaceful and Prosperous Plateau” jointly organised by Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI) and Plateau Intelligentsia Development Initiative in Jos, where youths according to media reports, again sought active involvement in governance, deploring the ‘sit-tightism’ of the older generation, whom they argued were “closer to their graves.”,

While the young Nigerians at the event argued that they have untapped fresh ideas to govern the country for “dynamic leadership” to crystallise, they noted that it was time for youths to chart the path for the nation’s greatness, citing instances from both developed and developing countries and submitted that they were not afraid to speak the truth to power.

This time the warning in the opinion of this piece should not be ignored.

This is the time for those who see and understand and care and are willing to work for the progress of this country to internalize the words of Chinua Achebe that true leadership is using knowledge, power and authority to ensure the living standards of the people are improved. And acknowledge that great leaders are characterized by their ability to create positive impacts on the lives of their subjects by the way they place heavy emphasis on the understanding that the economy would look after itself if democracy is protected; human rights adequately are taken care of, and the rule of law strictly adhered to. And their nation’s affairs centrally planned over a period of time with actions spelt out for both normal and contingency conditions.

Finally, aside from leaders identifying that public order, personal and national security, economic and social programmes and prosperity is not the natural order of things but depends on the ceaseless efforts and attention from an honest and effective government that the people elect, it is also imperatively urgent for Nigerian youths to develop a pragmatic collaboration which will represent a set of values that encourage constructive views as well as provide support for leaders with the interests of moving the nation forward.

Jerome-Mario Utomi is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), Lagos.

Share
Related Stories
Image
08-March-2024

Improving Productivity and Efficiency in SMEs

By Emmanuel Otori Running a small and medium business is not always an easy ride, especially in an unpredictable business environment. These businesses always seek ways to stay afloat and the only way to do this is to implement strategies that can increase productivity and efficiency. Most Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are one-man types of businesses with few employees on the ground to run the affairs of the business. Usually, SMEs’ business infrastructures are limited and they have to take one step at a time to grow their business. Many reports show that at least 80 per cent of SMEs

Image
07-March-2024

Performance Bond and Niger Delta Innovation Catalysts

By Jerome-Mario Utomi It is pedestrian information that as part of the effort by the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government in achieving innovation-driven development of the Niger Delta region, the Barrister Chiedu Ebie-led governing board and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), at a well-attended 2024 strategic retreat, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, signed a performance bond. The bond, which was diligently conducted by Hon. Engineer Abubakar Momoh, FNSE, Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, was reportedly in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President. Expectedly, the development elicited reactions from stakeholders and the general public. While

Image
27-February-2024

The Nigerians’ New Round Of Economic Pang

By Jerome-Mario Utomi This piece stemmed from three different but related sources. The first has to do with the astronomical increase in the prices of goods and services in Nigeria, a country that is still discussing minimum wage at a time when the global community is focusing on living wage. And a nation where everything heads up except the wages and salaries of workers, particularly the civil servants. The second has to do with the Global Trends in Child Monetary Poverty report recently released by the World Bank, which reportedly stated that 40 million Nigerian children are living in extremely

Image
12-March-2024

Building Resilience: 6 Simple Climate Solutions for Big Impact in Nigeria

By Grace Oluchi Mbah Nigeria, a nation brimming with potential, faces a significant challenge: climate change. In 2023, Nigeria recorded a decline in rainfall to about 1061 millimetres (mm) compared to 2022, which was about 1137.078 millimetres (mm). These erratic rainfall patterns, combined with rising sea levels of 0.5 meters, could force 27-53 million Nigerians who live along the coast to relocate by the end of the century. These factors are driving adverse climate effects that are already being felt. But amidst these challenges lie opportunities. Here, we explore six simple yet impactful climate solutions that Nigerian communities can adopt

More Stories
Image
21-January-2017

SEC, EFCC after Fraudulent Capital Market Operators

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Fraudulent capital market operators in Nigeria are in for a tough time now as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have vowed to clamp down them. Acting Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu and his SEC counterpart, Mr Mournir Gwarzo, made the pledge Thursday, January 19, 2017 while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation at the EFCC head office, Abuja. The collaboration will see the EFCC provide law enforcement muscle to give bite to SEC’s regulatory mandate in the capital market. Mr Magu stressed the need for

Image
28-July-2021

Akande-Sadipe Wins Radio Nigeria Outstanding Hero Award

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Ms Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has been announced as the winner of the Radio Nigeria Outstanding Hero of the year. The lawmaker clinched the coveted award last Saturday for her exceptional contribution as a member at the lower chamber of the National Assembly. She represents the Oluyole Federal Constituency of Oyo State. The acting Zonal Director, Radio Nigeria, Ibadan Zonal Station, Mrs Bolanle Owoyemi, explained that the congresswoman was picked for the award for her courage and leadership role, having also shown tangible results as representative of a constituency. Mrs

