Youths and political violence

For a very long time, political violence has become an accomplice of every  election period. When political tensions are on the palpable, it is not uncommon for violence to creep in pre and post-election. This trend can be traced back to the early days of Nigeria’s democracy and there are numerous examples to draw from.

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Political violence, in my opinion, is not a tool to be used to express dissatisfaction. However, we cannot shy away from its possibility. In fact, it becomes inevitable when the cause of violence is ignored.

The causes of political violence include poor political orientation, poverty, lack of democratic culture, corruption, insecurity, inadequate voters’ education and failure of the judicial system among others.

To prevent violence, these causes must be cured. However, it is disheartening to note the role that youths tend to play in the implementation of political violence in the name of protecting the interest of their political affiliations. There is no gainsaying the fact that the youths have a very crucial role to play in the development of any country.

As the 2019 elections draw nigh, there are indications of violence looming across the country. To everyone who cares about Nigeria, this is a cause for worry. The consequences of political violence are devastating. Apart from the fact that there will be irreparable damage to lives and properties, it is a threat to the legitimacy of the elections and it does not bode well for our democracy.

As we seek a free, fair and peaceful election, everyone must understand the roles they have to play for it to materialise. At no point should violence be considered as an alternative solution to any problem that arises from the process.

The youths must therefore not let themselves be used as instruments of political violence. The consequence of it is never right neither does it yield the desired results. Instead of resorting to violence, we should all go out to cast our votes and monitor the entire process. Whenever there are attempts to disrupt or manipulate the process, the attention of the electoral officials or law enforcement agents should be sought rather than taking laws into one’s hands.

Sanni Alausa-Issa

Kwara State