My fellow citizen ask not what Nigeria will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of ourselves. A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
When men carry the same ideals in their hearts, nothing can separate them, neither prison walls nor the sod of cemeteries. For a single memory, a single spirit, a single conscience, a single dignity will sustain them all. Our able young men and women are wasting away in idleness in the midst of abundance.
All of us might wish at times that we live in a more tranquil world, but we don’t. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenges filled with opportunity.
I believe that, as long as there is plenty poverty is evil. This is because there is enough for human needs but not enough for human greed.
Until the philosophy which holds one race, tribal, religion and selective few superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war and until there are no longer first-class and second-class citizens of any nation, until the colour of a man’s skin and human inequality is of no more significance than the colour of his eye and human equally. And until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race, tribal ethnicity and religious, there is war. And until that day, the dream of lasting peace, world citizenship, rule of international morality, will remain but a fleeting illusion to be pursued, but never attained now everywhere is war
Few will have the greatness to bend history, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and believe that human history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideals, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice and poverty, he sends forth a tiny ripples of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.
Laws can embody standards, governments can enforce laws, but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted, when we tolerate what we know to be wrong, when we sit in our comfort zone and feel contented, when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt practice because we are too busy, or too frightened, when we fail to speak up and speak out, we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice.
It is not enough to understand, or to see clearly. The future will be shaped in the arena of human activity, by those willing to commit their minds and their bodies to the task. It will help erase the idea that politics is a second-rate profession and a dirty business. This is because it is politics that control the economy.
We shall require a substantial new manner of thinking if Nigeria is to survive. The secret message communicated to the youths of Nigeria today by the government is that they are not needed, that the government will run the country quite nicely until they at some distant point in the future will take over the reign. Yet the fact is that the government is not running the country nicely, because the rest of the society needs all the energy, brains, imagination and talent that young people can bring to bear down on our difficulties. For government to attempt to solve its desperate problems without the full participation of every young people is imbecile.
The more government increase the active participation and partnership with the youths, the better government serve them. And the more comprehensively government work with them as service partners, the more government increase our public value to the entire society.
Leadership is not about appreciation, it is about responsibilities.
It is easy to analyze, scrutinize and talk about all the problems in the world, but we really need people who will do something about them. This show what happen when such person’s steps forward. This is what I learn of a problem that greatly distresses me. The problem of human suffering is pondered by most everyone at some time or another. But to address this difficult problem, we have to ask the question that will force us to recognize the genesis or origin of the problem. This is more reason why the young people should come together to fashion out or proffer practical solution to this problems. This is because today, the economy of the world is been driven by young people.
It doesn’t matter where you go in this world. There will always be corruption and inequality. It is not only human nature, but the way of nature itself. It is completely unavoidable. Happiness comes from having the courage to change the world to suit you, the wisdom to change yourself to suit the world and knowing how much of each is necessary.
A true man does not seek the path where advantage lies, but rather where duty lies, and this is the only practical man, whose dream of today will be the law of tomorrow, because he who has looked back on the essential course of history and has seen flaming and bleeding people seethe in the cauldron of ages knows that, without a single exception, the future lie on the side of duty.
In the world there must be a certain degree of honour just as there must be a certain amount of light. When there are many men without honour, there are always others who bear in themselves the honour of many men. These are the men who rebel with great force against those who steal the people’s freedom, that is to say, against those who steal honour itself. In those men thousands more contained, an entire people is contained, human dignity is contained.
When a governor usurps power, or even if he were elected, when he governs in a tyrannical manner it is licit for a private citizen to exercise tyrannicde, either directly or through subterfuge with the least possible disturbance. We hold these truth to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these Rights Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the people to alter or abolish it and to institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its power in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.
Change has considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful, change is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful, change is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident, change is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.
Just because the solutions of problems are not visible at any particular time does not mean that those problems will never be alleviated or confined to tolerable dimensions. History has a way of changing the very terms in which problems operate and of leaving them, in the end, unsolved, to be sure, yet strangely deflated of their original meaning and importance.
One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.
The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use, of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public.
The challenges of change are always hard. It is important that we begin to unpack those challenges that confront this nation and realize that we each have a role that requires us to change and become responsible for shaping our own future.
This country, with its institutions belongs to the people who inhabit it whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or exercise their revolutionary right to overthrow it. In a progressive society, change is constant, change is inevitable. And those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.