Image
06-September-2017

APC Group Warns Critics to “Leave Aisha Alone”

By Dipo Olowookere A group known as APC Youths Renaissance has warned those it called “political detractors” to leave Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Aisha Alhassan, alone. This followed a video making the rounds showing the Minister endorsing the 2019 presidential ambition of former Vice President, Mr Atiku Abubakar. In a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mr Collins Edwin, the group said it was wrong to accuse Mrs Alhassan of disloyalty to the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. In the statement, the APC group said Mr Buhari would have been very suspicious of Mrs Alhassan if she had

Image
15-May-2023

Experts Preach Income Diversification to Employees, Entrepreneurs

By Modupe Gbadeyanka The importance of income diversification has been emphasised to salary earners, individuals, self-employed and small business owners by some experts who spoke at the workshop organised by Ecobank Nigeria to commemorate this year’s Worker’s Day. At the event themed Maximising Your Income: the Power of Diversification, participants were urged to make deliberate efforts to diversify their income stream in light of the current state of the nation’s economy. The keynote speaker, Dr Yemi Kale, in his presentation titled State of the Nigerian Macroeconomy: Implications for Consumers and Workers, pointed out that the nation’s economy has potential for

Image
14-September-2021

Akwa Ibom to Establish College of Science and Technology

By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel The Akwa Ibom State government has announced plans to establish a college of science and technology with the collaboration of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in the areas of personnel training and manpower development. The Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, said this on Monday while receiving a delegation from UNILAG, his Alma Mata, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. According to the Governor, the college will run as an intermediary programme to prepare students for science and bridge the gap of effective science learning preceding tertiary education. Speaking at the meeting, which was held at the Government

Image
23-February-2021

CryptoLocally Lists Dogecoin on Decentralized P2P Platform

By Adedapo Adesanya CryptoLocally has announced that Dogecoin (DOGE) will be available to trade on its decentralized peer-to-peer (P2P) trading platform, giving Nigerian cryptocurrency traders ease of transactions. DOGE, the cryptocurrency that started as a joke, has become a poster child of the entire industry. Now, users will be able to take advantage of Dogecoin’s bullish market trend. In a press release, the company stated that as part of efforts to offer the very best P2P trading experience to its customers, there is no better way than by offering one of the hottest cryptocurrencies out in the market today. “Our

Image
10-January-2023

Airtel Africa, ABC Transport Drive Stock Exchange’s 0.92% Growth

By Dipo Olowookere The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited had a smooth ride to the green territory on Monday courtesy of buying interest in Airtel Africa, ABC Transport and others. The telecommunication company informed the stock market yesterday that its Nigerian subsidiary, Airtel Networks Limited, has acquired 4G and 5G spectrums for $316.7 million. Investors saw the gains the company would have from rolling out the 5G network in Nigeria, its biggest market, and quickly booked a place for a bite of the cake. This sprung the bourse higher by 0.92 per cent at the close of business, especially when ABC

Image
26-September-2016

MMM Crashes In Zimbabwe, Thousands Lose Money

By Dipo Olowookere Reports from the Zimbabwean media have disclosed that the MMM Global Zimbabwe has collapsed; causing thousands of people in the country to lose their hard-earned money put into the scheme. In Nigeria, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have warned Nigerians not to subscribe to the programme, calling it a Ponzi scheme. However, some Nigerians have ignored these calls, investing millions of Naira into the programme, which promises about 30% to 50% profit monthly. According to a Zimbabwe’s newspaper, IHarare, thousands of dollars have been lost by the country’s citizens

Ad
Ad
Recent Stories
Image
19-March-2024

How Putin Won March 2024 Presidential Election

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh After three days (March 15 to 17) of voting, Vladimir Putin is leading the Russian presidential election with 87.34% after 98% of ballots were counted, according to data from the Russian Central Elections Commission. Undoubtedly it gives Putin, who has been in power since the last days of 1999, another six-year term (2024-2030) to lead Russia, and to pursue with much vigour its foreign policy ambitions in the international system and push forward the much-trumpeted multipolar configuration with a focus on Global South. Putin’s assertive control over the political landscape has been solidified due to the

Image
19-March-2024

Moove Raises $100m in Fresh Race to Conquer New Markets

By Adedapo Adesanya Exactly a year after raising $105 million in an oversubscribed Series A2 round, African mobility company, Moove, has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round as it plots expansion into new markets. According to reports, the funding round was led by mobility giant, Uber and saw injection from others such as sovereign wealth fund Mubadala, The Latest Ventures, AfricInvest, Palm Drive Capital, Triatlum Advisors, and Future Africa. This now pushes Moove’s post-money valuation to $750 million. The company is helping to solve the continent’s acute problem of limited access to vehicle financing for millions of

