NIGERIAN YOUTHS SHOULD PREPARE FOR VALUE-DRIVEN POLITICS – ITODO
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By Oduola F.A.
Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has urged Nigerian youths to prepare for political participation rooted in values and performance, noting that youth leadership must go beyond numbers to reflect substance and ideology.
Speaking on Thursday during a Youth Forum segment of Channels Television’s special programme marking President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.
Themed ‘Pressing Issues Affecting Nigeria’s Youth’, the programme featured key stakeholders and government officials addressing challenges in sectors such as education, health, business, and the creative industry.
The YIAGA director criticised the prevailing political culture, saying it lacks the value-based foundation needed to drive meaningful progress.
“The dominant character of the politics we practice in Nigeria is not one that is driven by values or performance in office. Young people who clamour for leadership cannot act in the same manner as traditional politicians. Nigerians are looking for a new lease and character of leadership,” he said.
Itodo assessed the role of young people in governance two years into President Tinubu’s administration.
When asked how well Nigerian youths have fared in representing their demographic and influencing governance, he stated, “When we talk about youth representation, it’s not the quantitative dimension of participation that matters most. The key question is, How are these young people performing in public office?”
Itodo, an advocate of the Not Too Young To Run Bill—passed in 2018 under former President Muhammadu Buhari—highlighted that despite increased youth participation in politics, significant gaps still remain.
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“We are far away from where we want to be. I’ve learnt three things in the past two years of getting young people into office — there is a place for preparation as far as leadership is concerned. This is why it’s so important for young people to invest in leadership development,” he stated.
According to him, the current political environment in Nigeria does not encourage merit-based or transformative leadership, which in turn affects how youths emerge and perform in governance.
“Unfortunately, we are within a context that does not celebrate merit-based, transformative leadership, so we need to inculcate that mindset into young people. There has to be an ideology that drives the kind of politics we practice.”
Despite the challenges, Itodo stated that he remains optimistic about the potential of Nigeria’s youth.
“Young people have what it takes to provide that leadership, but they’ve got to be prepared. As a country, we are not paying enough attention to young people. A lot of them are upset with leadership at all levels because leadership is not delivering political and economic opportunities to them,” he said.
He also emphasised that intentional efforts must be made to bring young Nigerians into leadership positions and equip them with the tools needed to succeed.
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