Today, all across the globe, young people in my age bracket are celebrating. We are celebrating our involvement in democratic systems. We are celebrating the opportunity to participate in democratic processes - the little chance we have had to contribute our quota to strengthen systems in our various capacities around the world. Today, there is victory for my generation around the globe and we do not take it for granted. As much as we can, we celebrate with them and we celebrate ourselves.   As much as we might not have Macrons in Nigeria or a Kurz in my country, we have young people who are braving the odds to ensure that our voices are heard, individually and also as a nation of greats.   

While the environment, as made by the government, has ensured that we get constrained, many young people are rising above hate, religion and ethnic bigotry to ensure that our efforts are not drowned in the thick of Nigeria’s unfortunate leadership system.   If we must rise beyond rhetorics into a true place of leadership and political involvement and show that it is truly YOUTH NOW, we must focus on these three (3) things as we go forth.   

GET EDUCATION:   In Nigeria today and most nations on the African continent, the people are beginning to downplay the importance of education. Our society now focus on making money in whatever means possible, promote pop culture, and celebrate unknown wealth in place of merit and values. The society has also taken pride in putting down efforts of those trying to make ends meet in a tough terrain. In Nigeria of today, people refer to the Bill Gates that dropped out of school and became world richest man without exploring all parts of the story. If the Nigerian youth must have a voice that can’t be buried in the hues of the world, we must focus on educating our generation. Drive one another to acquire skills and knowledge, we must learn how economies work, understand human resource management and ensure that we learn how to be disciplined and focused. If we must ensure that the world trust us to manage our own affairs, we must put all our efforts, as much as we can afford, into learning. We must also be able to provide solutions to varying world problems, starting from the ones in our immediate environments.   

LEARN ON THE JOB:   While it might sound like getting education, it is actually a different rope. As young people, with time fading away fast, we can’t wait until we are “ready’’ to start making our moves. Right from today, we must take opportunities available to show our competencies while we also use that time to learn about the things we have little knowledge of. It is advisable that we volunteer for leadership roles when such are needed. We have seen that youth led groups are waxing stronger in Nigeria and around the world and these groups are viable platforms for us to get better.     

PICK A SIDE: You wonder if there is a side to pick? Of course, there are two sides and we must pick one, I sincerely hope that we would all be on the same side - the side of the youth who trust in the leadership abilities of the youth. We must trust in one another to help move Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large, to a better place. The youth must see themselves as one and ignore the battles generations before them are trying to draw them into. We are not part of it and we want none of it.   If our voices must be heard, across board, we must join forces together and encourage one another.   It is YOUTH NOW and we must be a part of it. #WYDD2017 #YouthNow