Nigerian Constitution Is Silent On The Youths —Imagwe
A
former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students
(NANS) and now the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youths
and Students Matters, Mr. Jude Imagwe, has expressed regrets over the
Nigerian constitution’s silence on youth issues. In this interview with
John Oba, he discloses his intention to mobilise other youth leaders to
ensure that the voice of the nation’s future leaders are not muffled in
the process of the ongoing constitution amendment. Excerpts:
What, in your opinion, are the contributions of Nigerian youths to the nation’s development in the past 52 years?
It depends on the angle from which one is looking at it. We would have to first applaud the Nigerian youths for being united today. The expectations of the youths from previous administrations have become a burden on the present government. So I would first appreciate the youths for their patience and their belief that there would be a change. That is what has brought us this far. This democracy we are talking about now, it was students and youth groups who sacrificed their lives, their certificates in order to extricate democracy from the vice-like grip of the military.
The youths in Nigeria are productive and filled with knowledge. All that is expected is for those attributes to be tapped for national development. All they request is to be carried along by the governments at all levels. They want to be part of policy making and implementation. So I implore state and local governments to expand the involvement of youths in policy implementation. If all these tiers of government carry out their responsibilities religiously, then we will have a better organised youth body that is playing its role in nation building as expected.
How can the ongoing constitution amendment benefit the youths and in what areas?
Presently, youths are coming together to drive what they expect to have in the constitution. First, the age of elected office holders is something that the youths are insisting must be reduced; they are equally agitating for counterpart fund that would give autonomy to the Youth Council; they also want a constructive engagement of the Nigerian youths in all spheres of national development. At the moment, the constitution is clearly silent on the youths. There ought to be a provision in the constitution that would speak clearly on the expectations of the youths from the government. By the time they come out with this, which I am closely monitoring, we are going to have the paper that would be forwarded to the National Assembly, because it is not in the powers of the youths to amend the constitution. But it is in our interest to suggest to our members in the National Assembly.
What is your office doing to manage the crisis in the Youth Council?
We (my office and the Ministry of Youth Development) are working and we have drawn a table on how the problems could be solved. The problems would be resolved sooner than expected and we are going to have a stronger youth council. It is a process that would be driven by the youths, ours is to guide them. I am going to call for a meeting of all state council chairmen, invitations will be extended to the board of trustees which includes former presidents too, and then we will call both groups together. By the time we are done with this, we will find a way forward and the outcome will be such that every youth will be satisfied with.
How do you intend to appropriately re-orientate the new council when it comes into being?
Well, you need to be patient with us. We are planning to have a leadership summit, not just for those in youth council alone but it would cut across other youth groups even including those in campuses, where we will see ourselves as role models. Until we begin to see ourselves in that light, we will continue to have challenges.
What is your office doing to enhance youth entrepreneurship?
We are going to be engaging those involved in that field, those who can create jobs. But the truth remains that we have a president who listens; he has been very supportive since my appointment. And I want the youths to know that I alone cannot decide what every youth wants, my office is always open, that is why my number is even in the public domain, whatever advise or idea they have can be brought to the table, we would take it to the president for consideration.
This roundtable you just organised, what do you intend to achieve with it?
Well, we have achieved what we wanted to achieve through it. It opened my eyes to the fact that we need more dialogue and discussions among the youths before we have the national youth submit. Now we are going to break it down to regions and geo-political zones. I will seek the president’s approval, we will inter-face with them, then we will have a summit that will bring all the youth leaders to Abuja. Whatever document we finally put together will be binding on our leaders.
How can the situation of the youths in Nigeria be improved?
From the position we have reached, I am sure you would have understood the pains and the frustrations of the youths. There are government expectations from the youths and youths’ expectations from the government. But from the government, we have a president who inherited several problems. The problems that Nigerian youths are suffering from today is not just something that grew over night, we are 52, it therefore means that we have 52 ideas and 52 messages, because every year has its own message. All these are things that have piled up till date. But the president is someone who is willing to contribute his own quota to move us from where we are to a place that would be different than what every other person has done before. Government expects Nigerian youths to be patient, cooperative and be the ones championing the peace of the nation; drive the transformation agenda as their major project and above all, patriotism from the youths. Government is committed to ensure that the worry and fear of the youths is given utmost attention ranging from employment, academic decay, insecurity in our campuses and engagement of youths in policy formulation. This government is keen on achieving set goals. The youths, too, must contribute their quota by encouraging policies that bear human face; encourage government to drive the desired change.
