Dotun Roy

Today 9th september, Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre, Abuja saw another turn out of Youth across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria convened to deliberate on the future of Nigerian Youth in Governance and electioneering, security and policy making. This event which was tagged RETIHINK NIGERIA is a Youth driven initiative under the platform of the most powerful political party in Africa, PDP. It was an initiative that brought all Nigerian youth under same platform, so as to harness the great potentials in them towards achieving political turn around in the Nigerian politics. It is actually the first of its kind in Nigeria, it is intended to move this country from the side of autocracy to a kind of government in which youths are being projected to make exploits while they equally contribute their meaningful quota to policy making. Rethink Nigeria is also created to ensure the participation of intellectuals in the Nigerian politics. Top political actors in PDP such as Former Minister of Transportation and Ambassador to Ireland, Mrs Kema Chikwe, who is currently PDP National Women Leader, special Adviser to the President on Youths Development, Mr Jude Imague and others Ministers were all in the attendance.

The core mission of Rethink Nigeria in summary:
– To charge all Nigerian Youth towards active participation in politics come 2015 electioneering.
– To challenge older generation in the Nigerian politics that, without full support and active involvement of the youth in politics their hopes and aspiration to rule and govern this nation will be incomplete and futile.

Given to the statistics that Nigerian youths make up 70% of the electorates. Therefore, Nigerian youth should begin to see ourselves as agents of change because the quality of election we had, determines the quality of leadership we get.
The efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan was commended, basically for his unequalled passion and commitment to grooming successful Nigerian youth for leadership role through various empowerment programmes since the inception of his tenure.

The keynote address was delivered by Jude Imague, special adviser to the President on Youth Matters. In his address, he alluded that the posterity are expectant that we will not leave Nigeria to be the worst nation that we met it,” He reiterated on how technology has improved our lives for better future and how it can be used to promote good governance and positive change among the youth. He also said, Nigerian youth should remain focus so as to be able to provide quality leadership and mentorship in the nearest future. Our core values as patriotic Nigerians should be our hallmark, he said.

Kema Chikwe, being the PDP National Women Leader spoke broadly on how the role of women in politics and good governance should not be relegated to the background. She encouraged younger women to be more daring in politics using herself as typical example of tenacity and courage. She advised all the youths in general to desist from being used as tool for political instability in the country and get involve in positive participation in Nigerian politics. She encouraged all youth to use their online power to promote good governance and democratic consolidation in country rather than for negative purposes. Other speakers emphasised on the collective role of every Nigerian Youth to Rethink a greater and better Nigeria.

Brief interactive session on 30 percent or Nothing was done. #30percentorNothing is an online/twitter agitation by the Nigerian youth aimed at achieving more inclusion of youth participation in governance and policy making. Rethink Nigeria for a better future. We should be reminded that the future is now!