Nigeria’s Political System Not Favourable to Youths, Says Don

By Ibrahim Shuaibu

It has been observed that Nigeria’s political culture does not encourage the participation of the country’s youthful population in politics.

This view was expressed by a Lecturer with the Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Dr. Maikano Madaki.

Madaki disclosed this yesterday during a two-day roundtable discussion in Kano, which was organised by the university’s Centre for Gender Studies in collaboration with German Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.

He said: “The environment is no longer favorable to our youths because it has been dominated by those that are seen as the most powerful and wealthy individuals who always try to rotate and recycle themselves within the political positions.”

Madaki, who is also a Sociology lecturer, explained that “this has created a very serious vacuum for our youths who have the potential and skills to offer and have been deterred from contributing to the system.

“Our democratic system is not favorable to many, including the youths and the poor. It is so expensive that the talent of our youths who don’t have the financial capacity could not be harnessed.”

Madaki explained that the discussion is timely in changing the youth’s mindset in order to develop their leadership potential and skills.

He argued that the system relegated the youths to favour the old and the rich.

The Director of the Centre for Gender Studies, Professor Hasssana Sani Darma, said the discussion was organised to enable youths to discuss issues that affected them, especially in the area of building their capacity to be responsible leaders of tomorrow.

Participants at the event also shared their views on Nigeria’s leadership challenges and ways of improving them.