OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
As 2019 general elections draws near, Nigerian youths have been called upon to take up the gauntlet of leadership by indicating interest and vie for various elective positions with a view to lead the nation out of the woods.
This call was made by Mr. Oghor Kelvin Ogboducutive Officer(CEO), Erusfon Integrated Services in a statement in Effurun, he wondered why the ruling class made up mostly of elders and older generation believe that the youths are only useful for campaign rallies, thugs and hangers on to be used and later dumped after elections.
He called on the youths to ensure that come 2019, the older generations of leaders should not be given the needed support to continue in the process of leadership that has made Nigeria almost comatose, adding that in time past,, youths like Anthony Enahoro, 27years, Obafemi Awolowo, 37years, Ahmadu Bello, 36years, Festus Okotie-Eboh, 27years, Tafawa Balewa, 34years, Akintola, 37years, Nnamdi Azikiwe, 42years and others then led the struggle for the nations’ independence after the demise of Herbert Macaulay.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ogbodu Integrated Services, S. I, Vigo, Spain also went down memory lane to point out that the Nzeogwus, 29, Theophilus Danjumas, 28, M. Yar’Adua, 23, Yakubu Gowon, 32, Olusegun Obadanjo, 29, Odimegwu Ojukwu,, 33 and most military governors that played active roles in 1966 coup and counter coup were well youths that occupied various leadership positions wondering, ” what is happening to our youths of today that this age bracket are now docile.”
Mr. Ogbodu disclosed also that under 30s were very active in the brief democratic interregnum which saw people like M. T. Mbu, Foreign Affairs Minister at 23, Pat Utomi, Federal Adviser at 27 and very many others within the age bracket asSenators and Members, House of Representatives, adding, “what has gone wrong, could be the youths are not aspiring or the older generation are sit tight refusing to let go power.? The later seems to be the true position as can be seen that old men above 70 are now holding sway, getting appointed into positions as was seen recently by President Buhari’s nomination and re-nomination of a retired Judge who is above 80 for an ambassadorial position. We have intelligent and vibrant young men to do these jobs.”
He spoke further, “the youths have to come out to contest for various elective positions come 2019 , the older generation have done their bit, there is massive corruption and looting of our commonwealth, let’s take up leadership positions to place Nigeria, our dear country on a sound economic footing, let’s join hands move the nation forward, we have the number, we have been the foot soldiers the older generation has been using to mobilize to win elections, let’s mobilize for youths with vision to take up leadership from the older generation with a view to reposition Nigeria.”
While saying that his innocent call for paradigm shift in power should not be misconstrued for rebellion against the older generation, Mr. Ogbodu commended past leaders who have done their bit to move the country to where it is today, adding, ” the older generation have done their best and it is natural for them to hand over to the youths to now steer the ship of the nation.”
