21/01/2015
Greatest Nigeria Youth,
Ever articulated Nigeria youth.
POLITICS, GOVERNANCE AND THE YOUTH,
What is politics? What is Government? Politics and government are two side of a coin.
In the word of America declaration of independent which says “we hold these truth to be self evidence, that all men are created equally, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable right, that among these are Life, Liberty and pursuit of happiness, that to secure these right government are instituted among men, deriving their just power from the consent of the govern, that whenever any form of government become destructive of these end, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principle and organizing its power in such form as to them shall most likely to affect their safety and happiness.”
In this memorable word of America declaration of independence, Thomas Jefferson set forth a fundamental principle upon which democratic governance are found. Government do not grant the fundamental right, government are created to protect these right that every individual possess by virtue of his or her existence.
You have the right to quality and standard education, you have the right to full employment, you have the right to housing, you have the right to liberty, you have the right to security, you have the right to life, you have the right to good environment and so on. These are basic right government are created to protect.
If by the management and running of the economic system of your country, you do not have enough resources to go to school or send your ward to school, government ought to provide you with means, at the minimum education loan or scholarship.
If by the management of the health system of your country, you cannot personally access good health facility; your government ought to provide you health benefit.
If by the running of the economic, you can not secure a job, government ought to provide you unemployment benefits.
Today million of youth are unemployed and millions are graduating to the unemployment market every year. Millions of our secondary school leavers are roaming the street of our village and town, they cannot get admission to the high institution, the system can not absorbed them.
In economy, our bank that are supposed to be the engine room for industrial and economic growth and development are collapsing. Recent World Bank assessments show that only two banks are relatively healthy in the country.
In governance 70% of our national budget is on recurrent expenditure, (salary and overhead), only 30% for developmental project, where 50% will be abandon project.
In security the country is gradually becoming Somalia,” boko haram” killing in the north, kidnapping in the south.
Things cannot continue this way, the future belongs to you and the future is now. Democratic governance is a challenge, it is a challenge because the success of the democratic enterprise rest upon the shoulder of you, the youth, no one else.
A free man when he fail blames nobody, so also the youth of democracy who must take responsibility for the fate of the society in which you have chosen to live, in the end you get the government you deserve.
The youth must stop agonizing, must begin to organize and organize, to face the challenge and the reality of our community and our nation, be part of politics and governance.
Many youth will say politics is a dirty game, it is a bad game, it is for the jobless and the unserious people, my comrade and brother you fool yourself. Politics is about governance, it determines almost everything, it determines your access to quality and standard education, it determines how much you pay as tuition fee, it determines your access to employment, your access to housing, politics and politicians determines your security and by extension your life.
It is not only through seeking elective position, you can consciously determine who your leader be; promote an ideal among young people, offer alternative policies and program, form pressure group, join a political party, put your leader on their toe, to do that which is right.
You can do it; yes, you can make the desire change, because you got the power.
Please come with me
Join ICDA today.
