Can Youths Truly Ensure Better Leadership?

Many citizens feel the current administration is full of elderly officials who are bereft of new ideas on governance and out of tune with contemporary global practices in governments. While France was identified as a positive example of what young, dynamic leadership can achieve, the leader of a Middle Belt State in Nigeria was also highlighted as a negative example of a brash, young and inexperienced leader in action. To you, is experience better than dynamism; and can youths truly ensure better leadership in Nigeria?  

ABIMBOLA AKOSILE

* Leadership is not about being youthful, but what is inside you. After all, some youth leaders have messed up themselves because of the get-rich-quick-syndrome.

Mr. Gordon Chika Nnorom, Public Commentator, Umukabia, Abia State

* No, youths cannot truly ensure better leadership as they are often naive, brash, too young, inexperienced e.t.c for quality leadership. Ireland – Varadkar; Bhutan – Jigme; New Zealand – Jacinder; Qatar – Hamad; North Korea – Jong; Australia – Kurz e.t.c are young but have little leadership prowess. Kim is carelessly drawing a world war now. Older leaders will act with caution. Which new tricks are you going to teach an old horse? We must avoid stepping blindly into canyons of leadership, sorrow, tears and blood. To be forewarned is to be fore-armed.

Miss Apeji Patience Eneyeme, Badagry, Lagos State

* Yes please, because maturity today starts from 15 to 50 ad they are the majority; be it in numbers, knowledge e.t.c. Why can’t they unite and vote themselves into power? The old quacks will not give up power unless voted out. So let the youths unite to take over.

Hon. Babale Maiungwa, U/Romi, Kaduna

* The Nigerian elderly officials have long hijacked the political terrain and locked it against the youths, but the youths are still told they are the leaders of tomorrow. Therefore dynamism is the best; for instance the military actors in subsequent governance of Nigeria were even of younger age brackets. Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu who led the first coup in 1966 was just 29, Theophilus Danjuma 28, Gen. Murtala Muhammed 28, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida 25, Joseph Haven Garba 23, Musa Yar’Adua 23, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari 24, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo 29, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu 33; while Yakubu Gowon became Military head of state following the military counter coup at the age of 32. French President Emmanuel Macron age 39, Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel age 44 (became Prime Minister at age 40 since 4th December 2013), and Kim Jong-Un is 35 years old according to North Korean records and the Supreme Leader of North Korea since 2011. Last week in Kenya, a 23-year-old undergraduate (300 Level) student, Mohammed Mhairi Black won to become the youngest Member of Parliament in Kenya. Therefore the youth can truly ensure better leadership in Nigeria because they are very energetic. The present government should not jettison the critical roles played by the youths, as they are the engine room and forces behind most social, economic or political developments.

Mr. Michael Adedotun Oke, Founder Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation, Abuja

* Yes, the youths can ensure better leadership in Nigeria by virtue of their fresh and contemporary ideas about governance, which they can easily learn from other nations being successfully governed by young leaders. However, they must first purge themselves of all the negative traits they learnt from the present crop of old leaders in the country. There must be a vacuum to allow the fresh initiatives take root.

Mr. Olumuyiwa Olorunsomo, Lagos State

* Yes, but maybe another generation of youths…not these present ones already experienced in corruption and malpractices. A visit to Nigerian campuses will convince you, when you see those “to be leaders” throwing punches and bottles over few thousands and millions. Take a look at their parliamentary sittings and you will see a replica of what goes on at the elders table…if not worse. What we need is an all-round reform… for both young and old.

Mr. Adewumi Temitope Michael, Co-founder, Agroshowroom, Osun State

* There are Nigerian youths home and abroad with the right mix of experience and dynamism required to move us forward as a nation. Our existing leaders were in their youth when the opportunity to lead the nation presented itself. So why not give progressive young bloods the chance to turn things around for all?

Ms Nkeiruka Abanna, Lagos

* Must dynamism be the exclusive preserve of the youth? Can’t the elderly be dynamic as well? In the affairs of Nigeria, it’s neither here nor there actually. There’s a state in north-central Nigeria that has a ‘young’ governor; however, this governor owes salaries and doesn’t seem to be governing aright! The fact that he’s young does not seem to help matters. I believe the solution is to do away with stereotypic thinking and judge people personally based on antecedents.

Mr. E. Iheanyi Chukwudi, B.A.R., Apo, Abuja

* That is only when they (the youths) have been mentored by good leaders.

Mr. Feyisetan Akeeb Kareem, Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State

* It is true the youths will try their best, but will find sabotage in achieving better leadership, as long as our laws are not review to meet the contemporary challenges. The Senate house former governors, ministers, special advisers who have ruined this country financially, and will always use the Senate to sabotage every effort that will be contrary to what will affect them. It is high time this administration moves to restructure the country; else they will meet sabotage, because the military made our constitution to suit their system of administration.

Mr. Dogo Stephen, Kaduna

* Yes, vibrant and dynamic youth very much will and can ensure better leadership. The world is tilting towards the youth now in terms of genuinely democratic governance globally, devoid of any sentiment. Elderly officials are bereft of new ideas on governance and out of tune with contemporary global practices in government. The younger the mind and muscles the better in today’s world of positively exciting competition. A stitch in time saves nine.

Mr. Apeji Onesi. Lagos State

* You have given examples of both old and young leaders who have led poorly. The individual, regardless of his age is a product of the society that produces him. The only reason we do not have patriotic leaders has nothing to do with age but everything to do with the fact that the laws of the land are not enforced and justice is never done. The result is a society that begins to unravel, freely producing the types of leaders we’ve had over the years. We will get it right, when we begin to enforce our laws and justice is frequently served.

Mr. Buga Dunj, Jos, Plateau State

THE RESPONSE

Yes, they can: 5

No, they cannot: 1

Others: 6

Radical tip: Not current youths!

Total no of respondents: 12

Male: 10

Female: 2

Highest location: Lagos (4)

Next Week: What is Nigeria’s Current Biggest Devt Challenge?

Nigeria is currently faced with myriad challenges affecting her development trajectory and growth, many analysts have noted. However, some of these challenges vary or mutate from time to time, while some are equally consistent. Corruption, unemployment, and insincere leadership have also been identified by some as top challenges. To you, what is Nigeria’s current biggest development challenge and how can it be successfully tackled?

Please make your response direct, short and simple, and state your full name, title, organisation, and location. Responses should be sent between today (November 16 & Monday, November 20) to abimbolayi@yahoo.com, greatbimbo@gmail.com, AND abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com. Respondents can also send a short text message to 08023117639 and/or 08188361766 and/or 08114495306. Collated responses will be published on Thursday, November 23

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