National Youth Day: Concerns over unemployment, insecurity, disconnection from youths trails celebration
…as Youth Ambassadors lament hostile environment, submits way forward
By Moses and Ariemu Ogaga
Celebration of the National Youth Day has been trailed with wake up calls on the need to address pressing matters affecting youths in Nigeria.
Youth Ambassadors who spoke with Nigerian NewsDirect identified such matters as government disconnection from the youth, increasing unemployment rate, violation of rights, killings and kidnappings, among other pressing national matters as concerns hostile to the youth demography in the Country.
Matters in perspective
In his view, Nigerian Youth Advocate, Seun Awogbenle, said while It was a welcome development to set aside a day to celebrate the Country’s youth, the fact that the commemoration is coming amidst plethora of social turbulence as high youth unemployment, underemployment, kidnapping, harassment and even killing of young people across the country, calls for deep concern.
“While I am delighted that the Nigerian government has set a date for the celebration of Nigeria’s young people, what is actually sad is that this celebration is coming amidst high youth unemployment, underemployment, kidnapping, harassment and even killing of young people across the country.
“Asides from the obvious lack of economic opportunities, the continued violation of the rights of young Nigerians also call for very serious concern,” he lamented.
By reason of the unsavoury conditions, this National Youth Day, according to him “should not just be seen as just another celebration or chronology of event, but “should be a call to action to government to remember to prioritise investment in young people now and not later.”
“Without adequate and consistent investment in young people, it will be almost impossible to maximise the strength, potential, talent, ingenuity and inventiveness of Nigeria’s young population for economic growth and development.
“Despite the limited opportunities and harsh business environment, Nigeria’s young people have remained resilient, and managed to stay on the edge of survival in spite of government,” he averred.
“From Logistics, Food retail, cosmetics, event planning, interior design, fashion, style, Agriculture, tech or even as a Vendor, young people in Nigeria are trying to either start a new business or manage an existing business, despite the harsh and tough business climate in Nigeria, but is government really thinking about them?”, he queried, submitting that “it is my hope that this year’s celebration will be a wake up call to government, to prioritise young people who remain the country’s most vital and most important asset.”
Capacity Development
In her view, Youth Advocate, Damilola James, said it was high time youths in the Country become sensitive to shifting to the new patterns of global development by embracing new skills evolving in the digital and technological world.
Mentioning that embracing emerging development is pertinent for youth capacity development, she mentioned a paradigm shift from the old ways of doing things have become non negotiable.
“Everywhere in the world there has been a shift. There has been an engagement shift; new skills are emerging and the only thing we can do as young people is to begin to embrace those new skills, especially on the science of technology and engineering kinds of skills to be able to find solution to embrace the digital economy which is emerging.
“The shift is emerging and it is an opportunity for young people to take advantage of same because old skills are fast becoming obsolete.”
In her submission, it is essential for the Government to bridge the huge deficits of youth unemployment by continuously finding “opportunities for young people and engage them on entrepreneurial development.”
“They should continue to empower them through different initiatives, developing learning skill centres and coming up with programmes that will help them develop new skills,” she added.
Active participation
Speaking to Nigerian NewsDirect on how Nigerian Youths could help foster development and nation building, CEO/Publisher of the News Digest, Gidado Shuaibu said Nigerian Youths have alot to offer in FinTech, Creative industry and governance.
He urged the Federal Government to engage more youths in its day-to-day activities.
According to him, “Government needs to engage more youths in Governance. I use this medium to call on every young person to get their voters card and participate in Nigeria’s political sphere.”
Government disconnected from youths
Similarly, Executive Director, Evergreen Initiative and public affairs analyst, Alli-Bob Cinwon explained that Youth inclusiveness is a panacea to address Nigeria’s leadership challenges.
He explained that Youths are critical to National development in every ramifications.
He noted Nigeria government should abide by the major tenets of democracy which is based on the wishes and aspirations of the people.
According to him, the #ENDSARS protest was a clear reflection of the outcome of a disconnection of the Government from the youth.
In his words, “Democracy strive by inclusion, when you have a nation like Nigeria where about 50 to 65 per cent of the population is Youth-base and those Youths are not included in policy making and making critical decisions, there is no way you can get the interest of that block of the population represented. There will be obvious leadership failure. One example I will like to point out is the #EndSars Movement, if we had young people in government, those young person would have been able to relate to the plights of the Youths. It was a case of a government that is disconnected from the Youths.”