Order derived through submission and maintained by terror is not much of a safe guaranty, yet that is the only “order” that government have ever maintained. True social harmony grows naturally out of solidarity of interests. In a society where those who always work never have anything, solidarity of interests is non-existent, hence, social harmony is but a myth. Thus the entire arsenal of governments-law, police, soldiers, the courts, legislatures and prison is strenuously engaged in “harmonizing” the most antagonistic elements in society.
When a government degenerates into a tyranny that violates the laws, its subjects are released from their obligations to obey. Sovereignty as the supreme authority of the state is born from the voluntary concourse of all its members, governmental authority stem from the people and that it is unjust, illegal or tyrannical function exempts them from the duty of obedience and justifies resistance and rebellion.
Our youth are not failing the system; the system is failing our youth. Ironically the very youth who are being treated the worst are the young people who are going to lead us out of this nightmare.
We will all benefit by having young people exposed to the way things are done in a democratic society. Isn’t it time to tap the power of youth.
This is not class warfare, this is generational warfare. Our government and old wealthy people who stealed our money have declared war on young people. That is the real war that is going on here in our country. And that is the war we have got to talk about.
I can retain neither respect not affection for a government, which has been moving from wrong to wrong in order to defend its immorality.
Change will not come if we wait for some other persons or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. There is no an Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani’s and an Edo. There is the Nigeria. We’ve got to restore the Nigerian people’s confidence in the ethics process by ensuring that political self-interest can no longer prevent governments for enforcing ethics rules.
If the people cannot trust their government and leaders to do the job for which it exists to protect them and to promote their common welfare all else is lost. We have to acknowledge the progress we’ve made, but understand that we still have a long way to go, that things are better, but still not good enough.
Faith is not just something you have, it’s something you do. When people are judged by merit, not by connections, then the best and brightest can lead the country, people will work hard, and the entire economy will grow, everyone will benefit and more resources will be available for all, not just selected groups.
Policy by slogan will no longer pass as an acceptable form of debate in this country. There is nothing wrong with making money, but focusing your life solely on making money shows a poverty of ambition. Our individual salvation depends on collective salvation. You can’t always come up with the optional solution, but you can usually come up with a better solution.
We do think there are moments in Nigerian history where there are opportunities to change the language of politics or set the country’s sight in a different place, and we think we are in one of those moments. We are ready to turn the page. Nigeria is ready for a new set of challenge. This is our time. A new generation is ready to lead. If there is a child on the Northern side or Southern side of Nigeria that can’t read, that makes a difference in our time, even if it is not our child, our leaders in Abuja seem capable of working together in a practical, commonsense way. Politics has become so bitter and partisan, so gummed up by money and influence, that we can’t tackle the big problems that demand solutions.
We need to take faith seriously not simply to block the religious right, but to engage all persons of faith in the larger project of Nigeria renewal. We chose to put ourselves in these challenges at this moment in history because we believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of other time unless we solve them together now.
So when we talk about real change that will makes a real difference in the lives of working families, change that will restore balance in our economy and put us on a path to prosperity, it is not just the poll tested rhetoric of a political campaign. It is the cause of our lives. And you can be sure that it will be the cause of our challenges from the very first day we come together.
Our vision of Nigeria is not one where a big government runs our lives; it is one that gives every Nigerian the opportunity to make the most of their lives. It is just not our style to go out of our way to offend people or be controversial just for the sake of being controversial. That is offensive and counterproductive. It makes people feel defensive and more resistant to changes.
What is hard, what is risky, truly audacious, is to hope. There is core decency to the Nigerian people that doesn’t get enough attention. We found that we have never learned anything from refusing to listen to other people or refusing to engage in conversation with them and that surely can’t be the basis for healthy politics in our society.
It is that fundamental belief I am my brother’s keeper. I am my sister’s keeper that can make this country work. Corruption and injustice are still powerful forces in this country, and there are certain stereo types we have to deal with. But we find that when people get to know they will judge you on your merits.
We have a number of political heroes, including iconic figures like Dr. Martin Luther-King Jnr, Dr. Nelson Madela, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. These leaders are visionaries they are inspiring and they gave those of us who watched or studied them a sense of hope and purpose and a reason to get involved.
If you feel good about them, there is a while lot of young men out there who could be them if given the chance. We believe that we are not as divided as our politics suggests, that the dream we share is more powerful than the differences we have because we are diving proof of that deal yes we can.
