The uncommon nature of our political culture has drastically reduced the standard of democracy in our community. Politicians/government run democracy like bees to nectar due to corruption that has ravaged the concept of justice in our society.
The uncompromising attitudes of those that had have opportunity to rule this country in the early 1960s is obviously against the concept of not too young to rule. You can’t imagine how many decades this archaic theory has reigned over the politics of this country. The elderly ones are still the singers that determine the beat of drum, when we have millions of intelligent, cerebral, energetic, foresight, and God fearing youths that can smoothly paddle the canoe of this great country into a joyful stream.
Many previous public activities that youths were given chance to participate did more injurious act to the future of the righteous ones amongst the youths. At the local level, there are many youths who by the virtue of having formal education, have betrayed the confidence and trust that the generality of the populace reposed in them.
The practical factors that surrounded the concept of “Democracy” are actually unfavorable to the concept of “not too young to rule”. You can’t imagine the huge amount of money to be spent before someone can secure councillorship ticket.
Primary election is also another problem that stands as obstacle to the concept of “not too young to rule”. Money determines the credibility of a candidate at the party level and it equally determines the victory of a candidate in the general election throughout the federation.
Geographical bias, tribalism, and religious sentiment are also important factors that set this community back in terms of socio-political development. We have wrongly placed the priority of choosing the leader on the aforementioned factors without considering the consequences of our selfishness attitudes on the unborn generations.
I have experienced a scenario where the young aspirant is credible than the elderly one, but the speaking tool (money) of politics denied him the chance to rule his community despite his brilliancy and intelligence. Some people keep emphasising on the issue of experience, and if I may ask, of what advantage is the experience of Saraki, Dogara, Buhari, Ajimobi, HM Adebayo Shittu, Dsp of Oyo state, Hon Musa, Hon, Olatubosun, Sen, Fatai Bukhari and the host of them to our society?
The legislative arm of government actually passed the “not too young to rule” bill because, it’s quite obvious that hardly can youth scape-through primary level base on the money and influence factors. In many civilized countries of the world, the impact and the tremendous contributions of youths towards the socio-economic and socio-political development of their countries can not be overshadowed.
Though, the mentality of the Western people is different to ours, even within Africa where every tribe or nation that belongs to this continent is tagged black-race, our mentality differs to one another. For example, South Africa got her independent 28 years ago, Nigeria 57 seven years ago, and Ghana 60 years ago, but the development that met South Africa is incomparable to any of these oldest independent countries.
Youths in South West, South East, and Northern parts of Nigeria are different in human resources managerial skill, and this could be traced back to the year of colonization when the colonial masters exchanged quantity with quality. Even during the reign of Obas (Empire), the happenings then can be equated with the current happenings in our society. The period when there was no checking of authority let alone balance.
However, it’s high time for youths to massively parade/protest against this injustice and ungodly act. Although, the mindset of nowadays youths is apposite with the mindset of the elderly ones. Massive mobilization by the various youths group to sensitise and orientate the populace politically is utmostly needed.
By Moshood Yusuff Alade,
An Advocate of Integrity and a Human Rights Activist writes from Saki West LG Area of Oyo State. You can reach him on moshoodyusuffalade@gmail.com
