It's Time For Nigeria Youths to Transform Nigeria Politics: Salaco Jr.
What can be more noble and satisfying than leading your nation on the path of progress? Even the challenge of being the CEO of the biggest company in the world will pale in comparison. There is no reason why politics should not attract the best minds in the country. To be a politician, one needs a vision, intelligence and knowledge of political processes, combined with a hands-on approach to grassroots problems. Politics can teach you as much as lectures in a closed hall can and it can be attractive as a career option or any other.
However, sadly, politics today has earned its reputation for being a ‘dirty field’. The newspapers are flooded with details of many scams and fake news. In this paradoxical situation where law makers have consistently become law-breakers, is there any surprise that the vicious circle completes itself and that it is only the law breakers that claim to be qualify to become the law makers of the country?.
In our society today, parents have traditionally given primacy to the conventional and lucrative career options (engineers, doctors, business or investment bankers). In a scenario where people have lost faith in their leaders, the government and in politics in general, why then would an educated thinking parent encourage his or her child to venture into the jungle of politics?. The widely held view is that politics is not even in the league of alternate career options for bright children whose potential can be leveraged in better ways; politics is for corrupt and immoral bigots.
Until about two decades ago, perceptions about entrepreneurship were equally disparaging. The common view was that entrepreneurs can succeed only if they are corrupt and have a powerful `godfather’ to back them up. With the opening up of the Nigeria economy and rapid globalisation, these perceptions have changed. The youth is choosing and applying for a high paying jobs and following their passion. The success stories scripted by some of these bright young entrepreneurs have become legends today: Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, Cosmos Maduka and others. But hopefully, one will see a similar sort of revolution in politics soonest.
Clearly, the youth plays a vital role as stakeholders of what is probably the world’s youngest democracy. It is only logical then, but we need a larger number of youth in political forums to represent the aspirations of this vast section of society. While we need the experience and wisdom of seasoned politicians who are now in their twilight years, the exuberance of the youth, their lateral thinking to get things done will offer a whole new perspective to the many problems that the country faces today. But unfortunately, there are only two types of youth that participate in politics today, what I will like to call "the princelings and the thuglings".
The princelings (petty or insignificant prince) are those who make a career in politics because their fathers, grandfathers or uncles did so. These walk into politics on the legacy of their previous generation(s), they need no qualifications or track record to prove themselves. They are the `blue-eyed protégés’ of Nigeria politics: Obasanjor, Buhari,Atiku and Tinubu to name a few. The thuglings on the other hand rule the roost in student unions and youth wings, shouting slogans, vandalizing places and resorting to violence at the slightest opportunity. They are aggressive, brazen and loud. If they are backed by an influential godfather, they may witness a meteoric rise in their careers, else they remain confined to the lower rungs of the party they are affiliated to. For most of them that have any ambitions of reaching the position of Obasanjor or Buhari will rather die slow and painful death before getting to that specified position.
The Nigeria youths is aware of the problems that our country faces today; their strong passion was visible when millions of the youths got together to support President Goodluck Jonathan in his transformation crusade against corruption.
Despite this willingness to engage, politics is not a desirable career option for most young people, and will not be for a long time. So what is the solution? Well, unless the youth jump into the dirt of Nigeria politics and manage to stay clean, how is the system ever going to change? We need to develop a critical mass of young, honest and successful politicians so that they can become a motivational role model for others to follow.
Demonstrations, protests, street plays and candle-light marches can raise awareness and focus attention on burning issues but ultimately, the power to bring change rests with those who sit in the green chamber (Parliament). Somebody has to take the first step; these path-breakers or early leaders have to be the game changer of Nigeria politics, they must remain shining despite the challenges around them. Only then we can expect to see a change in Nigeria politics.
The question remains: who will take the first step?
By
New Generation Youth Advocate
Comr. Arerebo Salaco Yereinmene Peters Jr
(Salaco Jr)
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