In line with Rise Network’s focus on Youth and Education Development via Capacity Building on Youth Inclusion, this year’s UN International Youth Day 2015 commemoration programme was the first big youth gathering after the 2015 elections that had brought on a change of government.
Timi Dakolo opened the event with a rendition of the national anthem while the UNILAG SUG President, Comrade Martins Abiodun followed up with the second stanza of the national anthem – which is more like a prayer for the youth. Following swiftly was a debate between Miss Rinsola Abiola, a young member of the APC board of trustees and Anthony Ehilebo from a PDP affiliated Youth Group (Rethink Nigeria). The debate was moderated by Ademola Olarewaju and one could feel from the high interest in the debate that the last elections have surely increased the political consciousness of usually non-partisan youths. Rinsola proposed that “If we can vote at 18, we can also be voted for at 18” and most speakers agreed with her.
Senate President Bukola Saraki emphasised the importance of getting involved, saying “take part to take charge”. He also mentioned that the 8th Senate is going to come up with E-Parliament, a system where online voices can contribute to senate debates, make their voices known by engaging with senators and monitor events at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Dr. Reuben Abati spoke on the need for youths to develop a sense of identity – to mark themselves out from previous generations in rigorous thinking, distinctive engagement and an insistence on doing the right thing. He traced the role of youths in various change of governments across the world via ‘Arab Springs’ and also likened it to #OccupyNigeria but pointed out that the latter had a political undertone. He cited this as example of how governments that ignore the youths usually get swept off.
Babatunde Fashola took the crowd on a practical journey in political rising by explaining that even though he feels young at heart and still plays football, he is by no standard a youth and has no right to claim being a youth. He aligned with Rinsola Abiola’s position that the minimum age at which people can contest for public office should be constitutionally reviewed, then explained that when youths leave a vacuum in the political process, people who are above 50 move into such positions at the expense of youths.
Award-winning journalist, Tolu Ogunlesi took charge of the panel session where another invited guest, Moses Siasia, a young contestant for the office of Governor of Bayelsa declared that Job Creation and Education were two key parts of his plan for youths in Bayelsa. The role of social media was discussed more in depth as Abati explained that sometimes the abusive language employed by some made social media a tedious ground while Dele Momodu also toed the same line that social media had more positives for youths than negatives.
Pictures from the event:
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