Youth Recalibration Beyond 2023: A Letter To Nigerian Youths -By Mujeeb O. Awonuga

“Once more  into the fray

Into the last good fight I’ll ever know

Live and die on this day

Live and die on this day.”

~ Joe Carnahan

The above-cited poem culled from the movie “The Grey” loudly echoes the energy and mentality that every Nigerian youth must develop, maintain, and sustain in anticipation of the upcoming 2023 general elections (the seventh of its kind) — an energy similar to that exuded by warrior-youths who stared death in the face, during the historic and revolutionary 2020 #Endsars protests. Like the poem suggests, the 2023 general elections is a fight we must never run away from — a fight worth dying for (not in the literal sense, though) — but the question remains: How many are willing and ready to? The answer appears to be a resounding “NOBODY” because no one, not even the country’s over 150 million youths seem to be disturbed as the country continues to plunge headlong into an abysm of doom and nothingness.   

Interestingly, sixty-two years down the line of public mismanagement, abuse of office, unfulfilled promises, unrealistic manifestos, political monopolisation, projects that begin never to end, and the practice of an irony of a democracy where the rich get richer and the powerful hunger for more power while the masses — the very essence of the existence of this nation — continue to wallow in despair and abject poverty, despite these, Nigerian youths have a rich history of being apathetic to the electoral sector, showing no interest in what happens to them in that regard. They always seem to have an ever-ready unending list of ‘whys’ and ‘wherefores’ to justify their undue apoliticism. However, it is high time we (the youths) began to embrace the idea of a paradigm shift; a recalibration — a change. 

In recent times though, it is thrilling and inspiring to see this generation of Nigerian youths expressly agitating towards 2023 with an increased involvement in the electoral process. Recent statistics from the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) show that seventy-one percent of the twelve million newly registered voters are under 35 years, and that the 96.2 million registered voters have a youthful majority. These show that indeed, there is a strong desire for change, for we (the youth) have no excuse for non-involvement in the 2023 general elections and yes, it is time to change the narrative.   

I must however put it to you and any one who cares to ‘listen’, that involvement in the electoral process come 2023 goes beyond registering to be a voter; it goes beyond being in possession of the much coveted Permanent Voter Card (PVC); it goes beyond airing your thoughts on social media (as in recent times); it goes beyond leaving the comfort of our homes and casting our votes — the strife for 2023 transcends beyond 2023.

 It is about pooling resources, strengths, and ideas and putting efforts (big and small) to make 2023 a success by choosing the right leaders. It is about standing firm on the principles of democracy and duly requesting a transparent and accountable government from those leaders. It is about going forward and questioning where we are, how we got here, how we are hurting, and what to do to stop hurting. It is about going against the youthful trend of sycophancy and standing for what is right. It is about aggressively advocating for youth inclusion in governance for indeed, youth is more than just the theme of the day, it is the song of the decade and centuries to come.

In light of the foregoing, I implore everyone to be on their guard as we are once again faced with the daunting task of choosing the right leaders who will govern us aright. This, we must do if we are to birth the Nigeria of our dreams for you, for me, for us and our generations unborn.

Mujeeb O. Awonuga

ADDRESS: Lagos State University, P.M.B. 0001, Badagry Expressway, Ojo.