Concentrating on youth, education and politics

Globally, youths are the major driving pulse for development per se. Thus, the sluggishness and relative lethargy of government in investing in the world of education is disquieting which is inextricably linked to the prevailing criminal activities, pervasive poverty, high rate of unemployment among other inhumane activities quintessentially Boko Haram etc.

Surprisingly, it is apparently stated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that, basic education is free and compulsory, yet according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigeria still has more than 8.6 million out-ofschool children - the world’s highest number, girl-child constitute a large and rapidly growing proportion of 60% out-of-school.

It is on this background that some multitude of politically motivated and interest driven demagogues conventionally use this as a window to indoctrinate ample of youths to the wrong arena of thuggery, violence, cultism, drug/alcohol abuse among others which certainly serves as sufficient alibi to distort the future of this great country.

Additionally, it is not enough to cite world’s youngest leaders, for instance, the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, Kim Jung Un of North Korea among others as sufficient tipping point for running for political positions without well acquaintance of knowledge of the subject as well as the international scene, Nigeria’s national interest and foreign policy.

Consequently, it is in the enlightening self-interest of government at all levels to take a proactive giant stride to forestall the appearance of future unpredictable loss of lives and properties. These measures range from enhancing food security, motivating youth creativity, abiding by the constitutional right of free and compulsory education by enlightening and reorienting the citizenry at all levels as enshrined in Chapter II, Article 18 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Umaru Yakubu Kirawa, Maiduguri, Borno State