Youth marginalisation in Nigeria

Nigeria is a country of about 170 million people with a large range of youths between the ages of 16 – 35. It’s of immense worrisome that youths are not taking into consideration in any policy making or institutional affairs in the country. Youths are looked down on and the elders fail to realise that this is a vibrant and young generation which has all the potential and resources to drive the nation forward.

The just conclude Immigration recruitment exercise is just a litmus test on how large the youth population is in Nigeria. Yes we have had few youths in government who have showed remarkable leadership such as Dimeji Bankole who controlled the House of Representative with so much charisma, efficiency and eloquence. His tenure ended with a charade of corruption scandal but that’s not the topic of discussion. We have also had youths who became top political office holders and mismanaged the affairs been given to them. The fact is youths are the future! I have been hearing that same phrase for almost thirty years of my existence on earth that the youths are the future of tomorrow. The question is, are youths truly the future of our tomorrow? Yes commonsensical the youths are the future but in our country Nigeria the youths have been so marginalised that when you try to contribute intellectually, the so call elders who are probably scared of your immense intellect or who are just plain ignorant would say, what do you know! Go and sit down! When elders are talking you listen.

The elders have been talking for how many decades now, and all we have been doing is listen without contributing even an atom of idea to what is been shaped of our future. Since 1960 all we had in Nigeria is the vicious circle of the same leaders ruling us all over and over again. Yes elders are there to be consulted for advice and various problems a young individual encounters, but it is totally wrong for the youths not to have an atom of contribution to any policy that affects their future. The ongoing national conference does not have a considerable representation of youths. I cannot but laugh because we live in a country where the Minster for youth is a grandfather and even old enough to be someone’s great grandfather. How can you govern over youths when you are not a youth yourself?

We need to give credit to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun for entrusting the affairs of the state mostly in the hands of the youths thus leading to remarkable transformation the state is witnessing.  Nigeria as a whole should give youths a chance because the future growth of a nation lies in the hands of its youths.

•Folawiyo Kareem Olajoku, via folajoku@yahoo.com