Are the youths in Nigeria the same as the youths in pre-independent Nigeria and those of the earlier republics?
Are the youths spectators or active participants in the political space?
At pre-independence and earlier republics, were all the youths responsible?
Has there ever been a time in history where all the middle aged and the aged are responsible?
Why is it that each time a case is made for the young folks in Nigeria, we’re greeted with the same old response, “the youths of this generation are irresponsible”? Really?
Do we have older folks who are in and out of leadership?
Most of the leaders in Nigeria in pre-independence, earlier republics and the military interregnum were in their twenties, some even early twenties. Yet, they demonstrated capacity.
What has really changed?
Late Pa Anthony Enahoro who died in 2011 was barely 21, but his contributions in the house of Parliament was something else, as a matter of fact, he was the first person to move a motion for Nigeria’s independence in 1956.
Kwara state Governor has proven to us that he has confidence in the capacity of the youths to deliver by appointing a 27 year old Joana Nnazua Kolo as commissioner.
Joana just passed out this year after her National Youth Service in Jigawa. She has since been cleared by the Kwara state House of Assembly.
We need more of active youth participation rather than passive participants that has been the norm in recent times.
PAUL KUMS
kumsatpaulpwaspo@gmail.com
politics, business, capacity building etc. 