MAKING WAY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION LEADERSHIP

Aisha Shuaibu argues the need to bring more youths into politics and governance

Anyone who went to school in Nigeria is familiar with the term “leaders of tomorrow”, often used by educators as a reminder to youth that they may one day be of service to the country and should be well prepared for it. Tomorrow is now here and the emergence of youth as prospective candidates in the upcoming 2023 elections is inspiring to see. Nigerian youth have often been deemed problematic, lazy, and misguided as they waste no time expressing their thoughts through hot takes and harshness directed at the government. Click-bait headlines online have created the trend of arriving at conclusions without knowing the full story and you can trust Nigerians to add fuel to an already burning fire when triggered by certain reports. The EndSars protests of October 2020 that called for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad sparked outrage among Nigerian youth at home and abroad, causing a deep divide between those who supported the protests and those with opposing opinions. What we can collectively agree on as a takeaway from the protests is the desperation for change and how far Nigerian youth are willing to go for it. Today, we see before us the political participation of more youth whom we will need more of to deliver the future Nigeria we want.

The political culture of the United States encourages young people to gain experience in state and local offices before running for Congress. The average age of U.S senators from 1789 to date is between 30 and 40 years old, while that of the representatives within the same period is 25 and 30 years old. Madison Cawthorn is currently the youngest member of the 117th Congress at 27 years old, while Jon Ossoff is the youngest seating senator at 35 years old. General Colin Powell identified the introduction of structure as a backbone to youth development and by introducing them to a working system early, they are better prepared to lead. He said on enforcing structure in the army, “these teenagers were put in uniform, given ranks, their heads were shaved so everyone looked the same, and introduced to the rigor of their drill sergeant, which over time developed their skills, discipline, and ability to be accountable. We are fuelled by young people coming up from every land in the world and it is our obligation as contributing citizens to make sure that no child gets left behind.” Over in the United Kingdom, there have been conversations about more youth inclusion in parliamentary politics, where members averaged the ages of 50 – 59 years old since 1979. Youth under-representation in the House of Commons seems intentional due to the fear of welcoming inexperience and changing a culture that has been preserved for decades. The UK population is mostly made up of this demographic making the hesitation of parliament to welcome more youth understandable.

Globally, youth participation in politics is seen as timely and necessary. There is a growing need for youth to be more active and intentional in political practices in order to cater to the needs of young people and guarantee that their rights are represented and addressed. Youth are seen to be more active in political movements instead of engaging with political parties as only one percent of parliamentarians around the world are in their 20s, while 11.8% are in their 30s. Only a third of countries have made national parliament members eligible from the age of 25. The civic and political engagement of young people in collaboration with development sectors demonstrates progressive outcomes in peace-building and innovation to bring about transformative change. Supportive regions have created an enabling environment in form of policies and legal frameworks that support inclusive youth participation, the inclusion of women in political practices and governance, and the promotion of youth skills and capacity to actively participate at the local, national, and global level. Prime Minister Sanna Marin (36) of Finland, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (32) of the U.S Congress, Minister of Foreign Affairs Luigi DiMaio (36) of Italy, and Member of Parliament Mhairi Black (28) of the United Kingdom are a few of many young people to emulate on their journey to being changemakers in government.

Although youth and women in Africa still face many barriers to political participation, Nigeria is on the road to a more inclusive form of governance. Small but steady strides are being made by our youth who have decided to contest for positions in the National Assembly and local governments in the upcoming 2023 elections. These candidates are made up of men and women with years of experience in public service dedicated to taking their service to the next level by being decision-makers, change-makers, and lawmakers of their own. One of the many advantages of more youth participation in Nigerian governance is the opportunity to educate the Nigerian youth on exactly how the system works and practical ways to bring about change. As an energized and resilient generation of young people, we must expose ourselves to the realities of leadership, and this can only happen when we have some of us on the inside. By offering our support to fellow youth who have embarked on the journey of leading our dear country forward, we encourage them to perform their duties at their best and strongest capacity. It is indeed just as important to hold our peers accountable for their underperformances, should they come up short on their responsibilities. When we follow the campaigns of these prospective candidates, we must call them to action and challenge them to adopt brave and unconventional styles of leadership, should they emerge victorious.

For the women particularly, we must motivate our sisters to provide a stepping stone for other women to be included and given opportunities under their leadership. It would be tragic to celebrate our presence, just to regress simply because you chose not to seek out other capable women to empower.

To our aspiring next generation of leaders, do not be afraid to make the sacrifices that our peers are currently making. Should you choose to contest for public office in Nigeria, the youth will have your back. To our soon-to-be distinguished senators, honourable members, and chairmen, you are a product of a broken system. Imagine what more we could produce from the youth if you abide by your oath, do right by the people and perform your duties well.

Teniola was a Director in the Presidency