YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CAN DRIVE AN INVALUABLE STEP TO SECURE NIGERIA’S FUTURE PROSPERITY.

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT AND DEVELOPMENT CAN DRIVE AN INVALUABLE STEP TO SECURE NIGERIA’S FUTURE PROSPERITY.

Introduction

Youth empowerment is an attitudinal, structural and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority and agency to make decision and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people, including youth and adults.

Nigerians perspectives of youths

 In Nigeria’s settings today, it is mostly ill-defined and wrongly perceived by parents, the youth themselves and the government. The youth themselves neglect self-development and empowerment, wholly depending on white-collar jobs; the parents who are the major stakeholders often sees youth empowerment as the sole responsibility of the government , while the government sees youth empowerment as an avenue to initiate policies and programmes although the programmes make little impact on their lives.

Youths constitute a large proportion of Nigeria’s population but despite their critical role in nation building, it is often observed that the country has not invested seriously in youths, thereby making them an army involved in un profitable activities.

According to the exact words of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala “we realise that unemployment has become a major issue in the country. Figures from the national bureau of statistics indicate that an average of 1.8 million Nigerian youths finds themselves in the labour market annually, out of which 250,000 to 300,000 are graduates”.

Nigeria’s now and tomorrow

With an estimated population of 170 million Nigeria have vast oil wealth, an entrepreneurial energy and a booming economy, growing at 6.6percent in the first quarter this year. It also has among the world’s highest burden of health problems, including malaria, under nutrition and mother and child death rates. Despite ample uncultivated land, it imports over U.S. $1.1 billion worth of food. Clearly Nigeria is a country of potential in search of solutions.

Hope for Nigeria

Things seem bleak at the moment, we are having a government that is incompetent and incapable of tackling challenges of our time, everybody milks the public goat to buy a mansion in Dubai,and the nation is being run aground by a generation that has over stayed its welcome although some are colossus. These are the reason why Nigeria is reeling from crisis to crisis. That is why we have gone from a strong economy to a weak economy , our oil resources notwithstanding.

The solution to this anarchy is having youths that can move beyond the divisive politics of destruction, rise above ethnic leanings, nepotism and godfathers and unite for the collective interest of our people.

The essence of youth empowerment

Of recent it is globally realised that youth empowerment is integral for national development especially for under developing countries like Nigeria where youth constitute majority of overall population. If Nigeria can invest heavily in the youths, they are guaranteed of getting high returns on their investment in every sector.

The task of nation building is very challenging and can be divided into phases. Everyone (both old and young) can contribute towards it according to his or her own capabilities.

Conclusion

Two issues are paramount in youth’s calls for reforms, the need to enjoy the full rights they are entitled to as citizens and the need to have their voices heard within the family, the community and the decision making process.