The recent charge by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to African youths to phase out the old generation of leaders in the continent is not only apt and timely but has also become a necessity. This is predicated on the fact that the old generation of African leaders, who have held sway for several decades, have woefully failed the continent in all the parameters of socio-economic and political development indices. Obasanjo, who spoke while delivering a keynote address at an interactive session held virtually to mark this year’s International Youth Day, called on the young generation to take over leadership positions by “squeezing older generation out of office.”
The event was organised by the Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital. The former president also asked the youths to demand affirmative action enshrined in the constitution of political parties, as part of a gradual process to occupying leadership positions. Participants of the meeting were drawn from Nigeria, Mali, USA, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa. In Obasanjo’s view, unless the old generation of leaders are forced out of the stage, they would continue to occupy the leadership positions.
“Unless you squeeze out those who are in office and those who want to remain in office perpetually, some after the age of 80; unless you squeeze them out they will not want to be out,” he said. The former president also told the youths that they could influence the change by participating actively in political parties. He submitted that it is easier to influence changes at the party level rather than governmental level.
Obasanjo said, “The type of change I am talking about, that I believe we can all embark upon is to subscribe into the constitution of political parties in favour of youth. Or if you like it you call it affirmative action in favour of youths. For instance, you say, in the constitution of a political party, not less than 50 per cent of those who hold executive office within the party will be less than 40 years of age.
“You are just making sure that people that are 40 years of age will hold 50 per cent of executive office within the political party. You can even go beyond that and say that people who will be put up for election, not less than 50 percent of them, will be less than 40 years of age. That’s affirmative action. That’s positive discrimination in favour of youths. I am saying this because if you leave it entirely for people to do it for you, nobody will do it for you. You have to do it for yourself.”
Obasanjo had in the run up to the 2019 general elections, challenged Nigerian youths to fight for leadership space by upstaging an older generation of politicians currently ruling the country in different capacities. He maintained that unless youths wrestle for power, aged leaders would not quit the stage. Obasanjo said he was head of state at the age of 39, while General Yakubu Gowon occupied the same office at the age of 33, adding that nothing stops present day youths to become president at age of 30 or 35.
“And it is because of my track record and thanks to Abacha for putting me in jail, those were the two reasons why I had the opportunity to come back as the elected president of Nigeria. The point is this, how are you prepared? Are you really prepared?” Obasanjo maintained that leadership is never given, but has to be fought for, adding that moral and values required for leadership in a Nigerian society had been eroded. The former head of state said the nation was in dire need of leaders who are sound educationally and spiritually, saying “in Nigeria, we are religious but not spiritual.”
He called on Nigerian youths to remain united, be good citizens and contribute to the development of their fatherland. On his foray into politics, Obasanjo recalled: “I joined politics from the top. The only position I contested for in Nigeria is the presidency, but I had a track record which led to that. Nobody will choose you, you have to choose yourself. Saraki will not leave until you ask him to leave. When we talk about youth in leadership positions, the point is, how are you prepared? Are you really prepared? People ask questions that what is the difference between Nigeria of 1960 and Nigeria of today. In 1950, 1960, they were values but today, values have been eroded. As a youth, you have to carve a niche for yourself. Stop complaining. Don’t expect people to leave or shift”.
Indeed, Obasanjo’s charge to the youth to take over leadership position in Africa could not have come at a better time, considering the fact that “Not Too Young To Run” Act which came into force after being assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari last year, has removed the legal impediments to such aspirations. We are, therefore, in sync with the former president on the need for the youth to take over the mantle of leadership from the old generation in order to pave the way for Nigeria, nay Africa’s development.
