•Tinubu
Two youth activists have disagreed over the plans of the President Bola Tinubu’s federal administration to hold a National Youth Conference (NYC) in the first quarter of this year.
Both youth activists, Aluh Moses Odeh and Hassan Taiwo Soweto, who spoke to our correspondent separately yesterday on the necessity for the conference, appeared to be on parallel lines on the issue, reports Sunday Independent.
While Mr Odeh, National Leader of the All Middle Belt Youth Forum (AMBYF), seems to be on the same page with the Federal Government on the essence of the initiative, which he described as laudable, Mr Soweto, Spokesperson of the Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), described it as a mere public relations stunt to launder the poor image of the administration.
Their disagreement over the wisdom of the administration to organise the national conference shows that the nation’s youth population who belong to different socio-political groups, may not speak in one voice as the plans are on for the event.
It would be recalled that President Tinubu announced plans to hold the youth conference following the 10-day nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests which took place between August 1 to 10, 2024.
Odeh, in a chat with our correspondent, said the proposed conference is a laudable initiative that underscores President Bola Tinubu’s faith in the potential of the Nigerian youth to drive national development.
The Benue State-born youth activist stressed that the planned conference is a significant departure from the past, when young people were often marginalised and stereotyped as lazy and unproductive.
The AMBYF Leader stated: “The usefulness of the confab cannot be overstated. For one, it provides a platform for Nigerian youth to contribute their ideas and perspectives on how to address the country’s myriad challenges.
“This is in line with the principles of participatory governance, which emphasises the importance of involving citizens in the decision-making process.
“The confab will also offer an opportunity for young people to engage with policy makers, thought leaders, and other stakeholders in a bid to proffer solutions to the country’s problems.
“This kind of collaboration can lead to innovative and sustainable solutions that benefit the country as a whole.”
Odeh maintained that the conference could serve as a catalyst for national unity and cohesion, adding that by bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds and regions, the event could foster greater understanding, tolerance, and cooperation among Nigerians.
Odeh stated that the proposed youth conference was a welcome development that should have the potential to unlock the creativity, energy, and innovation of Nigerian youth.
“As the country continues to grapple with various challenges, it is imperative that young people are given a seat at the table to contribute their ideas and perspectives,” he concluded.
Mr Soweto, the YRC spokesperson, on his own, told our correspondent that the proposed youth confab will be a public relations exercise to try to launder the despotic image of the Tinubu regime while leaving the real demands of the #EndBadGovernance protest unanswered.
According to him, the proposed national youth conference will be a white elephant project, stressing that nothing genuine will come out of it.
Soweto explained: “For instance, why would a regime that means well and wants to listen to the youth continue to try the youth that protested in August for treason?
“Right now, there are hundreds of activists, journalists and bloggers on trial across the country for criticising the government or for protesting.
“You can’t build something on nothing. Those who want to come to equity must first come with clean hands. You can’t claim to want to talk to the youth, while repressing the youth.
“You can’t claim to want to listen to the youth, while for instance, rejecting the Amnesty International report which indicted the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and his men for killing innocent youth during the August protest.
“You can’t say you want to listen to us, while shielding those who killed protesters from justice and while doing everything to continue to muzzle our voices.
“Besides, the confab is also going to be a money wasting exercise considering the 30-day length being proposed for the talks.
“As far as we are concerned, the tens of millions to be wasted on this white elephant project of a confab would be well spent if it is added to the miniscule allocation to education in the budget in order to help Nigeria’s youth be able to access public education.”
