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With about 70 per
cent of Nigerians falling under the age of 35, the youth of our country
form a sizeable and important voter demographic. Given the right degree
of mobilisation, we can easily become the most powerful voting segment.
But to be powerful, we must all make a conscious decision to unite. The
recent calls for youth focused debates present an opportunity for this
sort of unity.

A number of
electoral advocacy groups have recently sprung up across our country.
From non-profit initiatives to the release of inspirational songs such
as The Future by Nigerian photographer/singer, TY Bello, the clarion
call for youth agency in the April polls is slowly but surely
reverberating across Nigeria.

Following the
footsteps of the recent governorship debates held in Lagos, civic
organisations are also calling for youth focused Presidential debates,
where our nation’s young people can question this year’s candidates on
how they plan to tackle problems facing the youth. These are good
developments.

In past elections,
disillusioned by rigging and voter intimidation, many Nigerian youth
watched the process from the sidelines, allowing the imposition and
selection of candidates that we had little faith in. This year,
Nigerians have been promised a free and fair electoral process and
young people registered in droves. Given the sheer number of registered
youth preparing to cast their votes in April, young people need to be
paid the homage they deserve by this year’s Presidential candidates.

The reason why
Nigerian youth have hitherto not been taken seriously by Presidential
candidates is primarily because we have never come together under a
united front. Unity amplifies voices and gives teeth to demands for
better welfare and accountability. It also connotes seriousness and
commonality of purpose. This year, us young people must come together
and speak with one voice.

Many Nigerians have
wondered if the recent revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia can be
replicated on our soil. The word ‘revolution’ often conjures images of
violence, bloodshed and war. But there can also be ‘mental revolution’.
There is no need for bloodshed if united voices can communicate the
same message effectively to our country’s aspiring leaders.

The mental
revolution we need is one that recognises the power and right of
Nigeria’s young people to make demands. It should also recognise that
for youth to be taken seriously, we must strive to understand and fully
participate in the issues that affect us. In unity, we should then ask
for these issues to be addressed. Most importantly, the mental
revolution should recognise that Nigeria’s youth have the capacity to
be the most talented, creative and entrepreneurial of young people in
the world. Any administration that seeks to diminish this potential
through ill-conceived policies will either be voted out of office-or
not voted into office, in the first place.

The message from
Nigeria’s youth to the 2011 Presidential aspirants is simple: we will
only vote for the candidate(s) who we believe can best tackle the
challenges facing young people.

Nigeria’s youth will only be taken seriously when we recognise the
power of our collective voice. Now is the time to ask our Presidential
candidates what concrete plans of action they have laid out for 70 per
cent of our nation’s population.