By Ekpa Stanley Ekpa

Sir: When Professor Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) speaks, it gives goosebumps of gracious and cross-generational appeal. It was the Former Vice President who charged young people that “it is a betrayal of a generation, when we refuse to participate even if we fail, our participation will light a path. It offers a new model. It will awaken fresh hope. Our example will plant ideas of courage, of commitment, that others will water and grow. And when that happens, what we represent, even if we couldn’t succeed, will endure.

Our own efforts will endure. But to refuse to participate is to drop the baton in the relay race of our society’s development. We don’t all have to run on the same lane but we must all run.” This view runs through the work of Maryam Hassan Bukar, whom Professor Osinbajo wrote “has her finger on the human emotional pulse!”

Last year, Maryam was appointed the first-ever United Nations Global Peace Advocate, and has continued to leverage on her voice, influence and platforms to advocate and advance peace for everyone and everywhere, in building a better, more peaceful and humane future for generations to come, in line with Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General’s appeal to her that “our world needs peace. We need strong voices like Maryam’s to champion the causes of peace for everyone, everywhere.”

Over the years, Maryam has built a credential of creative agency, advocacy for humane diplomacy and social good, peace, and inclusive development. She has actively used culture, communication and advocacy to connect policy with people. Through her initiative “Through my Voice”, she trained over 5000 young Africans in storytelling and creative advocacy. A spoken word artist, storytelling consultant, social entrepreneur, a Gates Foundation goalkeeper, and campaign coordinator at Change.org Nigeria.

As the tenure of the current African Union (AU) Chairperson’s Youth Envoy, Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, is set to end with the African Union currently in the process of selecting the 3rd Youth Envoy, Maryam Bukar Hassan (Alhanislam)’s indication of interest for the role and responsibility reflects hope for young people, for the continent and for Nigeria. Her candidacy promises to close the widening distance between Africa’s young people and the institutions entrusted to serve them. In her words “Africa does not simply need younger voices around old tables. It needs new spaces built with the young people whose ideas, leadership and innovation will define Agenda 2063.”

In pursuit of the actualization of the Africa Agenda 2063 within the next 37 years, Africa and the AU as an institution need a young leader with proven records to serve as a strategic liaison between youth and the AU, particularly in representing the voices of African youth in AU policy processes. Launched in 2015, the same year the United Nations launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2063 as AU’s 50-year strategic master plan for transforming Africa into a global powerhouse, aims to achieve inclusive economic growth, political integration, good governance, and sustainable development through concrete projects, and driven as the “Africa We Want.” Maryam’s globally celebrated work and engagements resolves around the seven primary aspirations that the “Africa We Want” is anchored: a prosperous Africa, an integrated continent, good governance, a peaceful and secure Africa, strong cultural identity, people-driven development, and global influence.

As the demographic majority, with over 60% of Africa’s population under the age of twenty-five, Africa’s young people are the primary drivers, custodians and critical mass in executing the goals of the Agenda 2063. The Office of the AU Youth Envoy have a responsibility of transforming Africa’s demographic dividend into tangible economic, social, and political development. This is central to realizing Aspiration 6, which envisions an Africa where development is people-centric, relying on the full potential of its women and youth.

Maryam’s global presence, UN Ambassadorial role and continental influence will create a convergence of youth participation in achieving both the global aspirations of the SDGs on social, economic and environmental security in 2030, and the broader African Agenda 2063’s goals across priority areas for the continent. As a mobile entrepreneur, creative and cultural thought leader, Maryam will help drive the African Passport and free-movement policy, promote youth enterprises that give life to the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and the Single Africa Air Transport Market (SAATM).

While Maryam has built an inspiring and easily acceptable profile for the role, the Nigerian government must own up her candidacy and invest heavily to secure her desired emergence. Her emergence and eventual credible serve will further contribute to Nigeria’s global record of exporting quality leadership, particularly as reinforced by the authentic and purposeful leadership of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Amina J. Mohammed, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Professor Benedict Okey Oramah, among others. Beyond afrobeat as our current most valuable cultural export, Nigeria must deliberately export quality leadership both in public and private sectors, as a valuable soft-power asset that generates impact, regional and global relevance and respect.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Ekpa, Stanley Ekpa, a lawyer and leadership consultant, wrote via [email protected]