What do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered by the legacies I will leave behind.
What, in your opinion, are the contributions of Nigerian youths to the nation’s development in the past 52 years?
It depends on the angle from which one is looking at it. We would have to first applaud the Nigerian youths for being united today. The expectations of the youths from previous administrations have become a burden on the present government. So I would first appreciate the youths for their patience and their belief that there would be a change. That is what has brought us this far. This democracy we are talking about now, it was students and youth groups who sacrificed their lives, their certificates in order to extricate democracy from the vice-like grip of the military.
The youths in Nigeria are productive and filled with knowledge. All that is expected is for those attributes to be tapped for national development. All they request is to be carried along by the governments at all levels. They want to be part of policy making and implementation. So I implore state and local governments to expand the involvement of youths in policy implementation. If all these tiers of government carry out their responsibilities religiously, then we will have a better organised youth body that is playing its role in nation building as expected.
How can the ongoing constitution amendment benefit the youths and in what areas?
Presently, youths are coming together to drive what they expect to have in the constitution. First, the age of elected office holders is something that the youths are insisting must be reduced; they are equally agitating for counterpart fund that would give autonomy to the Youth Council; they also want a constructive engagement of the Nigerian youths in all spheres of national development. At the moment, the constitution is clearly silent on the youths. There ought to be a provision in the constitution that would speak clearly on the expectations of the youths from the government. By the time they come out with this, which I am closely monitoring, we are going to have the paper that would be forwarded to the National Assembly, because it is not in the powers of the youths to amend the constitution. But it is in our interest to suggest to our members in the National Assembly.
What is your office doing to manage the crisis in the Youth Council?
We (my office and the Ministry of Youth Development) are working and we have drawn a table on how the problems could be solved. The problems would be resolved sooner than expected and we are going to have a stronger youth council. It is a process that would be driven by the youths, ours is to guide them. I am going to call for a meeting of all state council chairmen, invitations will be extended to the board of trustees which includes former presidents too, and then we will call both groups together. By the time we are done with this, we will find a way forward and the outcome will be such that every youth will be satisfied with.
How do you intend to appropriately re-orientate the new council when it comes into being?
Well, you need to be patient with us. We are planning to have a leadership summit, not just for those in youth council alone but it would cut across other youth groups even including those in campuses, where we will see ourselves as role models. Until we begin to see ourselves in that light, we will continue to have challenges.
What is your office doing to enhance youth entrepreneurship?
We are going to be engaging those involved in that field, those who can create jobs. But the truth remains that we have a president who listens; he has been very supportive since my appointment. And I want the youths to know that I alone cannot decide what every youth wants, my office is always open, that is why my number is even in the public domain, whatever advise or idea they have can be brought to the table, we would take it to the president for consideration.
This roundtable you just organised, what do you intend to achieve with it?
Well, we have achieved what we wanted to achieve through it. It opened my eyes to the fact that we need more dialogue and discussions among the youths before we have the national youth submit. Now we are going to break it down to regions and geo-political zones. I will seek the president’s approval, we will inter-face with them, then we will have a summit that will bring all the youth leaders to Abuja. Whatever document we finally put together will be binding on our leaders.
How can the situation of the youths in Nigeria be improved?
From the position we have reached, I am sure you would have understood the pains and the frustrations of the youths. There are government expectations from the youths and youths’ expectations from the government. But from the government, we have a president who inherited several problems. The problems that Nigerian youths are suffering from today is not just something that grew over night, we are 52, it therefore means that we have 52 ideas and 52 messages, because every year has its own message. All these are things that have piled up till date. But the president is someone who is willing to contribute his own quota to move us from where we are to a place that would be different than what every other person has done before. Government expects Nigerian youths to be patient, cooperative and be the ones championing the peace of the nation; drive the transformation agenda as their major project and above all, patriotism from the youths. Government is committed to ensure that the worry and fear of the youths is given utmost attention ranging from employment, academic decay, insecurity in our campuses and engagement of youths in policy formulation. This government is keen on achieving set goals. The youths, too, must contribute their quota by encouraging policies that bear human face; encourage government to drive the desired change.
What do you want to be remembered for?
I want to be remembered by the legacies I will leave behind.
No comments:
Post a Comment