Why youths cannot help
OpenLife Nigeria reports that in the face of growing apprehension in Nigeria arising from food scarcity, insecurity, unemployment, corruption and total collapse of infrastructure, a youth leader, Seun Awogbenle has ruled out youth intervention to rescue the country.
This submission may have technically dashed the hopes of many Nigerians who have been looking the direction of the youth to aggregate their numerical strength and force government to be alive to its responsibility.
But on Friday afternoon, at a television programme, Awogbenle advanced reasons why youths cannot help Nigeria.
To the communication specialist, there is no basis for the Nigerian youths to embark on a rescue mission asking “What is Nigeria doing for the youths?”
Alluding to the United States of America where the doctrine of “don’t think of what America can do for you but rather, think of what you can do for America,” is a standard philosophy, Awogbenle sees it differently saying the American government has created an enabling environment for American youths to leverage on that age long philosophy.
But in Nigeria, according to him, the government has not created an enabling environment for the youths to strive on a rescue responsibility.
Said Awogbenle, the youths cannot act in isolation because “Nigeria has no national vision. It has no shared mission.”
He pointed out that most other countries in the world have promising programmes for its youths, which to him, are absent in the Nigeria’s developmental space.
“There are no promises of prosperity. No promises of security. Unemployment has attained 33 percent. In such situation, what can the youths bring to the table?” He asked rhetorically.
As a remedy, Awogbenle advocated for a renewed commitment on the part of government to address prevailing negativity so that the country can attain a balance ahead of 2023 general elections.
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