POLITICS: What Nigeria Youths Need To Take Over The Aso-Rock In 2023

By Ibrahim Kegbegbe

I have not picked my pen to write on political, economical and social issues to create personal aggrandizement neither have I wanted to achieve journalistic hegemony with my writeup. 

The political and social activities in Nigeria should have made young Nigerians understand that no faction of professions should be left out when national issues are to be discussed, especially in the race of moving the country forward politically.



I have always wondered listening to my friends and relatives discussing how political and socio-economic institutions of developed countries are better off in comparison with the ones from developing countries. My friends, all the development we are seeing in developed countries have come into being through the collective responsibility of the citizens, especially from the youthful citizens!



Americans don't only say God bless America, they do put that in practice that is why they are still the frontier of civilization in the world up to the moment. America is what is today because her youthful citizens do participate actively in every sector of livelihood in moving the nation forward.



Why are youths of Nigeria behaving like slaves to the political class! Like one of our past heroes said in his words:


"Living in exile is better than living in perpetual slavery" - Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Like I did write to my colleagues some weeks ago that the Nigerian Institute of Journalism has made us 'walking media'. How would we be of slaves to restricted and narrow-minded people!

Like my brother from another mother, Olufemi Ajadi said in the recent interview I had with him. The Prominent youth leader of the All Nigerian Youths Reoriented Initiative, (ANYRI), Olufemi Ajadi,  urged Nigeria Youths at home and abroad to pray hard for the Nigeria government as the present political situation of the country would be one of the determinants of the youths' fate in the nearest future, adding that only the intervention of God can prosper the present government and provide a good successor.



He added that the political and economic scenarios that have been unfolding in the country, especially in the House of Representatives and National Assembly, was unconsciously happened to make the wise youths focused and be prayerful about their future.

"Nigeria youths are now making jest of serious national issues in a childish manner like saying 'VI Boys versus Mushin Boys'," he lamented, "who have we offended in this nation for God's sake!"



Moreover, the protest which was tagged “Revolution Now” by the political group, “Take It Back Movement”, exercised influence on social media network’s users, and the trend had generated different views and opinions from some Nigerians, especially those that run non-governmental organizations as such.


Some Nigerians said that the struggle by “Take It Back Movement” led by the Presidential Candidate of African Action Congress in the 2019 General Election, Omoyele Sowore, should be seen as one that had violated the constitutional law of the Nation. They also said the Leader of the group had committed an offense of “felony” as he urged his members to disturb the peace of other citizens, through protest, and that he should be kept in prison for a period of time. Some schools of thought said he had committed an offense of “treason” as he engaged himself in conspiracy with some foreign people to destabilize the Democratic Government of Nigeria. So, he should be taken to court for proper and legal prosecution.



However, some individuals said Sowore had not done unconstitutional or nefarious activities as the constitution of our land provides room for peaceful agitation and protest which the body had peacefully demonstrated. Moreover, they said the allegation of treason was still allegedly pronounced until he had been proven guilty in the court of law.


 Well, glory is to Almighty God that Sowere is free today, and you and I are free also! But are we really free when comparing our economic growth with other Africa countries like Ghana, South Africa, and the rest?



 I don’t belong to Sowore’s group, neither do I know him physically. I was just thinking about how the drama went and the position of lawyers and other professionals like journalists, judges, and other professional practitioners! If the position of those aforementioned professionals were not obvious, what role did other Nigerian groups play?



My question is this, did the role they take really reflect that they need a positive change! Well, some Nigerians have responded to my question by saying NO it was not reflected that some of the aforementioned practitioners really need change.

As they do say that the youths are the leaders of tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow is NOW. We need the change NOW!