THE NEED FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS TO JOIN POLITICS

By Oguzor Chidozie

The popular statement "politics is a dirty game" has from time immemorial been a ghost chasing educated and vibrant Nigerian youths from joining politics. Sometimes I feel the statement was coined by our old politicians who seem not to be ready to relinquish power to the youths, and the purpose is to instigate fear... Yes, their aim is to put fear into us,  and to a certain degree, they have achieved that aim.

An average Nigerian youth wouldn't hesitate to tell how much he detest politics because he has been brainwashed to believe that politics is a dirty game.

For how long do we have to stay before we realise that our future is in our hands, and that the more we keep living it in the hands of these old politicians, the more ruined we are?

For how long do we have to stay before we realise that the notion "politics is a dirty game" was created to instigate fear?

For how long do we have to stay before we realise that these old politicians does not have the interest of Nigerian youths at heart?

Since 1960 till date, Nigeria has kept recycling leaders. Its either they are elected or they hand pick who is elected.

Youths joining politics is not only by being politically appointed, it should also be youths vying for political positions, campaigning/contesting and unseating those recycled politicians by winning.

Youths should support fellow youths. If we must really go far, then there should be massive conscientization of Nigerian youths on the need to have fellow youths in our house of representative, house of senate, house of assembly and other political positions.

Only a youth knows the problem of youths.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics in its 2012 national youth survey report; youths of working age, in the age bracket of 15 to 35 years are nearly 70 million persons in a population of 166 million Nigerians. Isn't it embarrassing that in that same country with sane citizens, a man of 70+ years emerged as its President?

Obasanjo became Head of States in 1976 at the age of 39. Buhari became Governor of the Northeastern State in 1975 at the age of 33, and the rest of others. It is a shame that these ancient politicians still wield political power in this 21st century in the midst of educated, exposed and vibrant Nigerian youths.

David Cameron became British prime minister at the age of 43, Obama became the President of America at the age of 48, Pandeli Majko was the Prime Minister of Albania at the age of 30, Sadiq al-Mahdi was Prime minister of Sudan at age 30, Samuel Deo was a President of Liberia at age 28,  and many others too numerous to mention.

Nigerian youths when, where and how did you sleep off?

Even our supposed minister of youths Solomon Dalong is 52 years old... Is that age suppose to represent the youths if actually we know the meaning of youth?

The world is fast civilising, developing and leaving us behind. If we don't wake up fast, we might end up waking up in the 28th century only to find ourselves in the stone age.