The Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, has urged Nigerian youths to leverage their significant numbers and the power of new media to engage constructively with governments and advocate for quality representation and other legitimate demands.
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Speaking at the 24th Inauguration Ceremony and Launch of “The HERO Magazine,” an event by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Kwara State axis, Ajakaye highlighted the need for active participation in political processes. The publication focused on the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, showcasing his administration’s achievements across various sectors.

Ajakaye emphasised that it’s not sufficient for young people to demand good governance without being actively involved in the processes that determine their leaders. He encouraged youths to marry their dominance in new media with active participation in traditional politics to influence the outcomes of elections.

“Youths in this country need to merge their presence in new media with a strong presence in the ‘real world’ of participatory politics and mass engagement. If you want to see people who understand your positions in government offices, you need to be in the room where delegates for shadow elections are chosen,” he stated.

The CPS mentioned that the demographics of Nigeria skew heavily towards the youth, with Statista estimating the average age at 18.6. He pointed out that young people should leverage their numbers to influence governance, public policy, and the allocation of public resources.

The theme of his lecture was “Bridging the gap between the students and government: the future of the Nigerian Youths, Opportunities and Challenges.” He noted that there is hardly a gap to bridge, considering the number of young people involved in government positions and the establishment of various youth-oriented offices and ministries.
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However, Ajakaye questioned whether the youth demographic has truly shaped governance in a way that benefits them and creates a conducive environment for equitable education, social mobility, economic growth, and sustainable development.

He highlighted Kwara’s positive example under Governor AbdulRazaq but stressed that more can be done to address the crisis of poor education, lack of jobs, extreme poverty, and hunger.

The event was attended by various dignitaries, including the State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mary Arinde; Commissioner for Youth Development, Nafisat Buge; Special Assistant to the Governor on Students Affairs, Wasiu Onidugbe; and the Rector of Kwara State Polytechnic, Dr. Jimoh Abdul. Other notable attendees included leaders from various student unions and dozens of students.

The commissioners, in their remarks, affirmed the administration’s commitment to student welfare and its focus on empowering young people with leadership roles. They highlighted recent achievements, such as bursary payments to students, as evidence of the administration’s focus on student welfare.
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