October 30, 2014.
NewsRescue
By: Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari
The Nigerian National Youth Policy (2001:2) defines youth as comprising all young persons between the ages of 18 and 35 years who are citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Education still remains a mirage for most Nigerians.
About 40 per cent of young Nigerians have never attended any conventional school. Over 70 per cent of Nigerian youths are unemployed. Unemployment still remains a factor diminishing and killing our youths.
More than half a million tertiary educated graduates are rolled out every year by various higher institutions. More than half of them don’t get to the labour market. They remain unemployed till many years after.
Life expectancy and standard of living is very low in Nigeria. More than half the population are living below the poverty line-less than 1 dollar (N160) per day. Nigerian youths are not respected in their country; they are not involved in decision making; they are not allowed to play key roles towards the progress of their dear nation.
While this ravage us, we the youths are not united. Rather than unite against the common problems like unemployment, drug abuse and poverty, we are rather united along ethnic lines. We choose to remain divided and remain at the mercy of the corrupt leaders.
While it remains imperative for us to find lasting solutions to our problems, we should also explore our God-given talent to bring the positive sides of life to our domain.
While the issue of unemployment remain unaddressed, despite government’s claim of adding over a million jobs, we as youths must encourage ourselves by responding to the immediate needs in our communities and environment, which thorough that, we could clinch the top.
Government programs like YOU-WIN, SURE-P, NAPEP, NEPAD, MDG Goals, and among others should have solved the issue of unemployment but it is so sad that the rate of unemployment continue to remain high.
Nigerian youths must unite and have an agenda to solve their problems. The youths are the future leaders of tomorrow – if they fight for the tomorrow. If not, the Nigerian dream may never be achieved and so, youths will remain backward.
Comrade Abdulbaqi Aliyu Jari
Usmanu Danfodiyo University
+2348035424321