Gov. Yahaya Bello has been described as the bridge between the North and the South, between the old and the new, between the fast and the slow.
Chief of Staff to Kogi State Governor, ABDULKAREEM MOH’D JAMIU made the disclosure AT THE FIRST ANNUAL GYB MEDIA CHAT/SEMINAR FOR POLITICAL AND CRIME CORRESPONDENTS/EDITORS said young Nigerians have a duty to ensure that Gov. Bello is given a chance to lead Nigeria to a prosperous promised land.
The Chief of Staff explained that judging from Gov. Bello’s achievement it will be right to say that political exclusion of youth and woman in governance has direct correlation with insecurity that Nigeria is facing today, praised the Governor for his inclusive policies.
The Chief of Staff maintained that it is time for the Youths to rise and take that which belongs to them, urged that Youth participation in governance should go beyond the enactment of the Not Too Young to Run Act.
While he noted that it is expedient that strategic measures for the active participation of competent youth and equal opportunities for youths participation in governance created should be created, lauded Gov. Bello for taking the lead.
He said the recognition and assurance of a seat at the table should be given for fair representation and participation of Youths in the policy formulation, policy implementation process and issues of governance and political participation, said that is what Gov. Yahaya Bello stands for.
He notes that such opportunities if given to youths will motivate other young people in Nigeria and the African continent so that they can use their skills and efforts for the course of nation building.
He praised Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, whom he described as a Youth himself, commended him for walking the talk.
He lauded the governor for ensuring adequate representation of Youths in all stratums of government, full gender affirmation and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the process of governance.
He also commended Gov. Yahaya Bello’s youth driven administration, said it has succeeded in providing adequate security in the state by enhancing the quality of the lives of the citizens of Kogi State through his unrelenting fight against insecurity.
He said the efforts of Governor Yahaya Bello against insecurity has brought the crime rate in the state to its barest minimum, making Kogi State a safe haven for settlers, investors and a connecting bridge between the north and southern regions of the nation, Nigeria.
Find below the full speech of the Kogi State Chief of Staff.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN GOVERNANCE: EFFECT ON CRIME RATE. PRESENTED BY THE CHIEF OF STAFF TO KOGI STATE GOVERNOR, PHARM. ABDULKAREEM MOH’D JAMIU AT THE FIRST ANNUAL GYB MEDIA CHAT/SEMINAR FOR POLITICAL AND CRIME CORRESPONDENTS/EDITORS
Protocol
Kofi Annan, the Former Secretary General of the United Nations once said “No one is born a good citizen; no nation is born a democracy. Rather, both are processes that continue to evolve over a lifetime. Young people must be included from birth; a society that cuts itself from its youth severs its lifeline”.
Youth participation in politics and governance is a subject that has continued to generate nationwide interest because it pertains to the socio-economic development of the Nigerian youth.
Nigeria has the third largest youth population in the world and a median age of 18 years. However, the youth demographic is grossly under-represented in Nigeria’s governance process. A cursory overview of the median age of Nigeria’s leaders will show that the nation’s political echelons are dominated by persons older than the age of 50.
The general and if I might add, biased perception about our youth is that they are inexperienced and not mature enough to be trusted with the affairs of the state. Consequently, youths have been left out in major decision making and policy formulation processes that ought to serve their interest. This has led to the systemic marginalization of youths in politics and engendering leadership succession in the country.
The average Nigerian youth is well equipped with the skills and technical knowhow to make a difference in Nigeria’s governance architecture but hardly are they given the opportunity to put these skills to work in mainstream development and governance.
More so, the youth in Nigeria is confronted with a lot of micro and macro challenges that stands in his/quest to becoming a part of the governance process.
In Nigeria, youths face poverty, displacement, barriers to education, multiple forms of discrimination and limited employment prospects and opportunities. All these have constituted a clog in the wheels of growth and development of both the body and minds of the majority of our youths.
Beyond the socio-economic problems that these challenges portend, the perception of alienation and marginalization of youth has led to problems of insurgency, banditry and insecurity in certain regions of the country.
It is evidenced by the daily reports from Security Agencies and the Media that the greatest threat to Nigeria’s nascent democracy is the prevailing insecurity of lives and properties of the people.
The fundamental obligation of any democratic society is to ensure the security of lives and properties of the citizenry.
Since the 1960’s Nigeria has had its fair share of threats to its democratic process through militia groups, movements for the actualization of sovereign states, uprisings and violent extremism hinged on religious radicalism, kidnappings, vandalism, insurgency, violent groups and organized criminal syndicates.
In all of this, youths have been used as willing tools and being at the forefront of rebellion and the perpetuation of these crimes.
The basic thrust of this presentation is not to outline our peculiar challenges; I believe that we are quite familiar with the subject. The sole objective of this presentation is to proffer youth participation in governance as an effective measure of solving those challenges.
In the same vein, the role of youth in effective implementation of security and social development intervention in Nigeria is one that cannot be overemphasized.
Our youth have been deeply involved in community development initiatives across their localities. These areas of intervention cover projects involving micro infrastructure, community mobilizing for positive action, small and medium enterprises, agriculture, community policing and youth led community based organizations.
As witnessed in our communities, youths can be positive agents of change when they are actively engaged in the decisions that affect their social and economic wellbeing, engaging youth in decision making is essential to the overall development of our nation.
This is the case for all youth and by all youth I mean youth with behavioral issues, gender variation, political inclination, religious affiliation, ethnic background or socio-economic status.
These factors are immaterial to the participation of youths in promoting security and national development.
