YOUTH: NATION BUILDING AND POLITICAL AWAKENING. Nigeria has 80 million youths (Federal Bureau of Statistic) representing 60% of the population. Nigerian National Youth Policy (2001- 2002) defines youths as comprising of all young people between the ages of 15 to 35. There are more females than males in all age groups (National Baseline Youth Survey Report 2012). 54% of Nigerian youths were unemployed (National Bureau of Statistic 2012 –Vanguard 7/12/2013) which means more than half of Nigerian youths are unemployed as at 2012 and that figure have risen sharply. Although there is absence of concrete data on youth participation in democratic process in Nigeria but there is a speculative one indicating 63 million youths within the ages of 18 to 35 eligible to vote and the group makes up high number of apathy votes. Nigeria Youth Service Corp (NYSC) is the only youth organisation set up by Nigeria government to involve graduates in the development of the country. In effect, it’s the only youths programme in the country with credential and designated for nation building and also serves an entry level to labour market for new graduates. For decades, the organisation has been riddle with financial mis-appropriation, inadequate infrastructure, nepotism and corruption. In addition, NYSC is threatened by Boko Haram terrorism and many youths have been killed whilst contributing to nation building. Other federal government programmes aim at supporting young people with employment and entrepreneurial opportunities such as YouWin, Sure-P, etcetera had limitations and ineffective. In the face of economic crisis, high unemployment, low wages, high inflation and insecurity, principles and moral codes are breached. Boredom, frustration and economic uncertainty have driven many youths to engage in corrupt practices and criminal behaviours. For many youths the only hope for ‘better life’ is beyond the nation shore through migration to developed countries. In a country where youths are disenfranchise from the political process and most youth political leaders are old and outside the youth age bracket, how can we actively engage our youths to participate in the political process other than being use as ‘hoodlums’ for ethnic divisions and criminality in political campaigns? How can we instill patriotic values and incorporate youths into the process of nation development? Over to you Comrades, what are your views on youth: nation building and political awakening?
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 06:02:04 +0000
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