Factors needed to mitigate the impact of Money in politics on youth participation
By
Hon. Omoluabi Bode-Adeyemi
Introduction
Good evening great Okun youths, I feel highly exhilarated and honored to be with us today and to share thoughts on a very significant and important topic that has a lot of impact on our politics. I hope my contribution will assist us to promote and engender youth participation in our political activities
I'm Omoluabi Bode-Adeyemi, a media entrepreneur, civil rights activist, public opinion analyst and active politician I'm from Kabba and currently live in Abuja.
Youth is a word that has been described, used and applied differently in different places for different purposes. But until we define or understand who a youth is, we may not be able to achieve a lot in redefining a political agenda for demographic group.
Nigeria National Youth development policy as encapsulated and represented in the National Youth Service scheme is any Nigerian in adulthood below the age of 30,Africa Union declaration on Youth has same 35 as the departure age from the youth constituency.
It is important to say that no know international or nationally recognized institution has given a different definition that is above 40, therefore it is safe to simply define a youth as anyone between the age bracket of 18 and 40.
As a young man in search of identity for the youth, particularly when I ran for office of the National Youth Leader of PDP in 2012, I was the only one out of the 11 aspirants who was below 40, the party at the end of the day gave it to a man who was almost 60,as an upwardly mobile youth, I received the decision as a slap on my generation and a headed to court.
The litigation I can say very confidently was the first ever attempt to seek judicial interpretation on who a youth is. Justin Peter Kekemeke at last was courageous enough to deliver a judgment that is now a reference on the age definition of a youth who agreed with my position that a youth is anyone above 18 and below 40.
I'm glad to say that the litigation assisted PDP to produce the first young man as a national youth leader, which is today being copied by other parties.
Talking about the role of money in youth participation in politics and how to mitigate the effect, I believe it is right to situate the entirety of the discussion on the Nigeria situation.
The impact of money in politics generally is what cuts across all age bracket and not limited to the young people alone but for the purpose of this discussion, I will address it as it concerns the youth.
Since the beginning of the 4th republic, Nigerian politics has been unusually characterized with influence or introduction of money which has had a huge negative effect on national development. The situation over the years has grown worse and has emerged as the strongest bane of national development. This dangerous trend has undoubtedly eroded ideology from politics and has created a monster which hinder progress and holds the youth down.
This trend which has created wrong political orientation and hampered the emergence of competence in leadership and governance.
Money politics has now become the only process through which leaders are selected or elected and any nation that finds herself in such avoidable quagmire will obviously be heralded by underdevelopment, poverty and insecurity.
Young persons most especially have as a result of this wrong orientation have now identified wrong objectives and expectations for political participation.
As a young man who is just coming out of election, I can confirm that until urgent steps are taken, it might be a mirage for a youth without rich background to get to position of authority except and unless such a young person has backing of political leaders whose bidding he will go to do if elected.
Unfortunately Okun youths just like their counterparts in other parts of the country appears to have now completely abandoned attempts to lead but have uncontrollably embraced the money induced politics.
Young persons have now seen politics as avenue for money making, they do not believe in ideology or competence any longer, they do not believe in their fellow young persons any longer and worst of it is that, young people, no matter how brilliant do not struggle to succeed through any other means apart from politics.
Speaking from a practical point of view, the last general election further opened my mind and understanding about how deepening the challenges are, most especially as a young man who pioneered youth development associations and students groups, I was shocked to note that most of the young persons that grew through this process didn't see the need to support one of theirs but preferred to go with money bags who obviously will dump them after election just because of money they even don't get to make at the end of the day.
This trait obviously poses great danger to our political development.
The truth however is that most of these young people don't even understand the effects of their actions.
This acts obviously discourages youths from venturing into politics and the Older generation perfectly understands this challenge and they continue to exploit the youth along this line of thoughts, they induce them with money and take them away from place of decision making to thuggery and violence.
Every successive government in Kogi safe for the incumbent have realized this and capitalized on same to divide the most populated age bracket.
Statistics shows that less than 10 % of youths who seeks political elections finally through and 90% of that percentage are children of the rich
This mistake has now completely debased ideology, competence and service, but elevated mediocrity, violence and primordial sentiments.
After I've briefly given background of the effects and causes of the money politics among young people, I like to say that urgent steps are needed to reverse the trend, correct the errors and take actions for a better tomorrow.
I believe the first mitigating measure to this crisis is for the youth to come to level of awareness first.
If we don't know or agree that we have failed, it may be difficult to find solutions
If we don't first agree and understand that we are on wrong lane, we will not be able to retrace our steps.
Until the prodigal son in the Bible realized he has missed his way, he was living a life of a slave, even a son of a wealthy man. Until he agreed and resolved for a change of status, he was living and eating among pigs, that is how low ignorance took him to.
But upon realizing, he said and I will return to my father and and I will say father I am not worthy to be called a son but just take me as one of your slaves, but because he was born a hero, his awareness took him back to his position and everything changed for him. That is power of self realization and awareness.
Hence, the youth must first be aware and agree that we have had it wrong, then unite for a change.
But just like the Bible says that can people be aware of the good news if there are no teachers to teach, can they change if they didn't hear the word?
It therefore mean that we must as upwardly mobile youths make deliberate actions to educate or inform our generation.
Fate has conferred a generational assignment of emancipating and liberating our generation through information and needed awareness
So, we must first come to terms with the reality of our challenges
Then be ready to offer self for the emancipation and liberation agenda
I can boldly say that my resolve to run for Senate in 2019 was first to emancipate my generation, do wake the sleeping giant in the youth, to challenge them to healthy political competition and set agenda for our take over of the political space
That is why I didn't feel betrayed or abandoned by my generation because I was aware in the first place and since the ambition was for a modeling agent.
After the awareness, youths must be made to understand that until they have a second address (personal business or income sources) it will be difficult for liberation to happen, just as it will be difficult to reject monetary inducement.
When all a young man does is politics, his character, loyalty and sincerity may be threatened because politics will become his/her source, when this happens, your loyalty and alignment will always be to the source of money and not ideology or well mapped political interest.
When this is taken, youths must build for themselves a strong institution they will be loyal to, then mobilize themselves and set political, social and economic ideology for the society and themselves.
Until young people harness their strength, unite for a course and collectively pursue same, it may be difficult to emancipate, and the Older generation will continue to Perpetuate themselves in power.
With the few thoughts here, I feel it would be wise to suggest that I dwell on the rest issues from the questions that will be raised, so as to be able to achieve on our essence for this interaction, I so suggest, as I await our opinions and decision on this.
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