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Youth Empowerment: Redefining Political Inclusion

Unlocking the potential of Nigerian youths in driving social change by challenging political exclusion. Explore the demographic strength and barriers to representation faced by the youth. Highlight the importance of active engagement and representation in political processes to shape a brighter future. Conclude with a call to action for self-belief and meaningful participation in nation-building.

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Youth Empowerment: Redefining Political Inclusion

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  1. THE FUTURE IS NOW Keynote Address by MallamBolajiAbdullahi Honorable Minister/Chairman, National Sports Commission (NSC) NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  2. The Future Is Now Global explosion in knowledge and social consciousness has enhanced the capacity of Nigerian youths. However, their ability to utilize these assets effectively to drive social change would depend on how they engage with the political mainstream. How young people define themselves and their place in the political eco-system and how they are in turn defined by the political elite are fundamental to youth political representation and inclusion. NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  3. The Future Is Now The idea of youths as leaders of tomorrow has confined a very important social category to the political fringe and reduced a demographic majority to political minority. This will not change, unless young people actively develop the capacity to scale the wall of exclusion and become champions of a system that recognizes youth as a distinct social category entitled to direct representation in the political arena. NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  4. A Demographic Majority With an estimated population of 68 million, Nigerian youth is easily a demographic majority. Put in context, this is twice the population of Ghana; more than the population of South Africa and bigger than the population of the United Kingdom. If the Nigerian youth population were to be a nation, it would be the fourth largest country in Africa and 19th in the world. By sheer numerical strength, it would therefore be a major country. NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  5. Youth and Political Participation • Voters • Political thugs • Electoral watchers/monitors • Commentators/bloggers • Attending party meetings/rallies • Decision making NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  6. Participation or Representation Democracy has continued to mean the representation of people in government. Because it is also a game of numbers, representation in a democracy is expected to approximate/reflect the demographic composition of the population. Youth is a distinct social category. NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  7. Barriers to Representation • Youths as leaders of tomorrow • Youths not seen as distinct social category • The challenge of ‘youth wing’ • Pseudo-participation • Youth snobbery • “Empowerment” NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  8. Not In Our Stars: The Last 50 Years • ShehuShagari- Federal Legislator @ 30 - Minister @ 35 • M.T. Mbu - Minister @ 25 - High Commissioner to the UK @ 26 • Richard Akinjide - Minister of Education @ 32 • MaitamaSule - Oil Minister @ 29 • More than half of the Balewa cabinet were 40 yrs and under. • Yakubu Gowon - 32 NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ChubaOkadigbo AuduOgbe- Minister @ 35 John Nwodo Jnr

  9. Not In Our Stars: The Vanishing Youth • ChukwuemekaChikelu • Frank Nweke Jnr • NurudeenMuhammed • NurudeenAbatemi • BolajiAbdullahi NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  10. Bringing the Youth Back • Affirmative action • Access, not opportunity • Mentoring or God-fatherism • Deliberate training • Climbing the ladder from the bottom (youths as councilors and State legislators) • The right kind of “youth wing” (Nkrumah’s CPP). NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  11. Conclusion • Everywhere, and in all the process of change, it is the elite that makes the difference not the masses. • You have all gone to school. Use your power. • Youth is not a credential. • You must know that you can’t restrict yourselves to merely being economic success. NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  12. Conclusion Above all, Believe in yourself. NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

  13. Thank You! NATIONAL SPORTS COMMISSION (NSC) FEDERAL MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

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