When I read the headline “Youths may decide winner of 2019 elections — INEC Chairman” in Wednesday’s Punch, it necessarily piqued my interest. As followers of this column may be aware, I devoted two recent columns (June 17 and Aug. 3) on matters of youth and political change.
“From what we are seeing so far (in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration), 2019 is going to be the year of the youth,” INEC chair Prof Mahmood Yakubu said through a statement issued by his press secretary. “Quite a large number of those that have registered to vote are youths, meaning the young boys and girls between the ages of 18 and 35.”Though the statement would have provided more insight had it quantified “large number,” it is still noteworthy.
Still, I might not have returned to this topic were it not for some sceptical comments on the previous columns. Regarding the June 17 column “Government of the Youth,” for example, a friend and former colleague, Professor Niyi Coker, wryly remarked that he would nominate my 21-year-old son for president.
Then commenting on both columns, my 33-year-old daughter noted that young people like her might not have the experience to run a vast entity such as Nigeria. It is a comment that Nigeria’s political veterans would cheer, of course. After all, that’s how they rationalize their unending political tenure.
The most stinging dissent came from a fellow with the online identity of “No Peace In Our Time.” The cyber-warrior is quite familiar, as he regularly posts pointed comments. This time the object of his ire is the August 3 column in which I enthused about the youth-oriented National Interest Party as emblematic of the future of political reform.
“The problem with this writer and many like him is the constant misdiagnosing of the problem of Nigeria,” No Peace In Our Time writes. “If all the new parties that have been formed from the Second Republic to date, namely, NPN, UPN, NPP, GNPP, PDP, ANPP, APP, AD, AC, APC and all the others have not solved Nigeria’s problems to date, what makes him think it is the NIP that would?”
The comment is an example of oversimplification of an argument in order to slay it. I didn’t, of course, write that NIP will solve Nigeria’s problem. My argument was that the NIP — with its youth-orientation and non-traditional approach to politicking — points to what it will take to end the recycling of politicians and bring about reform.
No Peace In Our Time makes a more substantive critique. “Even now, many Nigerians know who may be the best to steer the ship of the nation under a working system,” he writes. “But, knowing is one thing and seeing a level playing field that can allow such to happen is another.”On this, we’re definitely in agreement.
Where we differ is on how the change will come about. No Peace In Our Time is certain that the solution lies in restructuring. “As long as the elite and those who have captured the territory called Nigeria refuse to restructure and keep depending on controlling the oil sector for selfish reasons, no one can predict how long this Humpty-Dumpty can remain on the wall,” he writes. Evidently, he holds the apocalyptic view that without restructuring, Humpty-Dumpty will have a great fall and no one can put it together again.
Problem is that he and others who see restructuring as the panacea seem unaware that it is largely a repackaging of Nigeria in the hands of the same political elite. Sure, that will reconfigure how the oil cake is divvied, but it doesn’t solve the fundamental problems of avarice and self-centeredness. That will come about through transformation in attitude toward governance, and the youth offer the best hope.
Take the example of former Anambra Governor Peter Obi. He readily shed the wasteful trappings of leadership in Nigeria because he was not socialized into the Nigerian ethos of leadership as pomp and grandeur. He had no use for a fleet of expensive vehicles at his service or a large entourage to accompany him on trips. He carried his own suitcase to and fro the airports!
Such an orientation to governance is more likely to emerge from the youth than from political veterans. And Nigeria will more readily surge in development with such leaders in Aso Rock, the National Assembly, and state governments than it will with restructuring per se.
As to the experience argument, sure it matters, but only to an extent. An inexperienced but astute, dedicated and principled young person will accomplish a whole lot more in government than a jaded and cynical political veteran. It is much easier to gain expertise than to get rid of habituated norms.
The youth are more creative and receptive to change. There is a saying in literary circles that if an author has not written a masterpiece by age 40, he will never write one. Indeed, most masterpieces are written by people who are under 40.
The pattern generally applies to scientific and technological accomplishments. Isaac Newton was in his early 40s when he published his theories of motion that ultimately led to aviation. Einstein was 26 when he formulated the mathematical theory of relativity. Steve Jobs was 21 when he co-founded Apple computer, the most valuable company in the world, whose stock just pierced the trillion-dollar mark. Mark Zuckerberg was about 20 years old when he founded Facebook.
When I pointed out these facts to my daughter to counter her experience argument, she astutely noted that these are single-item enterprises. Facebook doesn’t build roads, run schools and establish armies and so on, she argued. Very true.
Still, these international behemoths share certain fundamentals that are pertinent to governance of countries. First, there’s the innovation to address needs. Then there is the dedication to make it practical. And there’s the creative thinking to solve the myriad problems that arise. Even more pertinent to Nigeria is prudent management and the avoidance of costly indulgences that would readily stall or ruin the enterprises.
I have difficulty believing that the innovation and dedication that made Apple and Facebook so successful cannot engender a solution to the problem of electricity generation and distribution in Nigeria. Or that if Nigeria’s finances were managed with the same discipline and purposefulness that there won’t be enough money to pay teachers, civil servants and retirees.
So, yes, there is reason to believe that Nigeria’s political salvation will come from our youths. It is not that they are all unsullied by the rot of our social and political culture. It is just that they are more likely to see and pursue a way out.
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