Fellow Nigerian citizen, we extend our greetings to you, counting it a privilege as an organization representing the people of Nigeria but strongly concern with the happening in the socio-political and economic life of our dear nation Nigeria.
As an organization that believes so much on the development of our country, whose concern focuses on research, economic implementation, enterprise analyses/consulting skills and young people participation in political processes and other related activities whose aims is to promote the principles of good governance as a foundation for building a new Nigeria nation.
This is not about personalities or politics. It is all about you and me in Nigeria, born a Nigeria and bred a Nigeria whether at home or in Diaspora. The task of rebuilding our country is a collective challenge, everyone has a role to play. The human capital, which abounds in our country is our greatest asset. We have no delusion that there will be no problems but we know that by the grace of God and the legendary commitment of our people we will get there.
Therefore, we write to intimate you on the need of peace, solidarity and transformation of lives in Nigeria. The first all Nigeria people’s political and economic development and youth peace cum empowerment summit is to alleviate the pitiable state of the Nigerian and its people both at home and in Diaspora to enable us embrace globalization in this new millennium. It will flag-off a series of activities to sensitize our people on their responsibilities towards building a new Nigeria nation of our dreams.
The state of Nigeria nation must be change spiritually and physically. A new generation has been prepared for a time like this. It is therefore our collective responsibility to give direction and hope to many of our people who are dejected and disappointed.
The major bane of our elongated problems that sprang across economic, political and social life is embedded on corruption which aftermath negate the benefit for the suffering Nigerian masses.
The democracy we have been practicing in the past 17 years is not the government of the people but government of the elite by the elites and for the privileged connected few ones. We have democracy without dividends for the people, except the privilege few. We have democracy serving the interest of a greedy minority at the expense of the grieving and starving majority.
In Nigeria, poverty level is endemic and is increasing with two-thirds of the population living below poverty line of one dollar per day equivalent. This means that more than 100 million Nigerians are poor, and the largest of poor nation in the world in the midst of wealth. Poverty is therefore, the indirect cause of our problems responsible for the most vices in our society, such as terrorism, fraud, kidnapping, armed –robbery, human trafficking, militancy and all the monumental security challenges we are facing in our country today.
Our country, no doubt is blessed with intellectual youth who if given the chance can go places, to this end, how do we tap this potential icon young men and women who are embodiment of our future greatness.
Our nation is blessed and endowed with abundance natural resources embellished in our soil, but attention has since been shifted by every successive government to oil and gas sector thereby neglecting solid mineral development and agricultural sector which has huge financial impact on our economic. The government of this great country has no business travelling overseas to seek for foreign aid and investors or solutions to Nigeria’s problems, what we have in this country if properly tap, harness and utilize will attract foreign investors and this will enable us solve the myriad of problem confronting the country. If the governments is insensitive of what to do, it will be the more reason why this summit is very important.
We are not saying government should provide the Nigerian people 100%job opportunity, we can create employment for ourselves through these natural treasure, we already have the blue-print, all we need is the financial encouragement. This is because government world over cannot provide job opportunity for all her un-employed population. It therefore require compliment from spirited individual’s ideas, talents, corporate bodies and phylatropic organization, etc to balance the gap.
When the people most especially the youth are empowered, you have liberate a nation from economic recession and doom. This must be encourage so as to make them viable and productive and the end result obviously is excellence.
The only panacea for peace and emancipation of Nigeria’s people, so that we can have a better society we are all yearning for, is to empower the people economically most especially the youth. The ideal of saying economic recession is a political deception of the world politics and is not acceptable to Nigerians.
We ask you to partake in this new direction as we stand should to shoulder to present a credible alternative to Nigeria people by encouraging them to have a voice and take a stand against everything that seek to divide or impoverish us.
We cordially invite you to be a part of this historic event to transform the lives of our people and land, politically, economically and socially.
Let us not be deceive, it is neither the Americans, nor the Europeans, nor United Nation nor Asian giant has the solution to the Nigeria’s problem, it is the Nigerians that can proffer solution to their problem. The Nigeria’s leadership since this democratic dispensation are corrupt and corrupt mind do not has the wisdom to salvage any problem because they are spiritual insensitive being it a professor, a technocrat or an economist don’t have it.
This is more reason why the youth should be given the opportunity to solve the problem of Nigeria because their heart is pure and they have not soil their hands in corruption. Therefore, encourage and support this larger project of Nigeria of renewal. Give the youth the opportunity for the first time in the history of this country to contribute their own quota toward moving this country to a greater height.
