By Moses Adeniyi
Boosting youth inclusion in the processes of governance has since the #ENDSARS protests, last year October become a subject that readily comes to the table of rationality for governments across the Federation to foreclose a repeat of the unsavoury events that trailed the ugly development. The necessity has become very much a reality for the Southern part of the Country which is much exposed to the enlightenment of Western culture.
Within the segment of the South, the necessity appears more demanding for Lagos which above other States of the Federation suffered the larger brunt of the protests when situation went gross, seeing the hijack of the protests by crops of persons believed to be charlatans among the youth wing who took chance of events to perpetrate ills against the lawful demands of the peaceful protests.
Proactive measures to forestall a repeat of such mob action bordering on grievances over unmet demands and hurtful feelings have seen the Lagos State Government taking elaborate steps to fortify youth engagement in the process of political administration of the State recently. The move has seen the top echelons of the Executive arm of the State giving opening to elaborate talks with the youth wing of the State’s demography to ensure strong conversations that spur the sense of belonging for the youth.
Such engagement has seen the collation of views from youth ambassadors at various fora, directed at getting informed submission on steps the Government need to take to bring youth course into the framework of policy making which remains strategic to embracing patterns that appeal to the senses of the youths.
One recent forum bearing reflection to this move was a recent symposium held at the eve of the commemoration of the Lekki-Toll Plaza alleged shootings, where at the honour of the youths Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in an open conversation with youth ambassadors, had elaborate conversations registering submissions from relevant stakeholders. At the event, responses to the submissions of the youth ambassadors were seen to have attracted warm embrace by Governor Sanwo-Olu who in his usual engaging disposition took note of the submissions while giving assurance of readiness to give expression of implementation to the plausible courses of notes highlighted by the Ambassadors.
One of the top subject of concern submitted by Youth Advocate and Author of ‘The Urgency of Now,’ Seun Awogbenle was the need for strong political communication. In Awogbenle’s concern, a distance has been created between the corridor of Government and the young; a gap which he said have left behind the strings of disconnection posing senses of disengagement between the Government and the young people. Giving an instance of an invitation he sent to the Office of the Governor inviting him for a launch of his book, on which he lamented no response was relayed back for feedback, he said such gaps are critical lacuna which having tarried for long within the circle of the orientation of Governance in the Country, has left a disconnect between the Government and the youth wing. He observed that many times the Country demands patriotism from young people without providing anything for them.
He also argued that patriotism is not given anywhere in the world without the result of government’s commitment and promise to its own people. Awogbenle had noted that “The people want to see that government realities reflect them. That it reflects not just the demography but also what the people need. The people need education, health, and access to economic opportunities. The components of human capital, must also be protected, and their rights have to be guaranteed.”
Engagement Response
In response, Governor Sanwo-Olu who welcomed the point of observation had hailed Awogbenle’s position following his presentation at the Symposium. The Governor who acknowledged the ideas canvassed by the Youth Advocate promised to personally invite him for the commissioning of a newly constructed school in Elemoro, Ibeju Lekki. Responding to Awogbenle’s submissions on the need for the Governor to focus on investment in young people, particularly Education, Health and provision of economic opportunities, Sanwo-Olu had said, he was confident that it is only through such investment that the State can maximise its large youth population for productivity, growth and development.
Reckoning with the submissions, he acknowledged and appreciated the points made by Awogbenle on the need to prioritise human capital as a sustainable way to create prosperity for young people. The Governor agreed with Awogbenle that to demand patriotism from citizens, government must show the people what it is bringing to the table. He also noted that indeed the solution is about ensuring that his administration does not relax from the components of human capital – education and health.
“I want to assure you Seun, I have taken a picture with you here to show that I know you are a very cerebral person.” The Governor said, “Education and health are the two principal things that hit our budget the most. Year on year we have continued to increase our spending on education and health. And I will invite you when we are about to commission one of our brand-new schools, it is in Elemoro Ibeju Lekki. You will be happy when you see that school. For the first time in a long while, we are building brand new schools and indeed in the last two and a half years, we have built over a thousand schools, so I take your point seriously that human capital is the way to go,” he said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu had also emphasised on the need to sustain his open door policy to ensure that government is accessible and open to every Lagos residents. At the same event was the widely commended posture of the Governor who against expectation of lashing as expected by critics, invited and honoured online comic relief artist, Taiwo Osinowo (Aka Boda Taiye Oniyakuya ), who did a funny painting of the Governor and posted it on his Instagram page (@bodataiye_oniyakuya). The post had gotten a reaction from the Governor and thereafter invited him for the honour.
The broad engagement has been noted by observers to be strategic in appealing to the senses of youths in the State against the projection of mob actions expected to greet the commemoration of the #ENDSARS protests, it was observed that the fact that overwhelming majority of the youths stayed away from such attempt, gives indication that more appealing, Lagos youths are reconciling with the approach of Governance in the State. The composition of the State Executive Council is known to have attracted fair youthful representation, just as more of young people have been incorporated into the the composition of the Government.
Strategic Measures
Recently, as a strategy to optimise the teeming youth population of the State through talent discovery and to reduce the pressure of unemployment among young persons, the Governor in a scheme championed by young appointees in his Government constituted a yearly state-wide football tournament to get youths engaged in sports. The initiative tagged “The BOS Youth Cup” was designed as a yearly tournament for promising football talents under the age of 21. The competition, according to report gathered, will engage youths across all Local Government Areas/Council Development Areas within the state through a dedicated website (www.bosyouthcup.com) to draw the 20 participating teams to represent the 20 LGAs in the State. It was gathered, the final stage of the inaugural BOS Youth Cup was scheduled to take place at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Arena, Onikan, with the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, handing the trophy to the winning team himself.
Stakeholders who critique the initiative described it as a move in the direction to evoke talent discovery while positioning the State at the cynosure of international attention for talent hunt in the sport industry. Others described the initiative as a antidote to mitigate the rising pressure from youth unemployment which has reduced several young persons across the Country to turning to roaming the streets for mischievous misadventures. Eyes are wide open to see how the patterns of engagement evolve for positive change in narratives for youths in the State.