Abuja: Rev. Canon Ugochukwu Ndukuba of Basilica of Grace, Abuja Diocese of the Anglican Communion, along with leaders from various sectors, has called on Nigerian youth to increase their participation in politics and governance. This call was made during a symposium organized by the church, focusing on youth involvement in politics.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the symposium, themed ‘Empowering the Next Generation: The Role of Youth in Politics’, attracted a diverse group of students and young attendees. The cleric and other stakeholders, serving as resource persons, emphasized the importance of youth involvement in Nigerian politics to ensure they have a say in their future.
Rev. Ndukuba highlighted that youth participation in leadership roles would enable them to advocate effectively for policies and programs addressing the unique challenges faced by their demographic. He stated, “We are celebrating our father’s week and alongside the politicians among us, we decided to organize this symposium to
educate young people to be part of partisan politics. This is to expose them to what happens within the political space of our nation and to encourage them to have political mentors to enable them to get prepared for political leadership.”
Senator Nkechi Nwaogu spoke on the ‘Not-too-young to run’ law, urging youth to dismiss the notion of politics as a dirty game and become actively involved. She noted that the act of engaging in politics is not inherently negative, but individuals might be driven by personal ambitions. “The negative aspect of not getting involved in politics is that the wrong people you do not want to lead you will be the ones making decisions that will affect everybody,” she warned, encouraging the youth to sanitize and represent their communities with integrity.
Former Minister of State for Education, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, advised young aspiring leaders to invest in character and capacity building. He stressed the importance of mentorship by experienced political leaders, stating, “F
or you to have good governance, those who are coming to govern must have a good value system because you will have the values you portray in every office.”
A highlight of the event was the unveiling of the book ‘Empowering Tomorrow’, authored by Sen. Frank Ibezim, aimed at encouraging youth to take active roles in shaping their future. Ibezim pointed out the moral decadence among the youth due to governmental and parental failures and urged them to take charge of their future.
Other notable speakers included Sen. Ugochukwu Uba and Mrs. Debrah Ogazuma.