The notion that youths are leaders of tomorrow has again been echoed across West Africa. The media aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Nigeria’s Delta State, Mr. Ossai Ovie, has charged youths in West Africa to be responsive to their political responsibilities to engender development in the sub-region. Mr. Ovie made the call during a youth conference entitled: ‘The Involvement and Participation of Young People in Public Life’ which was organised by the United Nations Development Program, UNDP, in Abidjan, Cote D’ Ivoire, recently.
The media expert, who is currently representing Nigeria at the West Africa Youths Conference, said it was necessary for African youths to get engaged in business and also venture into politics.
According to him, “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow and there is the need for those in West African countries to venture into politics. But before doing that, they must be engaged. As youths, there is also the need to participate in politics by voting and contesting elections. That is the only way we can participate in decision-making and policy formulation. The time for youths to get involved in politics is now; we are no longer the leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today.”
Mr. Ovie, whose middle name is Success, reeled out tons of reasons why youths should participate in governance. For starters, he said, “The involvement of youth in politics leads to civic engagement, which is broader than political engagement because it can include service to the community through involvement in health, education and charity work. Political engagement is a more targeted aspect of civic engagement and could be expressed through voting, participating in political demonstrations and signing petitions for specific issues”.
For the state government spokesman and technocrat, politics is one of the best tools one can embrace to create a polity of well-nurtured young citizens. In his view, in countries ruled by dictators, the fresh ideas generated by the younger generation and prospects for new leadership usually contribute in overcoming authoritarian practices.
