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Showing posts with the label youth voices

Why Nigeria Needs a New Generation Of Civic-minded Voters

  In every election season, Nigeria repeats the same political performance, reviews, promises, and sudden generosity from politicians. Yet after the votes are conted many citizens find themselves in another cycle of disappointment. Former U.S. President Barrack Obama captured this truth when he said: " Democracy is not a spectator sport."   Nigeria has one of the world's youngest populations, yet this demographic power remains largely untapped. Speaking at the UN General assembly, Nigerian activist Aisha Yesufu warned: "A Country Cannot Progress When It's Young People are Politically Silent." Former INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega has also noted that when young people disengage, they create room for manipulation and poor leadership. The youth must choose whether to watch from the sidelines or stop fully into civic- responsibility.  For decades elections have been shaped by ethnicity, religion, and blind loyalty. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka once descr...