New Telegraph

Young Nigerian voices: A new normal is possible

The cornerstone of all democratic political systems is the periodic opportunity it affords the electorate to choose their leaders for a constitutionally defined interval.

 

The last 22 years of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, like every other democratic setting across the globe, has also witnessed a periodic change of guard, with every four years affording us an opportunity to make a choice; either negatively or positively.

 

This indeed is the beauty of democracy. However, a dispassionate look into our past choices would reveal how our choices have impacted on our development especially in the social, economic and political lives of Nigerians and indeed our international relations therein.

 

Without mincing words, Nigeria has suffered so many set backs in terms of political participation of the youths, who have not been given the ample opportunity to hold tangible government positions lately.

 

Many schools of thought, however have opined that representative government does not require the active participation of the masses, this would appear to be the case if democracies operate as they suggest, with the political leaders representing the interest of the masses.

 

It’s instructive to point out, that there are different stages of political participation, which are the politically apathetic who are unaware of the political world around them, those involved in spectator activities, who vote and take part in political discussions, those involved in transitional activities of attending political meetings or even making financial contributions to a political party, and those who enter the political arena and participate actively in the political process.

 

In these levels of political participation, various studies have shown that the youths are hindered from participating actively because political participation is directly proportional to the deep pocket of its participants in the Nigerian context. There’s no gainsaying the fact, that the role of the youths in every democratic setting cannot be over emphasized.

 

The youths are seen as the power house of every nation, because they are endowed with the raw energy, the vigor, tenacity, vision, mental strength, intellectual capacity and sagacity to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of every progressive nation.

 

This could be gleaned from the fact that most of the giant strides we enjoy today were accomplished by our leaders in their youthful ages.

 

Needless to remind us that our independence was fought and won by our past heroes in their prime with all the requisite agility. We are in the life-giving part of our democracy, the political strategizing, alignments and realignments that culminates to choosing our leaders in the nearest election window. This is a long draw out affair in Nigeria and other democratic countries of the world.

 

Premised on the above, the Nigerian youths deemed it necessary to unite and form a national organisation called Young Nigerian Voices (YNV), which is intended to unite the youths across the nation, create youth awareness in politics and midwife the process that would eventually give the youths their deserved place at the pinnacle of power in 2023 and beyond.

 

Young Nigerian Voices, is a non governmental and non profit organization, headed by Alhaji Ibrahim Bature, with over 5 million members spread across the country.

 

The group after a long and hard thought, observed the cogent and compelling need for the youths to come together and participate actively in politics, to ensure that a nationalist, whose interest will be to carter for the overall wellbeing of Nigerians of all ages and tribes is given the mantle of leadership in 2023.

 

The leadership of Young Nigerian Voices in the last two years has left no one in doubt, on it’s position, at bringing to power, a vibrant, intelligent and energetic leadership come 2023.

 

They are also of the opinion that the ruling party, the APC should support the emergence of Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba who through hardwork has proved his mettle as a passionate, compassionate and detribalized leader.

 

The reasons for YNV’s unflinching support and solidarity to the former TETFUND Boss is not far fetched; Young Nigerian Voices whose motto is an-chored on Equity, justice and fairness believe that the only way to curb the vociferous outcry for marginalization is to have the Southeast factored in the political equation of Nigeria.

 

The Leadership of YNV has at all times maintained that what is sauce for the goose should also be sauce for the gander, since two out of the tripod on which Nigeria stands have produced presidents and Vice Presidents at successive intervals since the return of our democracy, it becomes a barefaced injustice not to allow his (Nwajiuba’s) zone, the SouthEast produce the Nigerian president come 2023.

 

Beyond the youthful vigor and the zoning debate that are evidently and abundantly in Nwajiuba’s kitty.

 

He parades plausible and towering credentials, cogent experiences/expertise, requisite technical wherewithal and administrative acumen and dexterity required to pilot the affairs of our great country to enviable heights.

 

Hon. Nwajiuba, born on 20th August, 1967, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1989 after which he obtained his Master of Laws (‘LL.M) and Doctor of Laws from the University of Lagos and University of Jos respectively.

 

Nwajiuba served as House Committee Chairman on Land, Housing and Works when he first represented the good people of Okigwe South at the House of Representatives in 1999- 2003 before pursuing his guber ambitions.

 

An astute administrator, He was the former Chairman of Tertiary Education Trust FUND, TETFUND, were he brought to bare his nonpareil administrative acumen. He was also the Secretary of the constitution drafting committee that produced the constitution of the merger committee to form APC in 2013.

 

It has often been argued that the class struggle, which Karl Marx predicted would end in the proletarian revolution has been institutionalized in Nigeria, with the recent agitations from all over the country, with extension of proliferation of interest groups and political interest, there is no better time to restore order in the country than now, and Young Nigerian Voices with it’s massive population of dedicated youths are poised to make a difference.

Igbo writes from Anambra State

Read Previous

FG commences enforcement of 5% duty on imported cars

Read Next

Atrocious activities of herdsmen not ethnic matter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *