The youth represent the workforce of any nation. Aside from the general sayings that “youths are the leaders of tomorrow”, they are in fact the strength, focus, vision and determinants of the nation’s position in the comity of nations. Unfortunately, the Nigerian Youths have been seemingly disoriented, and turned to wandering and wondering vagabonds in the streets of uncertainties. Many have blamed this calamity on the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria.
However, THE HOPE observes that unemployment is a global phenomenon, and therefore submits that the situation of our youths cannot be blamed on unemployment but joblessness. While unemployment is the non availability of work, joblessness is the reluctance against the available work. We observe from their songs, speech and attitude that an average Nigerian youth seeks a white collar job, mouth watering salary and a life of leisure. Few are ready to be involved in agriculture, handwork, menial jobs and less paying activities. Laughable it is that the same jobs rejected as demeaning in Nigeria are the same joyfully embraced by them outside the country.
THE National Orientation Agency (NOA), and other agents of socialization need to consciously embark on campaigns and dedicated curriculum that would change the orientation of the average Nigerian youths to embrace the reality of times, and engage themselves in realistic endeavours that put daily bread on the table. The socializing pattern should be such that gives adequate information on the availability of opportunities of engagements to our teeming youths.
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari had in his speeches at various times mentioned the various programmes available for the youth, but only few seem aware of these programmes. In addition, the Ondo State Government has given opportunities to youth entrepreneurs to freely register their enterprises in order to benefit from such and other programmes, but the response rate is still less than expected.
THE reasons for this may be lack of access to information or the limited advertisement given to such. Therefore, THE HOPE insists that such programmes must be given wider publicity on their availability and the procedures of assessing them. Youth platforms, especially the social media, should be engaged to pass this information to the teeming youths. In addition to this, Local Governments should have centers where job availabilities could be periodically advertised for youths to get information and show interest in such. Access to information is therefore very vital for tackling youth redundancy and unproductivity in the country.
THE present crop of Nigerian youths is very intelligent, vibrant, and enterprising.
THERE lies zeal within them to achieve great things within a short period of time. However, such dreams are only possible within the employment of technology and innovation. Given that technological knowledge and engagement is the essential commodity for greatness in this generation, government at all levels should help the youth by creating tech hubs where they can get adequate training and fund for robotics, software development, manufacturing of tools and goods; as well as networking for national development.
THE technological training of our youths in these hubs is therefore expected to transcend the trainings on the repairs of mobile phones, laptops, and computers, to the manufacturing of drones, machines and other applications that would attract foreign and private sector patronage, investment and support.
FINALLY, THE HOPE, is saddened that many Nigerian youths, who ought to acquire the necessary skills and education that would promote their productivity are seated idly due to the industrial tensions between the Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) and the Federal Government. While THE HOPE supports that the universities should be funded in order to equip our youths for productive service to the nation and themselves, we are also joining all Nigerians that the parties involved in the face off come to an agreement that would salvage the youth from the temptations to do evil.
BOTH parties should look beyond their hard line positions and make the welfare of the youththeir priorities. Once the enthusiasm to study dies in our youths, their loyalty to their fatherland gradually erodes.
THIS THE HOPE warns portends great danger for the nation in the years to come. The time is ripe for government to roll out youth developing policies and politics in order to ensure that the nation has brilliant and talented human resources for national development.