Are youths still tomorrow’s leaders? By Oliver Uche Eze

The famous saying that youth are leaders of tomorrow is a truism which has remained unrealistic in Nigeria.

Whether this fact can ever see the light of the day at all is left for time to tell because the essence of the saying tends to diminish as the youth grow up and attain the age of discernment.   As primary school pupils, we still remember with reverence some prominent names often mentioned as our leaders who fought for the independence of our nation. As kids, we were encouraged to strive like them with the assurance that we shall assume their places in advancing the fortunes of our dear country because we are the leaders of tomorrow.

In our innocence of course, we had no reason to doubt because it was obvious that with time we shall be ripe to assume such responsibilities. The assurance never stopped even when we proceeded to the next level and of course through our university days. In all these stages, our optimism never dimmed and we kept hope alive.  With another electoral contest around the corner, we are still faced with this aged-tireless groups posing as the source of our desired change in the land.

These men of yester years are never ready to let go and give the youth a chance. One has continued to wonder why grandfathers should hold on to power so tenaciously to the detriment of the young. Even when a provision for appointed position is made for a youth leader in government, you still see someone in his sixties posing as a “youth leader”. Take a look at the list of our presidential and gubernatorial aspirants, party chairmen across political parties, ministers, board chairmen from 1999 to date. What percentage of youths have occupied these positions?

One is tempted to pose a question whether the Nigerian youths are ill prepared and thus cannot lead? This election year presents the Nigerian youth with another golden opportunity to show that they are driving forces to reckon with in the development of our dear country. It is an opportunity to demonstrate that we can!

Nigeria can achieve greatness in the hands of her youths. What is needed is the enabling environment. to excel in politics and other

•Eze writes from Kaduna via [email protected].