A pro-democracy nongovernmental organisation, Yiaga Africa, has established a Not Too Young to Run Hub at the Modibbo Adama University (MAU), Yola.
The hub which has students of the university as members, is tasked to mobilise students and other youths around the university and the host community to participate in active politics.
During the inauguration of the hub at the university campus in Girei, officials of Yiaga Africa took turns to deliver lectures on the objectives of the hub, on political leadership, and on how youths can improve their leadership skills, after which three members of the newly established hub were named to lead the hub.
Making the introductory speech earlier at the event, the media officer of Yiaga Africa, Mr Solomon Yakubu, said the organisation works generally to improve participation in governance and ensure that democracy flourishes.
“What we are here to establish in this university is a nonpartisan body that will act to improve participation in democracy,” Yakubu said, adding, “We want to ensure that citizens deliver their roles in efforts to make democracy work.”
Delivering the first paper of the event, a programme officer of Yiaga Africa, Mr Olaniyan Sanusi, explained that activities of the Not too Young to Run Hub are not restricted to schools. “We only use schools as platforms because it is easier to reach youths in schools. Our programme is for the young, in or outside the school environment,” he explained.
He challenges youths to use their energies and other advantages to push themselves to the front politically.
“You dominate the entertainment scene: music, acting, sports. Why not get into politics and deploy that energy to change things. If democracy is about number and youths would move massively into politics, you will have the number to wrest power from the old order and work actively to give your future better prospects,” Sanusi said.
The senior programme manager of Yiaga Africa, Anthonia Onda, who delivered a paper on Principles of Transformative Leadership, advised young people to muster the courage to go into active politics.
“Don’t say no woman or no youth has got this office before. Where you are the first, seek to be the effective first and you may be very surprised by the support you get,” she said.