Support this project by making your donation or sponsorship, the mosques, churches, clergymen and women, market men and women, corporate bodies, governments, students and spirited individual, moving Nigeria out of morass of under development, unemployment and poverty is a collective responsibilities of all Nigerians both at home and in diaspora.
Nigeria is not a poor country by creation, Nigeria is sitting down on wealth, our present leader do not know what to do. They don’t know how to come out of this present problem which they called recession. Mind you there is nothing like recession in this country. Our leader’s mind and wisdom are blind spiritually due to corruption that makes them insensitive to the abundance wealth of the country.
Our bank: Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB)
Bank Name: Concern Nigeria Youth Development organization (CNYDO)
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The high point of the summit is what are the problems of Nigeria in reality? What are the genesis of these problem? What are the contributing factors and the propelling forces? What are the way out? The solution. How do we sowed the seed of peace and economic development?
You see, inspite of the economic development plan of the country since 1962 till date, the economic is still stagnated and retarded, why? Is it because there are no technocrats to fashion it into reality? Despite the dual economic promise, what really are the problem? This, we must know, knowing the root cause of a problem will enable us proffer solution, this is because, if you know the right questions, you can find the right answers. All that we are seeing in the country is just economic growth and not economic development, as there are difference between growth and development. The question is, have we really done right thing.
The basic principles which therefore, will bring us together in this summit, tagged: globalization and larger project of Nigeria renewal will be stated in the following words: (1) The immediate termination of corruption in every phase of our economic, social and political life (2) The education of all children of school-going age and the general enlightenment of all illiterate adults and all illiterate children above school going age. (3) The provision of health and general welfare for all our people (4) The total abolition of want in our society by means of any economic policy which is both expedient and effective. Having agreed on these basic principles, it becomes necessary to take the next step, namely, to agree as to common method in the application of those principles. This is a very important step, because even though people may agree as to principles, if they don’t agree as to methods of application it would not be possible for them to work together.
It is in order to involve these common method that we had prepare papers not only on government departmental subjects but also on the organizational problems of the Nigeria’s governance.
It will be our duty at this time to fashion out from the papers which are already submitted on various subjects what our common method of application should be.
Only we must make sure about two things, namely; that our principles are just, and that our methods are practical for nothing defeat their own end so easily as unjust principles and impractical methods of approach.
It is common ground that Nigeria is one of the most under-developed country of the world. Two pertinent questions to which many Nigeria leaders, especially the so-called economic adviser to top government functionaries, appear to have closed their minds or to have refused or failed to apply their minds is: what are the chief causes of our under-development? And un-employment?
It would appear that our expert planners, from period to period, plan for the economic growth of Nigeria, and not for its development is habitually overlooked. All development economists outside Nigeria are agreed that there is substantial difference between growth and development. I say economist outside Nigeria, deliberately for in Nigeria most of the experienced economist have allowed partisan political prejudices to colour their analyses and judgments and badly damage their scholastic credibility.
All around us we see evidence of growth. New factories, new shops, new highways, plenty of motor vehicles, greater output of petroleum and of cement etc. in the result, our per capital real income has risen somewhat. But inspite of all these, Nigeria still remains under developed. It also remains one of the poorest country in the world, in midst of wealth.
Gerald Meier denominates the objectives of economic development as better nourishment, better health, better education, better living conditions, and an expanded range of opportunities in work and leisure for the poor.
Jacob Viner who s a world acclaimed development economist has this to say in the books THE PROGRESS OF UNDER DEVELOPMENT AREAS edited by B.F. Hoselitz.
It must be recognized that objective of development should be not only to raise the level of per capital real income. But also to reduce the absolute number of individuals and the percentage of total population below a minimum level of real income.
Judged in the light of these development criteria, and having regard to available data, it can be said that, as the years roll by, Nigeria is getting worse rather than getting better. For sure, the per capital real income is rising slowly, but the percentage of our total population below the level of minimum living income is increasing daily and rapidly.
We can now see quite clearly that the objectives of development are to raise the level of per capital real income, and to increase the absolute number of individuals and the percentage of our total population, who can afford to live above a minimum level of real income and thereby enjoy better nourishment better health, better education, better living condition, and an expanded range of opportunities in work and leisure. It can also be seen quite clearly that these are the objectives which we are striving conscientiously to achieve in this summit.
