Group calls for youth, leaders re-orientation
A youth advocacy group, All Campus Show has called for re-orientation among Nigerian youth and the political class for the realisation of the much desired national development.
The group made the call during "Nigeria Must Change" rally held at the Three-man Statue Garden, Alausa, Lagos on Saturday. President of the group, Busuyi Ojo who made the call said youths must go beyond the penchant for complaint, and start effecting the change they crave by interacting positively with their immediate environment. While the ruling class must correct the persistent malfeasance of corruption and insensitivity towards the youth and the future of the country.
He said: "This is not meant to go against the government, but re-orientate the leadership of this country and the teeming slumbering youths. Competitions on the cloth we wear or the car we drive will get us nowhere. As a matter of fact, such competition is the cause of nefarious acts among Nigerian youths today. We should rather redirect our energy. The youths must begin to invest our time, energy in our future. We must show that we are ready to take the mantle. We can only do this by going beyond just complaining and ranting on social media. We must come out and take responsibility.
"To our leaders, we are calling on you to use us the youths positively. As it is, this country is dark. Education is dying. Save our future. Empower youths on campus. Youths can do it. And this time, we are saying no youth no election."
One of the dignitaries at the rally, founder and producer of the Not In My Country project, Akin Fadeyi, echoed the groups call, stating that a developed society is a result of symbiosis between good leadership and followership.
According to him,"Nigeria has no government, what we have are big men who sit in big cars, blow siren, knock down people on the road and use their connection to subvert justice.
"In every nation of the world, people expect the narrative for a great nation to be shaped by government because leaders are the models being looked upon by the society. You cannot have a responsible followership if you don't have an accountableleadership. It's symbiotic. Government should not expect citizens who are not taken care of to be responsible."
Fadeyi added that "citizens especially the youths should also not think that only the government can put in place a responsible nation. So we need to begin to think differently. Our youths have to look beyond these challenges. Nigerian youths should spend less time on social media. They should go to the drawing board, think creatively and strategically. So what these youths are doing today is building the foundation for greatness."