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… Encourages more youth to get involved regardless of their chosen career
A leading aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, for the Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency xome 2023, and Otunba Atuluse of Ekinrin Adde, Chief Olaiya Michael Olobatoke has further stressed the need for political participation and agitation as panacea to a better community development, stable and peaceful societies.
OMO as fondly called said that for political systems to be representative, all parts of society must be included.
“When young people are disenfranchised or disengaged from political processes, a significant portion of the population has little or no voice or influence in decisions that affect group members’ lives. A key consequence is the undermining of political systems’ representativeness”
“To make a difference in the longer term, it is essential that young people are engaged in formal political processes and have a say in formulating today’s and tomorrow’s politics”
“Inclusive political participation is not only a fundamental political and democratic right but also is crucial to building stable and peaceful societies and developing policies that respond to the specific needs of younger generations”
For young people to be adequately represented in political institutions, he said “processes, and decision-making, and in particular in elections, they must know their rights and be given the necessary knowledge and capacity to participate in a meaningful way at all levels”
When there are obstacles to participating in formal, institutionalized political processes, young people can rapidly feel disempowered. Many tend to believe that their voices are not going to be heard or that they will not be taken seriously even if they are heard. The problem becomes circular as politicians may lose interest in responding to the aspirations of young people if they cannot win their votes. This in turn leads to young people being increasingly excluded from taking part in decision-making, or in debates about key socio-economic and political issues, despite their sensitivity to the demands for social equity and justice, environmental protection and cultural diversity” he said.
Sighting example of the ongoing Kabba Township road rehabilitation, Olobatoke said that it is a product of agitation. “If you are not involved, you can not aggitate”
He charges more people, youth in particular to be more involved in politics no matter their career. “It is not even a good thing that a politician do not have a second address. Outside politics, you should have something doing and something to fall back to” he said.
