Dear Editor
I have been reluctant to write anything about my generation in Kwara, my state both by birth and marriage. I also grew up and had all my education in the state. It is uncommon to see, hear or feel my generation grumbling, and lamenting how they have been short-changed by the state and Federal Government. Youths complained of not being carried along in governance and getting employment.
The fact is that, there are many things my generation wants and it is impossible to have them all. Their most desirous though difficult to achieve is their intention to be part of decision making as both state and federal lawmaker. At the moment, I don’t see my generation ready to make sacrifice because it takes time, money and energy to win elections in the state and the country.
The only place you can see my generation expending their money and energy is on social media where they comment and share events as they happen. Some are not even ready to join politics while those in politics do so with the motive of lining their pockets. This is typical of youths that criticise the state and Federal Government for not doing enough to tackle their problems even though it is impossible for government to fix all problems as government is a continuum.
Democracy is a game of numbers and the fact is that youths had 60% of Kwara and Nigeria’s population. By this figure, my generation needs to unite and join a political party; no need to form new ones. What we need to do is to join a ruling party, and government of the day. This will allow us to see events as they unfold in governance. Youths have to support the government of the day to build a viable state for all citizens. Criticising government on the social media can’t solve our problems.
The inspiration for this piece came at my newspaper stand, where a friend blamed every problem on the state government and concluded that all we need to do is pray. I told him that Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo once said prayer alone can’t solve Nigeria’s problem when he hosted some clerics at Aso Rock Villa.
My generation lag behind in politics both in state and federal, there is no youth in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet otherwise known as the Federal Executive Council, all the ministers are either middle-aged or senior citizen. In judiciary as well. The only place you can find youths is House of Representatives while in Kwara State House of Assembly, I don’t think there are youths there.
French President, Emmanuel Macron is 39 but if we can’t have 39 years old as president or governor because our constitution did not make a provision for that, I believe we can have many youths as state and federal lawmakers to fight for our generation.
Nelson Mandela said, it always seemed impossible until it is done; let’s do our part; divine force will do the rest.
It is obvious that the problems we confront both at state and federal are grave as 2019 approaches in Kwara and Nigeria, this question would be asked adequately by my generation. At the state level and the centre what does the youth want? Self-governance or what? May God help my generation.
