International Youth Day: A call for Sober Reflection for Young Africans By Olaogun Michael Sunkanmi


Critically examining the trends in Africa's economic and political structure in the last decade, young Africans continue to suffer the consequences of systemic failure caused by poor leadership style when compared with youth from across other continents.  

However, the status quo seems unchanged because of the docility of the youth cluster in the demand for an equitable and just society for all. Reports have shown that youth constitute between 65 to 70% of Africa's population, yet the demographic strength is not being leveraged in order to change the unpalatable situation for gains. 

Young people suffer most of the problems confronting Africa, ranging from unemployment to insecurity, poor education system, poor infrastructures, socio-political crises, unlawful detention, extrajudicial killings, and a host of others. 

Africa's political environment continues to remain toxic and irritant to the opinion and expression of youth.  The economic space also devours the economic initiatives of youth due to bad policies. 

How can a continent achieve meaningful progress without paying due attention to its working population whose majority are unemployed? 

The rise in terrorism in Africa is absolutely not far from unemployment and a poor education system.

This year's theme for International Youth Day; "Youth Engagement for Global Action " is timely and instructive and must not in any way go in a way of annual unprofitable "rituals ". 

Serious and constructive action is needed by the youth constituency in Africa in order to change the old order that has landed us in a pitiable state for decades.  There is no better time than now! 

Olaogun Michael Sunkanmi, a Public Affairs Analyst wrote from Nigeria.

michaelolaogun2014@gmail.com

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠

Image
                                                  For decades, Africa has been described as the continent of the future. It is home to the world's youngest population, vast natural resources, and immense entrepreneurial potential. Yet, despite these advantages, Africa remains largely dependent on external sources for the research and innovation needed to solve its most pressing challenges. This dependence is not merely a funding issue; it is a development challenge that threatens the continent's ability to shape its own future. If Africa is serious about achieving sustainable development, economic transformation, and global competitiveness, it must prioritize indigenous research funding. Today, a significant proportion of research conducted in African universities and research institutions is financed by foreign governments, international development agencies, an...
Read more

𝐄𝐤𝐢𝐭𝐢 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐅𝐂𝐂 𝐈𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐨: 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐯𝐬. 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠

Image
  By Michael Olaogun In every society, there comes a moment when the pursuit of justice collides with public perception. Nigeria is no stranger to such moments, and the recent controversies surrounding the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and some youths in Ekiti State present yet another opportunity for sober reflection. While opinions have sharply divided along emotional, political, and social lines, the situation raises a more fundamental question: where should society draw the line between legitimate law enforcement and the protection of citizens' rights? The answer lies neither in the wholesale condemnation of the EFCC nor in the blanket defence of every young person caught in its operations. Rather, it lies in upholding the rule of law, ensuring accountability, and preserving the dignity of every Nigerian. There is no disputing the importance of the EFCC in Nigeria's fight against corruption, cybercrime, money laundering, and financial fraud. Since its esta...
Read more

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞

Image
There is a popular saying that "experience is the best teacher." While experience remains invaluable, experience without reflection is merely repetition, and reflection without evidence often leads to assumptions. This is why research should not be confined to universities, laboratories, or academic journals. Research is a way of thinking—a disciplined approach to understanding reality before acting upon it. If individuals, institutions, and nations consistently viewed life through the lens of research, our decisions would be more informed, our resources better utilized, and our progress more sustainable. Research is fundamentally the pursuit of truth through systematic inquiry. It demands that we ask questions before making conclusions, gather evidence before making decisions, and evaluate outcomes before repeating actions. Ironically, many of life's greatest failures stem not from a lack of intelligence but from a failure to investigate. Relationships break down because...
Read more