Youth participation in the mainstream politics of Nigeria has been dwindling in recent years. According
to 2012
National Baseline Youth Survey Report of National Bureau of Statistics (2013), 49.4% of male youths and
50.6% of female youths were not registered voters. The survey revealed that
about 61 percent of those who have leadership training are males, while their
female counterparts are 39.3 percent; thus revealing gender disparity in their
participation.
Youths make up
an increasing share of the world population, and yet youths are often excluded
from national and international decision-making structures that affect them. Before
and few years after independence, Nigeria politics was dominated by youths such
as Dr. Herbert Macaulay, Ernest Ikoli, Chief H O Davis, J C Vaughan, Oba Samuel
Akinsanya, Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa, and Obafemi Awolowo among others. The
efforts of these youths led to Nigeria’s independence and again contributed in
driving the struggles for democracy in the 80s and 90s.
The question
now is what happened to Nigeria youths that they are not participating in mainstream
politics of Nigeria. Abraham
Maslow's Need for Hierarchy theory provides insight on how Nigeria youths are continuously
and strategically alienated from participation in the politics of their
fatherland.
To pursue a political dream in Nigeria requires a lot of
fund and candidature of a political party usually go to the highest bidder. Therefore
perpetually keeping youths to dedicate much of their time in search of job
tactically negates their ambition and automatically make them to see politics
as a secondary need. According to Maslow, when primary needs such as
shelter, clothing and food are not met; other needs such as political
aspiration and participation becomes secondary need and cannot motivate people.
With youth unemployment level at 60% and majority of the
remaining 40% underemployed, Nigeria youths are tactically starved of fund. This
can explain why majority of youths participating in politics are at the rudimentary
level (such as participation in the campaign for elder statesmen that refuse to
retire) where they are given little money to meet their primary needs.
When one is
unemployed and lack basic need of life, participation in the mainstream politics
cannot motivate such individual. It is time those in government address youth
unemployment as a way to empower Nigeria youths to participate in mainstream
politics and contribute to the development of the country.
