We Are Out To Rescue Nigeria From Mediocre Leadership, Says SPY-In Convener

–Calls For Youth Inclusion In Governance

By Daniel Dafe

The need for political leaders to get youths involved in the governance of Nigeria has been emphasized.  

This call was today made by Nigerian youths under the auspices of Social Patriotic Youths Initiative (SPY-In), during a press conference that held at the Oaks Hotel, Ughelli, Delta State, tagged: ‘Youths Inclusiveness In Governance, a Step To National Progress and Development.’

Speaking during the interaction with journalists, the Convener, SPY-In, Comrade Efe Ekure, expressed joy that the large number of youths that attended the programme signifies that the programme “will go down in history of our great nation (Nigeria) as one of the greatest synergy of youths with the sole aim to rescue the nation from mediocre leadership and the age long tradition of recycling archaic politicians who have led for decades without results took place today in Delta State.”

He added: “Nigeria youths are today challenged more than ever before to rise up from slumber and work assiduously to enhance productiveness in all cadre of our nation. More than ever, there is a compelling need to wake that sleeping giant in us. There is the need for value reorientation, unquestionable industry and drive to improve our stake in fostering the productiveness we seek in our nation.” 

He noted that the Nigerian youth demographically constitutes majority, bearing in mind the reality that over 55 percent of the total population of the country are youths, saying that by quantitative analysis, the population of Nigerian youths doubles that of the entire population of Ghana, surpasses that of South Africa and even bigger than the population of the United Kingdom. 

He said: “No doubt, if the Nigerian youth population is to be a nation, it would have been one of the largest nations in numerical strength.

“However, despite the foregoing, the Nigerian youth have since our nation’s return to democratic rule in 1999 been kept on the wings and fringes of leadership which has kept them under the deceptive notion that they are the “leaders of tomorrow.” 

Speaking further, he said: “There is a great need for the Federal, State and Local Governments to create enabling environment for youth development. This undeniably remains a sine qua non for a progressive and peaceful nation.  We need more productive youths in our politics and key decision making positions to enhance a working and productive nation. 

“A call for productive youths inclusiveness in governance and policy formulation is a clarion call that will lift our nation from the quagmire of unproductiveness and balkanisation of economic strangulation to a limelight of greatness.

“If we must progress as a nation, we must create room for our youths and involve them in key decision making.”

According to him, “any nation that fails to nurture and involve youths in her policy formulation processes is doomed to fail. Nigeria is a typical example of such nations.”

He continued: “No wonder our progress is stunted and growth retarded. Indeed, it is a sad narrative that our leaders in positions of authority will keep recycling same old politicians that have failed us as a people. We cannot take it as youths of this great nation. We cannot accept a lopsided, failed and corruption-bathed nation as a legacy; a legacy we cannot proudly bequeath to our next generation. There is no better time to change the narrative than now.”

He called on those in power to implement the United Nations policy that supports 30 percent youth inclusion in governance, stressing that this implies having 30 percent of Nigerian youths in all political appointments at Federal, State and Local Government levels.

Furthermore, the SPY-In boss urged all well meaning Nigeria youths both in Nigeria and the Diaspora to come together to plan, drive out polices, programmes and activities, as well as build themselves to take over the leadership of the nation.

Present at the conference were Comrade Marcus Ekure, the President of Urhobo Progress Youths Association, UPYA; Comr. (Engr.) Fuludu Raphael, Adviser, National Youth Council of Nigeria; Comrade Ochuko Okagbare, National President, Urhobo Peculiar Advocates (UPA) and Comrade Kelly Efemena Umukoro, National Secretary General, Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), Youth Wing, Worldwide.