By Jessica Osajie / Posted December 19,2024
Youth participation in Nigerian politics is an extremely important aspect of the country’s democratic development. With over 70% of Nigeria’s population under the age of 30, it’s necessary that young people are involved in shaping the country’s future.
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Political participation by the youth demography cannot be over-emphasized. It is a necessity, albeit, fraught with inherent challenges that stifle youths, at the same time.
Prominent among the challenges include the high level of unemployment and poverty, which limits the young people’s ability to engage in the political process.
A few years ago, there was a national conversation aptly themed: ‘The Not Too Young to Run Law’.
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In 2018, the Nigerian government passed the ‘Not Too Young to Run Law’, which reduced the age of eligibility for running for office, paving an interesting pathway for youths to embrace political enterprise. The law was a significant step forward for youth participation in Nigerian politics, but its implementation has been slow and not too clear for public understanding.
To address the challenges facing youth participation in Nigerian politics, the government has to provide young people with the skills and knowledge necessary to participate in politics, including mentorship programs to help young people navigate the complex world of local politics
To sharpen mass communication with various interest groups, young people need to get involved in community activities, outreaches, townhall meetings and local governance, which is a precursor to building trust and gaining relative experiences.
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The experiences garnered can help them develop the skills and give them more access to interactive network opportunities necessary to succeed in politics.
By getting involved in peer groups and community-based political initiatives, it will make it easier for them to identify and support qualified young people who want to run for office is essential.
Some analysts have advocated that relevant institutional political agencies, departments and NGOs could provide youths with the resources, mock programmes and mentoring support in order to understand some of the key factors at play in actual situations, which will hasten the process of participating during a political circle from any basic entry level and progressively grown in hierarchy.
By working closely with recognized leaders and groups, the Nigerian youth can quickly hone the necessary political strategies to build a brighter future for themselves and their country.
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NOTE: This story was researched and written by Jessica Osajie and do NOT necessarily represent the viewpoint of DDNEWSONLINE.COM.
Jessica is on Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at DDNEWSONLINE.COM from the Department of Mass Communication, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).