Image
19-March-2024

Oil Stocks Trigger 1.77% Gain at NASD OTC Exchange

By Adedapo Adesanya Oil stocks, Aradel Holdings and Acorn Petroleum, led the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange to a 1.77 per cent appreciation on Monday, March 18. They increased the value of the alternative bourse by N24.85 billion during the trading session to N1.428 trillion from the N1.403 trillion it closed in the preceding, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) rose by 18.33 points to wrap the session at 1,053.98 points compared with 1,035.65 points recorded at the previous session. Aradel Holdings Plc, after recent profit taking, appreciated by N114.28 yesterday to settle at N1,734.28 per unit compared with last

Image
19-March-2024

Naira Trades N1,597/$1 at Official Market, N1,600/$1 at Black Market

By Adedapo Adesanya The Naira appreciated against the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) segment of the currency market on Monday by 0.3 per cent or N5.41 to close at N1,597.34/$1 compared with last Friday’s value of N1,602.75/$1. It also improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the official market yesterday by N50.97 to wrap the session at N2,003/£1 compared with the preceding session’s N2,054.06/£1 and gained N41.89 against the Euro to close at N1,712.69/€1 versus N1,754.58/€1. It was observed that the supply of forex, according to data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange, slightly waned

Image
19-March-2024

Brent Jumps to $86 Per Barrel on Low Crude Exports, Stronger Demand

By Adedapo Adesanya  The price of the international crude benchmark, Brent Crude, rose by 88 cents or 1.0 per cent to $86.22 per barrel on Monday, triggered by lower crude exports from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and signs of stronger demand and economic growth in China and the US. Also, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude appreciated by $1.01 or 1.3 per cent to $82.05 per barrel, as Iraq, the second-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said it would reduce crude exports to 3.3 million barrels a day in the coming months to compensate

Image
18-March-2024

Cardoso Begins CBN Clean-up, Removes Directors Close to Emefiele

By Aduragbemi Omiyale There are strong indications that some directors at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may have to lose their jobs in the in-house clean-up exercise by the Governor, Mr Yemi Cardoso. Reports suggest that Mr Cardoso wants to let go of some directors who worked closely with Mr Godwin Emefiele, who President Bola Tinubu believes worked to stop him from going to Aso Rock. Recall that during his electioneering campaign, Mr Tinubu accused the former CBN chief and some persons of introducing the botched Naira redesign policy to frustrate him. Immediately after he assumed office on May

Image
18-March-2024

Profit-Taking Depletes Nigerian Exchange by 0.40%

By Dipo Olowookere The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited succumbed to profit-taking on Monday, shedding 0.40 per cent despite a bullish investor sentiment. The local bourse ended with 27 price gainers and 18 price losers today, implying a positive market breadth index. The selling pressure was just investors booking profit after gains in the past few trading sessions, especially in MTN Nigeria, GTCO, Zenith Bank and others. The heaviest price depreciation was recorded by McNichols, 9.30 per cent, closing at N1.17, and was trailed by DAAR Communications, which shed 8.97 per cent to 71 Kobo. UPDC declined by 7.89 per cent

Image
18-March-2024

NCC Announces 90% Restoration of Voice, Data Services After Cable Cuts

By Adedapo Adesanya The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has announced that voice and data services affected by undersea cable cuts last week have been 90 per cent restored. In a series of tweets signed by Mr Reuben Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs at the commission on Monday, March 18, the NCC said, “Following the disruption on March 14, 2024, which affected data and voice services due to cuts in undersea fibre optics along the coasts of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, we are pleased to announce that services have now been restored to approximately 90% of their peak utilization capacities.”

Image
18-March-2024

Unity Bank, SkillPaddy to Train Female Software Engineers

By Modupe Gbadeyanka At least 1,000 female software engineers will undergo a training programme organised by SkillPaddy through its Count Her In tech programme with support from Unity Bank Plc. The IT skill development and empowerment initiative is intended to bridge talent supply gaps while providing individuals with the opportunity to meet their training goals and launch careers in the tech industry. It was disclosed that about 40 young girls will receive full sponsorship from Unity Bank in the special training initiative which was conceived as part of activities to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day 2024. All beneficiaries of

Image
18-March-2024

Your Moods Soundtracked With Spotify’s New Daylist Feature

Throughout the day, your mood changes, and so does the music you listen to. Last night might have been an island vibes riddim Monday night, while this moment is more of a nostalgic 2010s Tuesday afternoon. The point is, that you’re ever-changing, and your playlists should be too. Say hello to daylist, your day in a playlist. This new, one-of-a-kind playlist on Spotify ebbs and flows with unique vibes, bringing together the niche music you typically listen to during particular moments in the day or on specific days of the week. It updates frequently between sunrise and sunset with a