Nigerian leaders, of whatever political camp, must be under no illusion that in order to achieve these objectives; we must put Nigeria out of the morass of underdevelopment and develop the country. The next question then is: What and what constitute the morass of under development? The constitute elements and the characteristics are incontrovertible and they are:
(1) Ignorance (2) illiteracy (3) disease (4) calorie deficiency (5) dependence on subsistence petroleum and excessive under employment of the rural population. (6) Deficiency in techniques, organization and capital.
All these can be easily translated into three kinds of under development, namely:
- Under development of the mind, arising from ignorance, illiteracy, and deficiency in techniques and organization.
- Under development of the body, arising from disease, calorie deficiency, bad water, bad housing, meager clothing and filthy environment
- Under development of agriculture and excessive under development of the rural population, arising from under development of the mind and body, and lack of savings and capital formation. From the foregoing, the solutions to Nigeria’s under development and un-employ problem are clear.
This article was born out of a necessity to see economic transformation renewal and uttermost development in Nigeria. Haven displayed assiduous commitment to see economic transformation in Nigeria and our relentless effort of written series of letter over the year to every successive government and relevant authorities to see to this needful economic renewal, we wish to bring to the attention of the general public and Nigerians from all walks of life. Some of our contributed and undaunted efforts from our very end to see that Nigeria become one of the largest economic in the world.
Now, that we have found this renewed out-let to this noble course and to reach out to the Nigerians all over the world and the world in general for this all important economic transformation.
The climax of these clarion calls is on the reflection on a seventeen years of Civil rule in Nigeria “(1999-2016). Nigeria is yet to democratize in the last seventeen years, “The eight major ingredients of democracy are still missing” the ingredients are: the supremacy of the will of the people, periodic conduct of free, fair and credible elections, clear separation of powers, observance of rule of law and due process, vibrant civil society and socially responsible press, virile political parties and democratic institution as well as minimum maintenance of social, political and economic justice for all citizens.
Democracy would be meaningless without these ingredients. Infact, the seventeen years of the civilian rule has been qualitatively no better than the sixteen years of the military rule before 1999.
Looking at various authorities to bultress this assertion of Nigeria’s population of almost 200 million over 100 percent live below the poverty-line (1$ a day or N600 which amount to 80 percent of the people, “Life expectancy in the country still remains as low as 35 years.
We regret that the much needed peaceful change propaganda by the various government might not be easy, in spite of its imperativeness. No matter what something must be done to move the country forward because the country must develop.
This is the more reason while we are sensitizing and challenging our young Nigerians to take their destiny in their hands and team up with one another and with the responsible media and civil society to effect the required change, through this credible alternative change, Theme: Globalization and the larger project of Nigeria renewal “Yes we can”
These cannot be done by wishful thinking, but by struggling and actions. Our aim is finding a way out of the mesh the nation has found itself because of bad, corrupt and insensitive governance. Since we are all part of the pollution, we should collectively find a way to sustain the ground already covered and also find a way to correct the defective aspect of the democratic project. What we are doing now is canvassing for the formation of a coalition to sensitize Nigerians to enable us achieve the require change. Because Nigeria had every right to democratize fully for it to grow, the country has all it take to enjoy dividend to democracy.
We lamented the disconnection between the people and the political elite, the corruption, injustice and oppression in the country.
We are sensitizing and re-orientating the masses to do something to liberate themselves from what we describe as “rapacious usurper” for democracy to be deepened and for development thrive. This cannot be achieve without the participation of youth.
Nigeria has a robust youth environment and increasing youth population. It has one of the most youthful populations in the world. The 2008 declaration by the African Union General Assembly affirming 2009 to 2019 African decade for youth is in recognition of youth identity and politics as a global driving force for social transformation. The declaration was premised on the need to increase global interest in youth participation and development despite eliciting an encouraging level of interest, the policies and programs designed to scale up the level of youth participation has yielded no result.
According to the Nigerian youth manifesto (2011), active and constructive youth participation in the Nigerian political process has gradually become non-existent over the years. Apparently, most youths in the political space, particularly those in political parties are often times used as thugs by politicians who seek selfish political gains through the perpetuation of violence. For an all–encompassing and participatory democracy to thrive in Nigeria, young people must play important and active roles in determining the political future of their country by engaging political actors with demands for inclusion all equal access to political participation.