Early action to ensure fair representation of youth in the process of governance builds resilience and social cohesion; it serves as a medium for curbing crime and conflict prevention for vulnerable and at risk youths.
For youth participation in governance to go beyond the enactment of the Not Too Young to Run Act, it is expedient that strategic measures for the active participation of competent youth and equal opportunities for governance are created.
The recognition and assurance of a seat at the table should be given for fair representation and participation of youth in the policy formulation, policy implementation process and issues of governance and political participation.
These opportunities will motivate other young people in Nigeria and the African continent that they can use their skills and efforts for the course of nation building.
Leaders often make grand statements about the future belonging to the youth or rather the youths being the leaders of tomorrow, but these statements are never accompanied by meaningful actions to help the youth participate in governance process.
One leader has been an exception to this; He is His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, the Executive Governor of Kogi State a youth himself who has walked the talk. Under the administration of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, he has ensured adequate representation of youth in all stratums of government, full gender affirmation and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the process of governance.
Governor Yahaya Bello’s youth driven administration has succeeded in providing adequate security in the state by enhancing the quality of the lives of the citizens of Kogi State through his unrelenting fight against insecurity.
The efforts of Governor Yahaya Bello against insecurity has brought the crime rate in the state to its barest minimum, making Kogi State a safe haven for settlers, investors and a connecting bridge between the north and southern regions of our great nation, Nigeria.
Haven noticed the insecurity situation and marginalization in the governance system of Kogi State, His Excellency joined the Gubernatorial race at the age of 39 in 2015. God almighty granted his will and he was sworn in as the forth (4th) Executive Governor of Kogi State on the 27th January 2016 at the age of 40.
Clearly, Governor Yahaya Bello does not just stand as the youngest Governor in Nigeria, but belongs to the youth constituency, he understands that where youths are often used to perpetuate crime, insurgency, vandalism and other social vices, he simply needs to use these vibrant and energetic youth to achieve great stride in Kogi State.
Evidently, at 32, I was appointed DG protocol in 2016 and at 36 I was upgraded to the Chief of Staff to the Executive Governor of Kogi State in 2019. His youngest Political Appointee, Mr. Edogbo, the Technical Assistant to Kogi State Governor on Private Sector and Digital Economy, is 25. A host of other vibrant youths are now decision makers in Kogi state, as against being used as political thugs or member of an organized criminal syndicates; they are off the street thereby curbing insecurity. Thus, Kogi state is unarguably the safest state in Nigeria today despite having borders with 10 states including FCT.
Governor Yahaya Bello’s brilliant legacy and his accomplishments are a true testament to what can be achieved when youths and women are given the opportunity to participate in the process of governance.
It is imperative to note that, power is not given, it is taken. Young people must determine their own destinies and chart a new course for the desired future that they want.
As 2023 approaches, young people must start asking questions as regards what the future holds for them. They must demand to be participants in the governance process of Nigeria.
The numerous endorsement of Governor Yahaya Bello by youths and various groups across the nation represents a democratic ideal for the youth demographic: that it is time to be part of the decision making governance system of our country.
If I should take us down the memory lane, most of our founding fathers that moved for the independence of our great nation from the colonial masters, the British did so in their 30s and 40s.
The pro-democracy activist and Anti-Colonial evangelist, Chief Anthony Enahoro who was the first to move a motion for Nigeria’s independence in 1953 which was eventually granted in 1960 after several political setbacks and defeats in parliament did so at the age of 29.
Young Herbert Macaulay on 24th of June 1923 founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party, (NNDP), the first Nigerian Political Party that won all the seats in the elections of 1923, 1928 and 1933.
Tafawa Balewa, the first Prime Minister of Nigeria was elected to the Northern House of Assembly and to the Legislative Council in 1947 at the age of 35.
More so, Alfred Diete-Spiff was appointed the first Military Administrator of the then newly created Rivers State at the age of 25. He was also a member of the Supreme Military Council. He held office from May 1967 until July 1975 during the Military Administration of Yakubu Gowon.
Nigeria’s third Military Head of State, Gen. Murtala Mohammed was 37 years old when he assumed power after a coup that deposed Gen. Yakubu Gowon. Even though he spent only 200 days in office before his assassination on the 13th February 1976, he did great things for our nation, ranging from fighting corruption, Civil Service reform, and also increased the number of state in Nigeria from 12 to 19, with the creation of 7 new states on 3rd February 1976 (10 days before his assassination). Anambra, Imo, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo and Plateu State.
Even our President Muhammadu Buhari Served as a Military Head of State at 41. The young officer, Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon who became the Head of State at the age of 31 is till date, one of the longest serving Heads of State in Nigeria. Gowon is dubbed as one of Nigeria’s foremost nationalists because of the prominent role he played in ensuring that Nigeria remains an indivisible entity.
Suffice to say that, Governor Yahaya Bello is the modern day Yakubu Gowon who is working assiduously to unite the North and the South through a handshake across the Niger. Governor Yahaya Bello is without mincing words, the bridge between the north and the south, between the old and the new, between the fast and the slow and we young Nigerians have a duty to ensure that he is given a chance to lead Nigeria to a prosperous promised land.
Judging from Governor Bello’s achievement it will be right to say that political exclusion of youth and woman has direct correlation with insecurity that Nigeria is facing today.
As such it is time for the Youth to rise and take that which belongs to them!
Thank you for listening.
God bless you all!
God bless His Excellency Yahaya Bello!!
And God bless our dear country Nigeria!!!