The young Nigerians who want to be leaders today

History will tell the story of young Nigerians who took the lead in democratic upliftment, assertiveness, and bravery to reclaim their country, and came together to test their numerical strength at the polls.

It’s the presidential and national assembly elections of the most important political player in the West African region, whose breakdown has the potential to upset every regional neighbour, and even trigger an immigration crisis. These elections and the emergence of a strong third candidate are a coincidence of hope for the young people of Nigeria. The third force candidate, Peter Obi, is not the centre stage in this race. Nigeria’s youth are at the centre of this election; many of them have dared to run for president in order to become leaders of today, rather than the acclaimed tomorrow.

These young people have rallied around their chosen candidate in nine months, propelling a less-known party into the frontlines, the knowledge of their unified strength has become a weapon in their artillery. They say change does not happen at once. It happens in small steps. Every day. By the hour. In nine months, young Nigerians have brought about change. We have witnessed a generational disruption. They have laboured, perspired, crowdfunded, and pushed the campaign of a candidate, who was said to have destroyed his political career by leaving a popular political party. They have changed the story by registering to vote in large numbers, and on election day, they can also change the narrative of the future.

Young Nigerians, through Peter Obi, have made a statement that political parties can only respond to by putting forward better qualified, competent, and capable candidates through a transparent process of party primaries. They are making the decision not to take part in the regular two-horse race, filled with candidates who feel entitled to public offices, full of arrogance, repeatedly let them down, and failed to inspire hope. Rather, they are making a good-faith attempt to pit their fortunes with an alternative, with a decent shot, who has a reasonable chance of being able to steer Nigeria in the right direction. This election will also serve as a referendum between current political leaders and the youth, as well as a warning to those who wish to stifle the youths’ aspirations and hold hostage their dreams of a free, peaceful, inclusive, and democratic Nigeria.

This time, young people in the most populous nation in Africa are not complaining about how their votes won’t count, they are trying to make sure their votes count. Many wonder what gives them hope to aspire. It’s seeing change occur through participation in mass movements, even when these movements were met with state repression and killings. The EndSARS-traumatized young protesters, united in their battle for independence and against state violence and tyranny, aren’t done protesting. They are taking their protest to another location: the polling booths.

Young people have historically also been manipulated by cunning politicians to oppose their counterparts in the struggle for freedom, Criminal politicians, would rather use the youth as thugs, praise singers, ballot box snatchers, and other tools of election rigging and violence, due to the poverty that is entrenched by systematic bad governance, than make room for meaningful youth involvement. This is a rallying cry for all young people in Nigeria and beyond its borders. To the students, young people in security agencies, hustlers, NYSC corps members, SME owners, startup founders, entrepreneurs, actors, actresses, influencers, and every average young Nigerian out there struggling to make ends meet, we have borne the major brunt of the consequences of bad governance for far too long. It’s time to take a stance, take control of our own future, and stop serving as politicians’ pawns. We have dispelled some of the stereotypes we were labelled with, and shown that we are capable of bringing about significant change. Again, it is possible.

It is therefore pivotal, regardless of what happens at the polls, to have post-election plans that run concurrently with the main electoral agenda and begin working on it in a continuous and unbroken flow. No matter what happens, this vision of rebirth must be kept alive and genuinely protected, and under no condition should this conflagration be allowed to flicker, nor this glowing light be allowed to dim. The fight for Nigeria’s liberation must continue. In a country where more than 60% of people are under 30, the future is in our hands.

The quest to redeem Nigeria is a journey, not an event, and the interests of Nigeria’s youth must be served and protected at all costs. Elections are just one chapter in a long journey that has ups and downs. We must ensure and solidify the agenda for reclaiming Nigeria with our emergence, making sure that leaders are held accountable, and raising the bar for governance.

While a Peter Obi win is the icing on the cake; it must be said – a beautiful cake has been baked regardless. Nigeria’s political spaces will never remain the same. The leaders of tomorrow are now clamouring to be leaders today, and they can no longer be ignored.

Oduala is the executive project director at Connect Hub NG, and Winner of the Year, Advocacy, 2022 (HerNetwork). She is a front liner in the #ENDSARS movement against police brutality in Nigeria. She tweets @SavvyRinu