From Jude Owuamanam, Jos
A former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Hon. Emmanuel Ibeshi, have told Nigerian youths to stop looking at the elders for direction and face their own destiny because leaders failed Nigeria and Nigerians.
He therefore tasked them to take the destiny into their hands by gearing up for political activism and transformational change.
This, he said, to they could do by laying their hands on all types of entrepreneurial skills to enhance their bargaining power and not depend on handouts.
Speaking at the annual conference of the International Organization for Peace Building and Social Justice, in Jos, Ibeshi said youths today are not privileged to grow their full potential because of unemployment, poverty, inequality, discrimination, violence, corruption, lack of representation and disillusionment.
He however said that these challenges are double sided because they pose as both opportunities and opportunities for the youth who constitutes a greater portion of the active demographic trend.
The former PDP publicity scribe said that the influence of new media and technology, global demographic shifts and the challenges posed by violent conflicts as factors shaping today’s political landscape support the need for youth participation in the contemporary context.
Speaking on the topic, ‘The Role of Youth in Transformational Politics’, Ibeshi said, “The acknowledgement that these challenges have influenced the way young people interact with each other, engage with their governments, and organize themselves for influence in the society is a major consideration on the overall view of their strategic position in society.
“This underscores the dynamic nature of youth political activism and the need for adaptable engagement programs that align with emerging global trends.
The recurrent problem of youth exclusion and challenges associated with electoral processes in Nigeria shows an intricate inter-relationship between political engagement, socio-economic inequalities and the obstacles faced by young people.
“The disparities in the age of eligibility for voting, running for an elective office combined with the monetization of electoral processes contribute to the unfortunate exclusion or emasculation of the youth from effective political participation.
He however encouraged the youth to take up the gauntlet for political emancipation because, as has been shown , the significant percentage of registered voters being young people underscored their potential impact on the electoral conversation.
He challenged the youth to take the challenge “of the most unenviable task of navigating Nigeria out of this present darkness to a future designed and created by you.
“Fortunately, the International Organization For Peace Building And Social Justice has confidence in you and believes you will succeed and birth a new Nigeria of our dreams.”
The 3-Day conference brought together youth from different parts of the country.
Some of the topic treated at the conference include ‘The Role of CSOs in Transformational Leadership’, ‘Training on Data Collecting Using KoboToolbox for Reporting’, ‘The Role of Women and Youths in Building a Just Society’, ‘The Use of Media for Advocacy’, and ‘The he Role of Women and Youths in Nation Building’.