“The youth are leaders but if they do not prepare,what will they do when the baton lands on their hands?”-Roseline Onyiyechi

Parents listen to your children
We are the leaders of tomorrow
Try and pay our school fees and give us a sound education.

I remember this song because my primary school, the first one I attended made us sing this when we resumed school as a form of reminder for school fees to be paid. The part I really love is the ‘leaders of tomorrow’. It has been more than 15 years since I learnt the song and my favourite line is still bleak in African countries. My parents’ generation are still the leaders of the country, and in most African countries, the leaders are my grandparent’s generation. It is paradoxical that the same people who ruled the country in their early twenties are still ruling it up until now.

Africans have the highest percentage of youths in proportion to the population of the country; I say that specifically for Nigeria, with a population of about 200million people, youths make up most of the population. They can be seen everywhere, active on every platform and ion this social media age, they are everywhere (if I were to use the Nigerian pidgin, I will say: they full ground).

The only place they are not very well represented is the political system. 

I will balance the last sentence with the next illustration.

From the primary to University level, there are structures set up that represent political system. When the youths at these stages are give the opportunities to lead, most of them do it with all their heart, and even pursue this to a very larger platform.

I believe these systems were set to prepare youths for bigger platforms where they might end up using the lessons and trainings they must have gotten through these periods. They are taught to lead, take responsibilities and represent properly, showing exemplary lifestyles to others including their peers who happen to not be in their position. After these experiences, the bigger platform does not provide an opportunity to display their abilities. 

Why? 

Their grandfathers are still in the positions.

The youths are actually seen as a threat. A group that need to be kept at bay, under watch. Any sign of youth uprising and desire to be in places of authorities is quenched and terminated. They are better used as instruments (pardon that English usage) of violence and terror to maintain the older generation who are uninterested in giving up their positions of authorities, not because they have something better they think they can offer but because they are still too comfortable with the position.

In the Sudan, the reason the unrest persisted this year was that the youth group had insisted on changing the old government that had lasted for 30 years. This led to the death of so many youths and the new regime is comprised of a group of people who are not as old as the older regime.

In other parts of Africa, there is an abrupt dismissal and silence of youths or people who decide to stand up and insist that the youth needs to have a voice in deciding or making the countries. Even though I am a youth, I may try to list some of the things I think the older generation may take as reasons not trust the youths.

WHY OLDER GENERATIONS ARE INSISTING ON REMAINING LEADERS FOR AS LONG AS THEY WISH 

• The youths do not seem ready to handle it
• They have enough energy to carry around the business of going up and down
• Social media is their interest
• They do not have experience
• They do not have enough connections to continue the process
• They are too young to understand

I think some points are repeated or do not make sense.
Well, I told you I was going to guess.

In the next part, I will list some of the reasons I think that the youths do not seem ready.

WHY IT APPEARS AS IF THE YOUTHS IN AFRICA ARE NOT READY FOR POLITICAL POSITIONS

• They are a chip off the old block
• They do not care to be in the position for what the position needs
• We are all pursuing money, and you need money to be in politics
• Our energies are better spent in partying, clubs, runs and chasing whirlwind
• We do not understand the political world well
• The godfather problem

I cannot list more because I do not have more to list.

As much as there is a push to involve youths in major decision-making position, there is also the concern of the youth being aware of what it means to be in positions of power.

I did not run and place blames in the beginning of this write up but I will say that the more the political system continues to show deeper signs of lack of transparency, the more the hope is dwindled. Even the youths that show interest in politics and show credible signs of bringing improvement are not well supported because of the issue of trust. Majority of the population will still vote people that they believe know the system even if it is the same old people that are being recycled; with no credible results.

Like I mentioned earlier, the age ranges of Presidents and those in high political offices in Africa are majorly above the age of 50, some bordering into 80’s and 90’s. Even the lower arms of government rarely have youth managing positions in them.

But..

Are the youths even ready? Can they manage these positions?

These are the questions that bug me. It is true that most of them with high potentials are not even given the opportunities, and those who are; most times still disappoint. 

Earlier this year, elections took place in Nigeria and some younger persons showed signs of participating in the election. Most of them did not win but I really got impressed with some who showed a great deal of passion and interest and made some efforts to show that they meant their words. I was not around to vote, if I was, I would have voted for the ones that I really appreciated. 

With the issues of godfathers in politics, political positions treated as personal inheritance, the intense rival and personalization of public positions, it is hard to say that youths have a lots of chance. These chances are determined by the masses who will still chose experience over trial even if the trial seems worthwhile.

Before I end this article, I will say that the funding involved in the political world especially in Nigeria where I come from is so outrageous that no honest hardworking youth can afford to join and campaign in the prominent parties. Therefore only those who have really looted the country or are part of the looting system can still participate in the political process. I call that political tricks and manoeuvres to keep a certain age group and people out of certain posts.

Well,  increased demand from youths to be more involved and acknowledged in the political system has led to the signing and passing of bills that will allow them participate but at the end of the day:

Who will vote them in?

The African culture is about proving your worth, and if you cannot prove it, you better let the old system remain. The major problem is the amount of time you are given to even prove your worth or if you will be allowed to prove it before, you are snuffed out of the game.

To end this article, I will say that it is a matter of maturity. Maturity should come with age due to experience but it doesn’t always happen that way. Some are more mature than their experiences; if you are a youth like that then you don’t need a very big platform to start. You can start where you are at and start to prove your worth; maybe the society will believe you. If they do, do not betray them, do what you say.

The youth are leaders but if they do not prepare what will they do when the baton lands on their hands? Will they perform? Or will they ride down the crooked road that will end up in the same old notorious ditch that we keep landing into.

The platform usually starts small but the outcomes dependent on what was done with the previous platform. 

A coconut tree does not produce cashew nuts.

(O.R.A)