Observing Africa at large and Nigeria in particular, one may be inclined to agree with the saying that “education has failed the African man and the African man has failed education. For the others who may agree that the world is directed by supreme beings, they may agree that there is a curse; spell or any other thing you can think of is on our country.
As for some of us, we assume different positions on causes and effects, all guided by our diverse exposure, orientation and life experiences. First reason is no matter how minor they are in number; there are few rational Nigerians both here and in Diaspora. Secondly, for those of us that believe in supreme beings, we are thoughtful enough to know we are still responsible for our actions, choices, decisions and inactions. However, some of us see a calculated design to keep Nigerians especially the youth intellectually mute and mentally docile. There is a deliberate plan to keep them distracted by the social media, fads and fashion, and television shows. Why is this so? With the ongoing distractions and the zombie-like nature of the youth, the elites will be able to entrench themselves, pursue their personal interests, while at the same time preparing their young ones to continue with the process.
All hope is not lost completely and that is why the few rational youth, who has been able to identify and mobilize themselves, with a dream of having a functional country that will be the envy of nations, without allowing the destructive nation of ethnicity, economic, class and religious disparity obscure this dream. A dream we are willing to defend with the last drop of our blood. A dream in which we are blind to strife arising from any factor, but one in which we are tied, guided and propelled by the beauty of intellectual, linguistic, cultural, traditional and environmental diversity.
It is that dream that gave birth to what we today know as YAND (Young Advocates for Nigeria’s Development) a group of educated youngsters who are committed to good governance, Nigeria’s development; and ready to participate in Nigerian politics. We seek to use this medium to leverage on our differing experiences, education, knowledge and expertise, to give a voice to young people, re-orientate them and positively alter their attitude in such a way that we can achieve the following:
1) Raising an army of 5,000 brilliant, passionate and rational young Nigerians, committed to the development of Nigeria, that will be youth driven.
2) Providing a platform through which these young Nigerians will learn from each other, share experiences and knowledge, and synergies to participate in Nigeria’s governance, in the shortest possible time.
3) Commissioning and sustain indispensible debates on several Nigeria’s political, and socio- economic happenings, all available interactive medium.
4) Championing a peaceful, coherent, structured, and youth oriented-political-participation in political activities from the grassroots to the apex, activism and leading a departure from the status quo while at the same time creating an awareness amongst both young and the entire populace on the need of young people in both the area of national organisation, international relations governance in Nigerian.
5) To establish strategies through which Nigerian youth can infiltrate Nigeria’s governance and politics, and facilitate an all inclusive development of Nigeria.
6) To transmogrify into an effervescent, youth-driven political party in the immediate future, with the wherewithal to springboard group member’s elections/appointments into various political offices at both states and federal level.
In view of the foregoing, YAND (Young Advocates for Nigeria’s Development) invites young and like minded Nigerians both at home and in Diaspora who are committed to good governance, Nigeria’s development; and ready to participate in its politics, to join us on our various media platforms and contribute towards making this dream a reality and designing a future they want for themselves and their offsprings.
Follow us at @YANDNGR & like us at https://facebook.com/YANDNGR/