By Stanley Nwanosike
The Leadership and Entrepreneurship Advocacy (LEAD) Network Africa, has urged youths to take their political destiny in their hands by finding ways of taking over the political landscape.
The Executive Director of the NGO, Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Monday that the youth were denied their moment to showcase their positive potential in leadership and governance.
According to him, it is said that the youth are leaders of tomorrow (future), but it seems that future is not coming owing to the fact that most old politicians or leaders are not willing to relinquish power.
“It is ironic that some of those still leading us and clamouring to lead us have stayed in the political and leadership space for over 40 years.
“From their actions and body language, they are not thinking of retiring or mentoring young persons to take their place and the youth have waited for long and age is catching up on them,” he said.
Okenwa, however, urged Nigerian youths to get interested to change things and bring good governance and dividends of democracy to their generation and that of their children.
“First, they should get their permanent voter cards; get registered to a political party and follow up in political party meetings to demand what should naturally belong to them in these political parties.
“Youths should demand for elective positions in political parties and support each other (shining example among them) to financially foot the bill of buying forms and political campaigns.
“It is true that the older politicians use the advantage of financial resources to always outwit or outsmart younger people but by pooling resources together the youth can overcome this,” he noted.
Okenwa, who is a youth ambassador in Enugu State, urged youths to get training by attaching themselves to political movements and institutes to learn fast, adding: “You cannot give what you don’t have”.
“Learning and exposure are highly needed in today’s governance.
“Youths must attune themselves to modern and global best practice on good governance and provision of social amenities.
“They need to prove to the old political generation that they have gathered learning and experience to do better and they are committed to service, accountability and transparency,” he added. (NAN)
