No one becomes a leader by mere proclamation. You have to work for leadership and learn through its intrigues and intricacies. It is worthy of note that the youth of this country rallied round President Muhammadu Buhari during the campaigns. The truth is that the youth made the All Progressives Congress (APC) victory possible. As a result of this, they expect to be carried along, having played their part effectively. The old men only provided the material resources and political knowledge here and there. This is the more reason President Buhari should engage more youths to run his administration.
The youth were the engine room of the presidential campaign. They took the message of change everywhere without demanding money. During the campaigns, some of us denied ourselves certain pleasures of life. Some of us had harrowing experiences, but we didn’t bother at all because we actually wanted to be part of a new and better administration.
Be that as it may, there has been an argument, rightly or wrongly, that the youth cannot be appointed to positions of authority in this country because they lack the requisite knowledge and capacity to lead.
But there are examples of great leaders below 30 years. I have seen a picture of a certain 25-year-old lady who was the minister of culture and tourism in her country. And she did not disappoint the people. The truth, however, is that tribal and political sentiments will not allow the government to discover the talents we have.
It is true that our educational system is grossly deficient, but there are still young graduates with sound minds and the willpower for service delivery. If the truth must be told, the future of this country is quite bleak if the youth are not carried along in issues of governance. Without the youth, our political system will fail because there.
Sadly and regrettably, it appears that our political and educational system is designed to fail because our youth are excluded from the scheme of things.
In advanced countries like the United Kingdom (UK) and the USA, once you attend certain schools, chances are that you are a potential leader. How many of such schools do we have in our country?
We don’t need to depend of foreign degrees for effective manpower. In any case, how many of us can travel abroad for proper education?
But again, it must be said that the Nigerian youth are not helping themselves. While in school, they do not take their studies seriously. Majority of them are lazy. Now, how can an ill-educated youth excel in a competitive industry? How can a lazy student become a successful leader?
Talking about good leadership, it is necessary to mention some people and how they started. The immediate past governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He rose to that level through hard work. In spite of his inadequacies as governor, the fact remains that he did well for the state. He was chief of staff to former Governor Bola Tinubu for a couple of years, during which he was exposed to the nitty-gritty of power and leadership before he became governor. He was properly groomed. It is important to note that he became chief of staff when he was less than 40. How many Nigerian youths can be as fortunate as Fashola?
Osita Chidoka is another good example. He was the corps marshal and chief executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the immediate past Minister of Aviation. Other examples abound.
It is time for the Nigerian youth to change the system and prepare to take up the mantle of leadership.
Dayo Williams wrote via [email protected].