Emphatically, Nigeria’s democratic history cannot be written without the mention of the immense contributions of young people. The pre-independence struggle was led by young people like Dr. Herbert Macaulay, Ernest Okoli, Chief H.O Davis, J.C Voughan, Oba Samuel Akinsanya, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe 27 years, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir. Abubaakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Anthony Enahoro 26 years, Sir Almedu Bello. These great men were considered to be in their prime during Nigeria’s liberation struggle. For example, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was elected into the Northern House of Assembly at the tender age of 34 and later into the legislative assembly at the age of 37. Shehu Shagari’s was 21 years old when began his political life. At 23, he merged his political organization, the youth social circle with other political organizations to create the Northern people’s congress (NPC) Maitama Sule on his part was made a minister in his twenties. Anthony Enahoro moved motion for Nigeria’s independence at the age of 26 years. The age which most kids in Nigeria nowadays can no longer write an intelligent letter or make a compressive speech outside hedonistic themes. What with the bad news inundating us from WAEC and NECO suggesting that idiocy and mental laziness have taken over youths, the leaders of tomorrow.
The post independence era also witnessed another dominance of young people in public spaces. General Yakubu Gowon was Africa’s youngest head of states at 32 when he led the Civil War. Despite the immense contributions of young people to democratic development in Nigeria, the current political class has failed to appreciate youth-power and the dynamics they bring to bear in the political terrain. Experts and youth advocates have argued that the Nigerian political and electoral system is perpetually skewed to exclude young people from qualitative political participation.
The political marginalization of young people rests squarely on centrifugal forces that are artificially created by ‘stereotypes’ which serve as lubricants for oiling the wheel of political exclusion. The present status quo of entrenched youth marginalization is viewed in some quarters as a factor that fuels insurgency, criminality, militancy and violence. The exclusion of youth from political participation and decision making is underscored by trivial responsibilities apportioned to youth such as posting of posters, distribution of campaign materials, mobilization of thugs and crowds. These can neither be referred to as inclusion nor qualitative participation since they do not translate into access the structures of decision-making.
It is a widely accepted view that increased youth political participation in governance and decision making processes is a clear indicator of a country’s democratic development since democracy thrives on the ability of citizens to enforce their rights by participating in-decision making.
Young people must be given the opportunity to contribute to the development of their communities through political participation that grants them access to structures of governance where decisions are taken. That access and opportunity to participate must be provided as a matter of right and not a privilege.
The 1999 constitution as amended under section 14 (2), National Youth Policy (2009), African Youth Charter and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Good Governance, reiterates the need to open the political space and ensure equal access for citizens even in the face of entrenched exclusion. Flowing from these, it became apt to develop an agenda that articulates policy and programmatic frameworks that safeguards youth participation in electoral politics in the build up to the 2015 general and beyond. The Nigeria Youth Agenda on political participation articulates the views and aspirations of young people irrespective of political, religious, ethnic and sectional interests. The document provides a template for increasing youth participation in politics and decision making.
Thank you all.
God bless Nigeria.
For: Concern Nigeria youth development organization
Tedmark Edegba Barr. Williams Emoni Skelly
President Secretary
08066584723 08037881368
Email: tedmarkedegbga@gmail.com
Barr. Mathew Isibor
Public relation Officer
08037789222
Feedback, please use the President Email address.
Our Vision
Is to rebuild our state, transform it into a tree, modern and rich country and caring society to the glory of God. It is our sincere hope that it would emerge from our collective effort combined with effort of our government of today and future. This is because the best attribute is to honour the oneness of humanity and work for peace and reconciliation
Our Mission
Is to be the greatest civil society organization. That is a developmental agency that will collaborate with any credible individuals, philanthropic organization and government in power in the country to transform the Jives of our people and improve the quality of their lives. Because the secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage and courage is not in the absent of fear, but doing the right thing even in the very present of fear.
Our Aims and Objectives
To articulate the political and socio-economic interests of young people in a concise advocacy and monitoring document that sets the bench mark for youth engagement in politics.
To provide easy access for young people to participate in electoral politics
To facilitate the creation or strengthening of platforms for youth participation in politics and decision-making at local, state, zonal and national level of governance.
To promote political party development and deepen electoral processes in Nigeria.
To Revive the spirit of Nigerian citizenry from apathy to collective participation.
To tap in and expand Agricultural productivity and solid mineral development.
To orientate the Nigerian citizenry towards the principles of patriotism
To promote global ideals of good, accountable and compassionate leadership.
To facilitate the process of change in the politics of Nigeria
To promote National Unity, Peace, Love, Integration and development.
To be a voice to the voiceless Nigerians.
