I’ve closely followed President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s journey since his inauguration on May 29, 2023. His unwavering dedication to Nigeria’s progress, particularly among youths, is truly inspiring.
As a seasoned leader, President Tinubu’s experience as governor of Lagos state (1999-2007) and national leader of the APC has demonstrated his ability to unite and inspire Nigerians. His leadership style encourages youths to take ownership of their future. The President has taken a painstaking strive which is been driven by hunger for real youthful developmental ideas to thrive across the country.
He certainly wasn’t looking for immediate changes or development unlike the past administrations, where there are no definitive standardised metrics to determine the impacts of government in the youth constituency. Fair enough, we had administrations that gave way for legislative enactments that directly affect the youths. If not for participation in government but for empowerment.
I am personally persuaded that the essence of this deliberate effort of the President in the area of youth development can be captured in a single phrase: Organise and execute around youthful priorities. If a business is to grow and prosper, as a leader, you need to focus on people’s development.
President Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria’s youth is a beacon of hope. His administration’s efforts to empower young Nigerians will have a lasting impact on the country’s future.
I have made it a point of clarion call at various stages that the growth and development of people is the highest calling of a leader. In a bold move to harness the energy and creativity of Nigeria’s most valuable resource – its youth – the President in his Independence Day celebration speech has announced plans to convene a Conference of Youths (CONFAB).
This is a testament that the President’s unwavering thought that the ultimate resource in a nation’s economic development is the youth. It is the youth, not capital or raw materials that develop an economy. The lofty ideas and initiatives of the youths do. This forward-thinking initiative aims to provide a platform for young Nigerians to share practical solutions to pressing national issues.
As a stakeholder in Nigeria’s future, I firmly believe this CONFAB has the potential to catalyze transformative change. Nigeria’s youth population, accounting for over 70% of the country’s demographic, has long been marginalized in decision-making processes.
The CONFAB offers a unique opportunity for young voices to be heard, fostering inclusive governance and policy-making. It is going to be an avenue to unite young people nationwide to develop solutions to pressing issues like education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice.
The President is trying to bridge the gap between the older generation and the younger generation by bringing them to a roundtable.
A further leap into the substance of the intention of the government on this initiative is a pointer that truly this government is really keen on the involvement of the youths in governance.
This CONFAB would afford inclusive representation by involving young Nigerians as delegates from various States, the CONFAB ensures diverse perspectives on issues affecting the country via the youth’s lens. I just hope that the modalities to be set out for the participation of youths would be open and merit based. It should be a gathering that would not be beclouded by political influences or permutations from various state actors.
The speech never gave details on specifics on CONFAB modalities, delegate selection, and resource allocation. This should be for the real youths with the real interest of Nigeria at heart. These youths can easily be identified through what they have been doing for the country through their various volunteerism and selfless acts.
The youths that would represent different States should be persons with vast knowledge of Youth-Centric Policies. This would drive the government’s willingness to prioritize youth concerns. The CONFAB would also be an opportunity for review of programs like 3MTT which address the global workforce gap, positioning Nigeria as a tech talent exporter. I have high hopes that the outcome of the CONFAB would be great.
We should be hopeful that through the CONFAB, the 3MTT will enhance Nigeria’s digital capabilities, increased digital literacy and Innovation.
We cannot always build the future for our youths but we can build our youth for the future. The idea of the CONFAB is an indication that youth engagement is important because engaging the youths – the future of Nigeria, gives them the power to break cycles of age long problems. I have no doubt that the CONFAB solutions will drive technological advancements. Most importantly, a Youth-led initiatives will stimulate entrepreneurship, enhance National Unity and Social Justice.
The CONFAB will promote intergenerational and inter-ethnic dialogue, bridging divides and fostering a sense of shared citizenship. It is going to afford the Youths to bring fresh perspectives to tackle entrenched challenges in education, healthcare, employment, and infrastructure.
As much as the idea of a CONFAB is imminent, the President must ensure that issues surrounding bureaucratic hurdles, funding constraints, or lack of political will, be adequately addressed so that the outcome of the CONFAB would not be dead on arrival. It should be noted that the youth may be sceptical about government intentions or CONFAB effectiveness.
There is a need for all state actors to allay these fears by acting responsibly at all callings. No doubt that the major stakeholders are the youths, being direct beneficiaries of CONFAB initiatives; the Government being the key implementer and decision-maker, the Civil Society being the potential partners for CONFAB initiatives and the Private Sector being crucial for job creation and economic growth.
The most interesting discovery so far has been the observation of the deliberate consciousness of the President’s policies that are directly targeted towards the youths of Nigeria. I want to specially thank Mr. President for believing that Nigerian youths have powerful potential, and it take a true leader to have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that fresh and untapped ideas of the youths can be driven toward good ends.
The President is quite passionate about youth development, he is one political leader that believe so much in developing the youth and you can see many young people Asiwaju discovered and supported across the country who are today doing so well in politics and governance.
He is known for his passion for building leaders, his love for giving the youth all the necessary support and even platform not to only attain greater heights but also contribute their quota to national development.
The CONFAB of Youths is a groundbreaking step towards harnessing Nigeria’s demographic dividend. By empowering young Nigerians to drive change, we are unlocking the nation’s potential for growth and development, foster a culture of inclusive governance and ensuring a brighter future for generations to come.
As Nigeria’s youth converge to shape the nation’s destiny, I urge policymakers to ensure representation from diverse backgrounds and regions, provide a conducive environment for constructive dialogue and importantly, implement CONFAB recommendations into actionable policies.
The CONFAB of Youths is a beacon of hope for a better Nigeria. Let us seize this moment to redefine the nation’s trajectory. If it is to be; it is up to us.
Thank you.
HABEEB WHYTE ESQ., MBA, AICMC
SECRETARY – CITYBOYS MOVEMENT OGUN STATE CHAPTER
CORDINATOR – BOLA AHMED TINUBU LAWYERS – OGUN STATE CHAPTER
MEMBER – PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU MEDIA CENTRE
whyte287@gmail.com
