Are Nigerian Youths Really Ready To Take Up Governance? By Sodiq Yusuf

Governance is responsibility. Administration is by Competence. Directing the Affairs of a family can be so exhausting, tiring, difficult and extremely troublesome not to talk of a local government, state or a country as big as Nigeria is concerned.

Governance as said above is responsibility. The word “responsibility” here means a lot. From knowing the right decisions to make, the right policies to put in place, the appropriate measures to be put in place during emergencies, what and where things are to be, having self discipline among other numerous traits that make up the fourteen letter word.

It also includes adjectives like responsiveness, proactiveness, diligence in the discharge of duties and many more numerous to mention.

The development of nations across the world is unarguably at the industry of its Youthful population. Because of their status and age, they are fresh, energetic and have every opportunity to use their brains to impact positively to everything they do, they are called up to take up leadership at every level.

In most cases, they are given roles to lead teams, companies and other agencies important to the socio-economic growth of the country. But do these Youths really know what leadership entails in its true sense.

A close look at the trend of events in Nigeria’s political space from Independence till date shows that while the likes of Pat Utomi, Yakubu Gowon, Bola Ige and the rest took up governance at their Youthful age, the array of Youths today seem not to be either be interested, capable or competent to do the needful in positions of authority. The story of Youths performing woefully and running down family or corporate businesses that have been in existence for decades is a story for another day.

With its peculiarities, government is an institution that needs not just Youths but professionals, intelligent, hardworking and competent hands that are capable of bringing government closer to the people.

Today in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Youths are of key and essentiality to make the society grow more. But are the present day Youths of the Federation ready to be, act and impact of governance? Are they ready to rescue the country from the clutches of the “Old Men” who have been ruling the nation for more than 2 decades now? Are they capable of doing better than what we have been having even since democracy got to full swing in May 1999? These and more questions still beg for answers till today

With #NotTooYoungToRun on the lips of many, posers should be raised as to how and which kind of these Youths can actually take up the job of governing in Nigeria. As institutions continue to grow weaker by the day, there needs to be a drastic change in making the institution of government run faster and most importantly, cater for the yearnings of the people who put them in positions of power.

Are Nigerian Youths really prepared to take up governance? When I asked a senior colleague this question, he simply burst into laughter saying “Hmmmmm, my brother let me tell you the truth, they are not.” I asked “why did you say that?” and he answered “Our Youths are not capable, they cannot come into government, if they come now, they will bastardize everything, never will I vote for a Youth to be in government.”

“Look at Kogi for example where there is a governor that is less than 45, everybody is complaining. Even for Wike who is just in his 50s, people are still not convinced that a Youth is what we need now. See, I cannot vote for a Youth.”

The Nigerian Education System produces a chunk of not less than 10,000 graduates every year after their mandatory 1-year National Service. But the experience we hear about everyday is so alarming. Some employers of these “Corpers” as called in Nigerian pallans complain that a university graduate cannot even write a simple complete sentence. Some are not even capable to fill a form correctly without aid.

These graduates are what we have now in our society. While those that can even write well lack the ideas of running even an association, some are not just fit for an ordinary class rep or monitor as it is called. The best business for Nigerian Youths nowadays is either Internet Fraud “Yahoo Yahoo” or Prostitution “Olosho”. These two areas are the most lucrative and easiest to get money in the country as we speak.

In clear terms, these areas are where the attention of the Nigerian Youth today is tilted. They want free money to survive and use expensive materials. If you ask some of them, their answers are “Eni to mo way lo mo iwe” meaning “Whoever has the money dictates the tune or deserves to be celebrated.”

Questions are about governance are not expected to be asked from people of this divide. Looking at the educated ones, few are the ones in this category that can actually administer a neighbourhood or a state. All they want to know about is how can the “National Cake” is to be shared.

Studies carried out recently show that majority of Nigerian Youths seek immediate wealth and then do not want to walk their way up through the ladder of success. While a few manage their businesses well and become productive, they are not capable of handling the pressure of governance.

This is a problem of Moral Decadence and its Solution is simply Value Reorientation. When Youths are chosen to rise through the ranks, their ladder to success must be thoroughly scrutinized before handling the fate of millions of Nigerians in their hands. This is very imperative, crucial and important to the survival of the country as the adage “Old Wine gets better with time” is no more working for the sustainability of Nigeria’s democracy.

Are Nigerian Youths prepared for governance?