Dogara: Our inability to put youths on career paths turned them into rebels

Yakubu Dogara, former speaker of the house of representatives, says the inability of political leaders to put the country’s youth on “sustainable” career paths has turned them into “disaffected rebels”.

Dogara said this on Saturday at the 10th convocation of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo state.

The former speaker said the failure to equitably share public utilities has created a perception of marginalisation by a section of the people, especially the youths.

“Inequality and unfairness in appointment and distribution of public utilities create a perception of marginalisation by a section of the people, especially the youths, who have a sense of disaffection and/or resentment,” The PUNCH quoted him as saying.

“Our inability to place the youths on sustainable career paths has turned this useful demography from dutiful labourers to disaffected rebels.”

The Bauchi lawmaker said Nigeria will wind up in trouble if it chooses wrong leaders in 2023.

“Our most immediate challenge now is to bring our disparate peoples together and pull down our barriers, otherwise we cannot build,” he said.

“Issues of development, although absolutely important, are not the most immediate.

“Make no mistake, if we dare get it all wrong in 2023, we would have succeeded in hastening the days of the first four – the famous horsemen of the apocalypse on ourselves – days that will be marked by conquest, war, famine and death. May God forbid.”

The former speaker added that unemployment is compounding the problem of insecurity across the country.