Youth o'clock: The new political mantra in Enugu State

“Young men are fitter to invent than to judge; fitter for execution than for counsel; and fitter for new projects than for settled business.” – English philosopher and statesman, Francis Bacon(1561-1626).
Without much ambiguity, the famous quote of Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa that “the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow;” has brought us more harm than good in this part of the world, as the elite has leveraged on this well thought out position of the elder statesman to confine the youths to doldrums.
Overtime and since the return of democracy in 1999 in the country, the participation of Nigerian youths in active politics and governance generally has been at the lowest ebb of global index, following general acceptance of the dummy that ‘today belongs to the elders, while tomorrow is the youth’s.
This belief overleaf which has led to complacency and loss of interest in politics by the youths is a major cause and reason why in most African societies successors of most political leaders are haphazardly groomed to take over the reins of power and continue in the trajectory of their predecessors.
Most painfully, the youths who are supposed to be at the forefront of leadership training are tactically alienated from the system by the forces that have sworn to ensure that this powerful group of people are not taken through the rigours, clandestine and shenanigans of party politics and administration proper.
Agreed, “there is a tide in the affairs of men Which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves Or lose our ventures.” – William Shakespeare, the Bard of Avon once said
In Other words, the youths are ever willing and passionate to flow in the stream of power play as the consequences of excluding this young, innovative, energetic and ebullient group in the processes of formation, implementation and monitoring of exactly those key decisions of government has grave implications. Number one is that in no distant time, the society will be completely striped and bereft of thoroughly groomed and systematically nurtured leaders to continue to steer the ship of governance in their various localities.
“Being a leader, tomorrow, requires a vision today, and this vision, today, must be put to work for full actualization,” Yvonne Sam, Social and Political Commentator
Thankfully, in Enugu State under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Dr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the language is entirely and glaringly different as the state parades an array of intellectually, brilliant and creative young people both at the state executive, state Assembly and the local government, where they are now, in great supply.
At the recently concluded local government election in the state, the pack is led by a group of new and youthful chairmen who are currently and comfortably in their thirties and forties as local council bosses in their respective areas. The Peter Andy, Chukwudi Nnadozie and Ejike Itodo examples are quite commendable.
In the state executive organ, the chidi Obeta, Ilogebe Chika Emmanuel and the popular Nsukka Mc known as “elder” are yet, another massive inclusion in the administrative drive of Dr. Ugwuanyi, as it has become crystal clear that the position of SAs are exclusively reserved for the youths in the state for their salient tutelage and possible transfer of power in the future.
While many may not see this development as the dawn of an era in the state political firmament, I am sure His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi believes in the words of Amadeo Giannini (1870 – 1949), founder of the Bank of America who once said: “I leave everything to the young men. You’ve got to give youthful men authority and responsibility if you’re going to build up an organization.”
That is the way to go, so as to complement the passage of “Not-Too-Young-To-Run” Law as recently signed by Mr. President.