Deliverables from #EndSARS protest

THE #ENDSARS campaign, unfortunately, ended tragically, with several youths in the prime of their age paying the supreme price, swelling the rank of the famous Heroes Pastas venerated in our National Anthem. May the souls of our departed brothers and sisters rest in peace and may Almighty God comfort their families in this trying period. It is, however, necessary for us youths to reflect, rethink, re-group and re-strategize and maintain this momentum so that their labour of love shall not be in vain. Most developed countries experienced high birth rate in the immediate post World War II era, creating a population bulge. The children born between 1946 and 1964 are referred to as Baby Boomers and have dominated the socio-economic and political landscape of the world from the 60s. In the 2020s, this generation constitutes the single largest cohort in most developed world due to declining birth rate. Regarded as the most idealised generation, as youths, they were prone to be experimental, individualistic, free spirited and social cause- oriented. The boomers have ruled America starting with Bill Clinton, (1993-2001), up till Donald Trump, and would probably do so for the next four (Trump) or eight (Biden) years.

The Silent Generation, as the preceding cohorts before the Baby Boomers were called, have ruled Nigeria since independence, except Goodluck Jonathan. Most of them, however, got to prominence as youths. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe co-founded a political party, National Council of Nigeria and the Camerouns, (NCNC), at age 40, became the Premier of Eastern Region at age 50, and Governor-General of Nigeria in 1960, at the age of 56. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa became a legislator at age 34 and Prime Minister in 1960 at the age of 48. Chief Obafemi Awolowo became Premier of Western in Nigeria in 1954, at the age of 45. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo became Head of State in 1976 at the age of 39.AlhajiSheu Shagari became the President of Nigeria in 1979 at the age of 54. When Gen. Muhammadu Buhari took over from Shagari in 1983, he was just 41. Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State in 1999 at the age of 41 and governor of the same state in 2005 at the age of 48, became Vice President of Nigeria in 2010 at the age of 53 years and President in 2010 at the age of 53. A cursory look at the above would reveal that young people have mostly ruled Nigeria, but with a penchant for recycling and perpetuating themselves.

The demographic structure of most African countries, including Nigeria, actually puts the destinies of the continent, unbeknownst to us, in the hands of the youth. Most of the current political actors in Nigeria are above 55 years of age and they represent slightly more than 7 per cent of the population. For long, we have given them more credit than they deserve, trusting them with our immense human and natural resources, most of which have been frittered away out of incompetence or selfishness. Countries like South Korea and Singapore which were at the same developmental spectrum with us in the 60s, have since moved on and achieved unprecedented socio-economic transformation, while we still wallow at the lowest rung of the ladder as the poverty capital of the world! As the #ENDSARS protests have shown, they have gotten away with it, for so long because, we the youths, have been uncoordinated, un-united and complacent. An analysis of the last two presidential elections as summarised below is very instructive:

2015                      2019

Registered Voters                      68.8m                     84m

Voters Turnout                             43.7%                    34.8%

Margin (Winner and Runner-up) 2.5m                3.9m

Popular Vote                                     27m                    26m

With a population of more than 200m people, less than 15 per cent decided our fate in the last two presidential elections. Out of the 84m registered voters in 2019, 72m people collected their Permanent Voter’s Cards, (PVCs), thus 11m registered voters disenfranchised themselves. While the two major parties, PDP and APC garnered between themselves 97 per cent of the votes, the more than 70 other fringe parties shared among themselves 3 per cent, not out of absence of quality candidates, but because the unwieldy number makes them look unserious to voters.

To uproot the entrenched establishment, obviously posts enormous challenges, but also portends great opportunities. The #ENDSARS flick should not end as a tragedy. A movement with immense goodwill has been created. The need for change is universally acknowledged by Nigerians home and abroad. It is time for all youths to come together and build on the momentum. We have the numerical strength to change our country’s sad narrative.  The task is daunting and the challenges are enormous, but the mission is not impossible. Y2023 is just around the corner, this is the time to move from the streets and build a political dynamism. How do we identify sellable rallying points? How do we mobilise every one above 18 to register? How do we eschew tribal and religious tendencies? How do we cascade the meticulous planning and execution of #ENDSARS into its Season II, albeit, with a good ending?! How do we like the Baby Boomers establish our political presence and make the black race proud? According to the CIA, 50.87 per cent of the Nigerian population are aged between 15 – 54 years old, 7.43 per cent are aged 55 years and above and 41.7 per cent are aged 14 years and below. This indicates that the majority of the voting population is below 55 years old. That being said, how do we as the youth of the nation take advantage of the numbers at our disposal? While getting a Permanent Voter’s Card, (PVC), and getting involved at the polls seem like a good solution to decide who the next set of electorate are, my main concern is how do we ensure we have worthy candidates being put forward in the first place?

Do we utilize the same organization and togetherness applied to #ENDSARS protests to create a power political party driven by the voice of the majority population, or are we going to be in a situation to pick the ‘better evil’ like we have been doing in past elections? I hope not. In conclusion, it is time for the young generation to take Nigeria back, it’s time to stand up and fight for the Nigeria we believe in.

• Sodade, an economist, writes in from Toronto, Canada

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