The last time I checked, the 2016
edition of the famous International Youth Day was commemorated penultimate
week, precisely on Friday August 12. The International Youth Day is annually
held on August 12 to celebrate the achievements of the world’s youth and to
encourage their participation in enhancing global society. It also aims to
promote ways to engage them in becoming more actively involved in making
positive contributions in their respective communities or countries.
The idea for International Youth Day was proposed in 1991 by young
people who were gathered in Vienna, Austria for the first session of the United
Nations (UN) World Youth Forum. The forum recommended that an International
Youth Day ought to be declared, especially for fund-raising and promotional
purposes to support the United Nations Youth Fund in partnership with various
youth organizations.
In 1998, a resolution proclaiming August 12 as International Youth Day
was adopted during the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth
Affairs. That recommendation was later endorsed in 1999 by the UN General
Assembly. The International Youth Day was first observed in the year 2000; one
of the highlights of the event was the presentation of the UN’s World Youth
Awards to the eight Latin American and Caribbean youths and youth-related
organizations, in Panama City, Republic of Panama.
It’s generally noted that the youth is the main productive class or
workforce of any society/nation. This is the sole reason anyone in a youthful
stage sees himself as one of the major parts of the engine room of any society
he belongs. To say the least, the youth remain the main building block of a
given society, regardless of its size or location. Suffice it to say that, arguably,
any society that cannot boast of, at least, a youth is not unlike a tree that
is being deprived of its major root. This is why any country that has lost its
youths to social vices invariably lives like a blind man as well as sleeps with
both eyes open.
The definition of the youth regarding age
bracket varies from one school of thought to another. Though in a nutshell, it
could be described as a group of young people who are in their adulthood stage.
Hence, a youth is simply an adult or a fully grown person that is young.
Considering the above description, two paramount factors constitute an average
youth anywhere in the world, namely: adulthood and youngness. In other words,
anyone addressed as a youth must be a young adult.
Against this backdrop, it’s
needless to reiterate the already established fact that the youth, especially
the vibrant ones, constitute the major part of the engine room of any nation. When
the youth are deeply involved in activism, there are usually greater chances of
actualizing the prime motive of the cause. They are regarded as the only class
that can vigorously pursue a societal goal with a high level of vitality owing
to their nature. In view of this assertion, a society like the contemporary
Nigeria, et al where the youth are relegated to the background, often finds it
very difficult to accomplish the best of its goals as regards governance or
societal uplift.
As a result of the overwhelming positive
attribute of the youth in any society, it’s extremely pathetic and
mind-boggling to see a society comprising irrational ones. It’s not anymore news
that presently, about ninety percent (90%) of the overall youths in most
countries across the globe, particularly developing nations like Nigeria, South-Africa,
Zimbabwe, Benin Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, and what have you, have intensely
derailed thereby constituting series of inconsequential tantrums, cacophonies,
as well as societal menace in various quarters. This might not be unconnected
to why their absence is immensely felt in suchlike countries, in regard to
youth involvement in nation building.
In Nigeria for instance; during
the post-colonial era, or thereabouts, virtually every political position in
the country was occupied by such youths who were mostly in their twenties as,
but not limited to, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu
Bello, Chief Tafawa Balewa, Gen Murtala Mohammed, Gen Theophilus Danjuma, Gen
Ibrahim Babangida, Gen Sani Abacha, Gen Shehu Musa Yar’adua, Gen Aguiyi Ironsi,
Gen Chukwuemeka Odumegu-Ojukwu, Gen Olusegun Obasanjo, and Gen Mohammadu Buhari.
The list is undoubtedly endless.
But today, the reverse is totally
the case; you would hardly see a youth in his thirties becoming a commissioner
in his/her home state, let alone occupying a ministerial position. Unequivocally,
the ongoing profound apathy coupled with complete loss of vision among the
majority of the new generation youths who occupy about one-third of the country’s
population, calls for an outcry. The most worrisome aspect of their lukewarm
attitudes remains, indulgence in partisanship when critical issues bordering
the socio-economic and political status of the country are being deliberated.
So, in the spirit of this year’s commemoration of the International
Youth Day, which its theme reads thus ‘The road to 2030: Eradicating poverty
and achieving sustainable consumption and production’, I’m soliciting for
awareness-raising campaigns to ensure that all the youths are fully rejuvenated
towards reviving the ongoing alarming pace of moral decadence, docility,
laxity, and mediocrity found among them. To this end, I call on the governments
at all levels, non-governmental bodies, religious institutions, the civil
society, mass media, and other relevant bodies, to join hands in this enticing
crusade targeted toward salvaging our teeming youths from the lingering untold bondage,
so that, in no distant time Nigeria can boast of a country filled with only
resourceful, vision and conscience-driven youths.
There’s indeed a compelling need
to bring back this set of useful persons whom have obviously gone astray,
considering that the derailment in question is to the detriment of the
country’s wellbeing. We must acknowledge that there cannot be better time for
such laudable crusade than now, thus procrastination is needless. Without
mincing words, a second delay is liable to causing an unspeakable mayhem.
We can contribute our respective quotas by initiating or sponsoring both
social and academic activities such as youth seminars cum conferences on
education and empowerment, concerts promoting the Nigerian youth as well as
various sporting events, parades and mobile exhibitions that will showcase
young people’s accomplishments with a view to thoroughly sensitizing the mindset
of the said group on its civic responsibility, rights and privileges.
If the gospel truth must be told; the youth are today’s leaders; hence,
it’s pertinent for them to understand where they belong. This is the prime
essence of the ongoing crusade. Hence, we must enjoin them to possess their
possession without any fear or favour. It’s time they woke from slumber and do
the needful as expected of them.
The current leaders, on their part, must equally be willing to
relinquish most leadership positions to the youth, or accommodate them, as the
case may be. Unequivocally, the era of addressing them as ‘leaders of tomorrow’
ought to be a thing of the past; so it’s high time we stopped the deceit and
face reality. Thus, prolonging the long awaited phase is completely
inconsequential and unacceptable. Think about it!
Comr Fred Doc
Nwaozor
(TheMediaAmbassador)-Researcher, Blogger, Public Affairs analyst & Civil Rights activist-
Chief Executive Director, Centre for Counselling, Research
& Career Development - Owerri
_____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
Twitter: @mediambassador 
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