The youths and politics as civic duty

SIR: One is in support of the stance of Southern governors that the Presidency should come to Southern Nigeria in 2023 and of the stance of Ohan’eze Ndigbo (backed by Afenifere, the prime Yoruba socio-cultural-political organization, among others) that it is the turn of the South-East. There is no reason, both in performance and in rotation, for the North seeking to retain the Presidency in 2023.

It is more absurd that Atiku Abubakar, the protagonist of rotation (who led some Northern Governors to derail his party, the PDP and Dr. Jonathan’s re-election, in order to force the Presidency back to the North, in 2015, claiming that Jonathan had overstayed into the turn of the North) would no longer recognise rotation when it became the turn of another region!

But the greatest reason for supporting Peter Obi, the youths and the Labour Party is not rotation but the cultural change and paradigm shift they are bringing to bear on Nigerian politics, which had gone to the dogs.

It is culture (the way of life, the way of doing things) that makes the difference in the life of every society and not just the abundance of human and natural resources.

Nigeria has oil and all kinds of solid minerals, in addition to a large, youthful, population, but is nowhere near Japan or Singapore, for example, which have little other than the abundance of visionary, prudent and dedicated leaders and citizens who see politics as civic duty which is what Obi & Co. are selling – against the “cash-and-carry”, arrogant, wasteful, politicians who have squandered our assets and, seemingly, conquered and rendered our people helpless, hopeless and resigned to fate, while grinding the country with mountainous moral and financial corruption.

Youths are the ones brimming with ideas and energy and should be the powerhouse of the nation – never to be marginalised. They are the ones to break new grounds in science and technology, commerce and industry, arts and culture, entertainment and sports and whatever makes the society tick. In war, they are the ones to lay down their lives in defending the country. Fortunately, they constitute more than 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population.

Unfortunately, not even their formal education could be guaranteed by the old guard. Schools and the quality of education are nothing to write home about. Public universities have often been shut and, currently, have remained closed since February.
The youths have every right to adopt and defend those who are closer in age, who possess the requisite energy and track record and who meet the gold standard for modern leaders. The emergent cultural and paradigm shift (from politics of predators to politics of civic duty) is imperative to the salvation of Nigeria. Let every well-meaning citizen put tribe, religion and pecuniary interests aside to actualize it, before it is too late!
Emma Nwosu.