It is now stale news from the African experience, the spree of “old” leaders at the helms of affairs in several countries. Personalities who have enjoyed political positions over and over again still linger around the presidential chairs of these African States. In light of this, for instance, Nigerians have begun casting aspersions to the competence of our 73 year old president amidst his unstable health conditions. Zimbabwe is not left out, with her president, Robert Mugabe (93 years), being Africa’s oldest Head of State as well as the world’s second oldest Head of State and also having many of his policies questionable even by his people. These are just a few instances from a host of others in Africa.
There has therefore arisen, the clarion call for a youth president in Nigeria. The question then is "Who is a youth?" Generally, youth age refers to the time of life between being a child and an adult. The Nigerian National Youth Policy (2009) as well as the African Youth Charter refers to youths are persons between the ages of 15 and 35 years. This clamour is majorly premised on the fact that the average youth is highly spirited and vigorous. Evidently, the most vibrant Nigerian leaders before independence were youths below 40 years. Although, as they grew older, they refused to let go of power, denying actual youths the opportunity to rule as well. They also redefined the term "youth" to mean "youth at heart". Youths must therefore rise and claim what is rightfully theirs.
We must however ask ourselves one salient question. Is there an assurance that such “young president” will not eventually take up that which we so much condemn in our contemporary leaders? We constantly hear of the rise in crime rate among Nigerian youths ranging from rape, stealing, robbery even to fraudulent practices, with the most common referred to as "Yahoo", an ill which has become really worrisome. In fact, this cankerworm called "Yahoo" is beginning to gain a mainstay in our society, evident, for example, from the way some persons actually lavished wealth on a boy, merely 10 years of age, who revealed in a viral video that he was willing and ready to delve into Yahoo, if that was what it took to make money. If such a young child can possess such mentality, how much more the average youth?
We are always quick to say our leaders are corrupt when this same corruption is indeed lurking in our midst. We must take a critical look at youth leadership on different pedestals like the local government, student unions, trade unions et.c. and ask ourselves if is there a big difference between their leadership tactics and those of our politicians? Vices like corruption, election rigging and so on are recurrent among them. With this kind of attitude, are the youths ready to lead?
Another issue is the dwindling rate of political participation and literacy among youths. Political participation ranges from as little as casting of votes, down to vying for positions and beyond. Well, there might be some level of youth political participation, but in the wrong way. Politicians use youths to orchestrate a number of vices during elections, thuggery and so on. The bone of contention here is not mere participation but a meaningful one. Meaningful participation covers the involvement of youths in responsible actions which affect the democratization process. Also, during elections, one finds mass apathy especially among the youths who somerimes claim their votes will eventually be irrelevant as a result of electoral malpractices, a mentality must equally be changed. Yes, many politicians rig elections but abstaining from casting ones vote, a civic responsibility, is definitely not the soluion!
Also, there is the age limitation imposed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For instance, the person vying for the positions of the governor or president must have attained the age of 35 and 45 respectively. The rationale for this provision still unclear and questionable. Does it mean persons below such ages lack the capacity to rule? Speaking on the constitutional age requirement for elective positions in the country, the head of Research Policy and Advocacy for Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA), Samson Itodo, said that the consequence of the minimum age requirement is that it automatically excludes the youth from contesting for the positions of the president and vice-president, and this ought not be so.
In my opinion, for this call to be effectively and genuinely made, there is the need for a re-orientation of the average Nigerian, especially the youths. We need to have a change of mentality and talk to ourselves in a bid to understand the true meaning of patrotrism. Youth candidacy, participation and awareness must be encouraged at different strata of the society. The press also has big role to play in the re-orientation of Nigerian youths. There is as well the need to pester the legislature in amending the age barrier imposed by the the constitution. Without this action, the realization of youth leadership will be unrealistic.
With these put in place, I see a better Nigeria. In a nutshell, according to the declaration of the African Youth Charter, "Africa's greatest resoucre is its youthful population and through their active participation, Africans can sumount the difficulties that lie ahead."
©Tayo Fabusiwa
400L Student,
Faculty of Law,
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
