THE ROLE OF NIGERIAN YOUTH TO NATION BUILDING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE 21ST CENTURY CUM RECESSION

By Richard Oluseye (@Roluseye)

Nigerian Musician Chidinma Ms Kedike and Youths during a Breast Cancer Awareness program by #ProjectPinkBlue

The hunger for a fresh start is spreading widely among the Nigerian populace, as people (young and old) are angered by failures of corruption and poor leadership; people are frustrated by economic policies that do not deliver, impatient to recover from lost civil rights and worn out by conflicts from religion to ethnicity, increase in unemployment rate and debasing educational and health sectors. Who will bring the fresh start? The answer to this question belongs to the youths and it is in the hands of the Nigerian youth; because the fresh start can only come from a new generation of leaders committed to acceptable and sustainable reforms, as suggested by Nasir El-Rufai. The youths are indemnity to this fresh start the people clamour for.

The youths, who are mostly referred to as the bed-rock of any nation, are saddled with colossal responsibilities and have an inordinate role to play in the development and growth of any developing nation like Nigeria, especially in the 21^st century. The 21^st century have been marked by the rise of global economy and third world consumerism, mistrust in government, deepening global concern over terrorism and an increase in the power of private enterprise. The 21^st century is characterized by the internet age, which emanate with so many opportunities and disruptions; it is left in the hands of any youth to pick which she/he wants to plunge into; possibilities or distractions. The exuberance that comes with the 21^st century is enough to make any youth play a role in development of any nation; be it from globalisation, digitalization, venture capitalism, etc.

The opportunities embedded in the 21^st century would want to make the former generation jealous and wish to be born in this age and time, but again, how many youths can tap into these magnitude of opportunities. Every developing nation like Nigeria is faced with great circumstances and challenges that hinders development and the youth have a role to play in supporting the government, not always the other way round. As former US president, John F. Kennedy, once opined, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”; these are words that should echo in the heart and mind of Nigerian youths who are on the road to play a role in nation-building.

So many areas needs the hands of qualified youths, be it health care, education, entrepreneurship, law and justice, leadership, and so on. It is not an understatement to argue that, the vibrant contribution of the youth have begun to be felt in most of these areas, but more needs to be done as these contributions are inchoate. Government and corporate organisations need to train and engage the youths in activities that will bring about development and economic growth in the nation, Nigeria. Either by organizing youths forums and events, that offer youths in various walk of life, the opportunity to discourse the state of things in the country and suggest ways of solving them, especially those that affect them; or by sponsoring youths for advanced training in their chosen profession, this will go a long way to produce youths who are experts in their own field.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, emphasised and reiterate the important roles youth play in nation building and economic growth when he says; “Let us acknowledge and celebrate what youth can do to build a safer, more just world. Let us strengthen our efforts to include young people in policies, programmes and decision-making processes that benefit their future and ours”.

Thus, my proposal, in the area of leadership and good governance, youths should be seen to participate actively in the discharge of leadership qualities. For instance, at most tertiary institutions, there are students’ representatives and bodies where youths can start developing and preparing themselves to engage in national and international leadership positions. Aspiring youth leaders should make use of the opportunities that comes with the 21^st century globalisation, by learning and studying how things are done in developed nations and by applying for one out of the many fellowship programs developed nations are granting to developing nations, like the recent Mandela Fellowship program put together by the United State government under the Barack Obama presidency. They should equip themselves with core values like honesty and hard work, that will distinct them from their colleagues.

More so, in the area of entrepreneurship, the youths are vested with great role to contribute to entrepreneurship and skill acquisition. This in turn, bring about great economic growth and leads to solving the bizarre problem of unemployment in the country. Entrepreneurship is not limited to a profession, a person from any field can decide to be an entrepreneur, and it only takes discipline, foresightedness and a great business plan. Youths should be aware that most multinational or huge corporations in developed countries today, started out as an entrepreneurial ventures, like Microsoft, Google Inc., Facebook Inc., among others. The continued over-dependency phenomenon by youths cannot make our youth the fresh start Nigeria seeks, hence, it cannot help them to meaningfully contribute to national development and economic growth. There are a lot of needs in Nigeria, those needs can and should be turned into opportunities, whereby youth come up with innovations and ideas that will ultimately provide solutions to those needs. Youth entrepreneurs can seek support from government and financial corporations to attain their aspirations.

It is on this note that I conclude, by challenging the youth in all sector and profession, to embrace the great challenge of development and the abysmal state of our nation’s economy(the present recession), and make great use of the opportunity as a vibrant youth and to leave a positive trail in whatever they do. Enough said about youths being the leaders of tomorrow, youths should be seen as partakers of today’s development.