BY SAM ND ANYANWU 08030611815
E-mail: sam_nd58@yahoo.com
The word “Governance” appears frequently these days in the discourse of aid agencies, civil society groups and government at all levels.
Governance In a societal youth development context means to engage with the authority in the conduct of policy and affairs of the organization or society of which one belongs to or is part of.
The idea of youth participation has become a popular part of contemporary political talk in every part of the world except Nigeria where one can note that youth participation in governance often end at the polls and during electioneering campaigns where youths are only used at there own detriments. There is need to challenge some of these bad practices among some of our politicians in the interest of our society.
The institute for youth, education and families states that “Nothing is more important to the health of our democracy than the active engagement
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of young people in representative government”.
If we concur with this statement, youths are important agents of social and economic transformation therefore, there is the need to demonstrate commitment to address the problem of youth marginalization in our country. Opportunities should be provided for youths to be a voice in the nation’s decision making process which will help to develop the skills and knowledge required to be effective- and confident leaders and contributing members of the society knowing that it will create better future leaders who would acquire more exposure and sagacity to lead our country having in
mind that Nigeria is a complex nation that requires exposed and matured minds to govern its affairs.
Enhanced youth participation is now advocated in the western world as part of a discourse about modern citizenship. This has become a policy cliché to say that increased youth participation will empower young people, help build the society and remedy a range of social problems.
Youth participation is arguably part of political orthodoxy of democratic tradition, however the official enthusiasm for youth participation has much to do with democratic. practice.
Nevertheless, it is argued that the government enthusiasm for youth participation is problematic for some reasons.
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First, it falls to recognize the significant obstacles that young people
currently experience when trying to participate socially, economically and politically.
Secondly, there IS failure to think through what democratic practice requires.
Thirdly, both the conceptualization and operationalization of official youth participation at odds with the rhetoric of democratic participation.
This raises questions about whose voice is actually being heard and to what effect.
Youths are basically an indispensable integral part of the society, so issues affecting them should not be ignored. They should not be seen as problems to be fixed because if they are involved in decision making and governance in general through empowerment to impact in their lives, they become assets and resources to the government and nation at large in proffering lasting solutions to societal ills thereby creating positive social change in our society:
The question now is – has the Nigerian government taken adequate measures to address youth matters?
What is the need of establishing ministry of youth development at various levels of government, having S.A’S on youth matter when there is no specified program for our teeming youths as well as an agenda to incorporate youth governance and create job opportunities for our large number of unemployed youths.
The government should explore methods to have youth members between the ages of 18 to 35 on various advisory boards, commissions, ministries, representatives at councils and create youth commissions or boards to advice councils on matters related to youths. There should be commitment in youth development through youth representation in governance.
I am of the view that youths are the leaders to today and not tomorrow recalling the saying that “the youths represent the strength of every nation”. Therefore, it is important that today’s youth be encourage to take interest in government decision making activities and that opportunities be created to foster civic participation by young people. But if the government fails to consider this issue as a paramount necessity, the youths should take there destiny into there hands by waking up from there slumber and take power because power is not given but taken recalling the biblical quotation in the book of Matthew chapter 11: 12 that the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and only the violent take it by force.
