‘Politics not a game of war’: Kwara Youths hold maiden political hangout
In order to foster unity among different political actors and re-engineer youths in greater active participation in politics, youths in Kwara State held a political hangout.
The event which was organized on Thursday at Igbomina Hall, along Ajase Ipo road, Ganmo, Kwara State witnessed scores of Kwara politicians from various parties.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Host, Comrade Ishola Olateju, Personal Assistant to Minister of Interior, said that what motivate him was that issue concerning the Nigerian youths.
He said, “The youth have been agitating from our leaders that we are the next generation. Like the adage that says youths are the future of tomorrow. And the future is not clear. They have been saying this even before the birth of my parents and they are still saying it now. That shows there is no reality in the statement. That’s why we must wake our youths across the globe, across the parties, we need to wake up now that it is our time. If you fail to take part now, you won’t be able to take charge.
‘Youths must see politics as the right thing to do’
“Youths must see politics as the right thing to do. Every Nigerian youth or Kwara youth do not usually participate in politics and politics is not a dirty game. I have been a politician for the past 25 years and I have not for once fight with anyone or raise attack on any individual. I am one of Nigerian successful youth of today. What matters is that we must identify what is called politics. And if you fail to join politics, they will be blaming the youths for whatever may happened.
“All these past leaders had free education, free three square meals in their school days and I don’t think anyone of us has that kind of opportunity to pass through that kind of system. They now tell all sorts of lies saying that Nigerian youth are the cause of Nigeria problems. But because They have shift their aims in destabilize Nigeria system. It seems as if they have achieved their aims and their aim is to destabilize us.
“This event which is the curtain raiser is very important at this time in the Political History of our dear state. This is why I commend the organizers for bringing us, the Youths together to dialogue thanks to the Almighty who has made it possible for us to gather here today.
“I commend this initiative because at this point in our state of development in Nigeria, the best thing to do is to reawaken, re-engineer and revolutionalise the Youths towards a redirection of the focus towards more participation of the young people in the political process as we head into the penultimate year before the general elections.
“Our dialogue here is geared towards shaping a tone of discourse that will ginger some of us who are still reluctant to join Politics Vis a Vis setting a framework for the birth of genuine ideas that will see to the rapid transformation of Kwara and the country at large.
“My experience in Politics and Governance as a youngster has shown me that the upcoming
generation has a lot to do most especially when the world, is transcending totally from analogue to hyper-digital based solutions to problems of socio-economic development, the more reason why they must involve themselves in the political growth of their fatherland.”
Olateju said he hoped that the forum will help to maximize the potentials in the State and further espouse ways the Youthful population can benefit Kwara and Nigeria in general.
He lauded Kwara Youths in Politics for honouring the event and wished them success in their future endeavors.
‘Politics is not a game of war’
According to the State Chairman of Youths Progressives Party, YPP, Comrade Charles Olufemi Folayan, he expressed that politics is not a game of war and should not be seen as a game of bitterness, saying that it should be where people come together, showcase their plans, manifestos, quality, capacity and people to the public and allow the public to judge.
Charles said, “A good politics allows the sincere judgment of the public because at the end of the day, it is the public that you want to govern. At the end, it is the people that have the power to bring people on board, so meeting other political parties is awesome because this gives us another opportunity to see what we are competing with in the political system.
“For young people, we are not there yet and that is reason why our own party, the Young Progressive Party, comes on board in the first place. The young people have the energy, strength, idea, creativity and knowledge to address the economic and social challenges in the country. So, it is going to be funny why economic of the world has gone digital if we are still trying to address such economic and those challenges that were digital with analog brains, it is not going to work. This does not mean that elderly persons do not have role to play in politics. They have a whole lots of experience, they know where we are coming from, they fan guide us, they can mentor us.
“So, what the young people are saying today is that they should give the opportunity to those people that still have the energy in them to serve the people because what we need right now is to come up with credible ideas, and creativity that solve problem. We need to continue to use politics to settle cause, we don’t need continue use politics to settle issues that had happened for the past 20 years.
“What we need to use politics to address is future challenges. The youth can see the vision, craft what could happen in the future. Today, young people are doing well, Facebook, Twitter, others are being run by young people. As we speak now, young people as become the integral part of the running of the world economy. So, Nigeria should not be different. We must showcase our young people, give them the opportunity to address our challenges, take care of parents and sort problems that can arise from the upcoming generations. Young are not yet there but we pray we get there.”
‘We lack youths in politics because they are afraid of what is happening in political arena’
For his part, the APC State Chairman, Hon. Bashir Bolarinwa, BOB, represented by Hon. Yinusa Adekunle Kazeem, said the event is impressive because it features upcoming youths in politics.
“If this kind of program has been coming up, we would have seen many people develop interest in politics. We lack youths in politics because they are afraid of what is happening in the political arena. But for someone who has organised this kind of program, his experience outside Kwara, from Lagos, Osun, now in Abuja as Personal Assistant to the Minister of Interior has made it worthwhile to encourage others who are also outside the state to come participate in politics of their state.
“Most people that come from the rural areas realized that our youths are thinking negative things about politics. They believe that there is nothing they can do in politics than to find what to eat. They believe they want to have their share of national cake whereas politics is development of our nation and our areas. I commend Hon. Olateju for organising this kind of program. If this is coming regularly, our youths would have gone far in politics. I hope that this would continue,” he said.
Bolarinwa said that politics begins from home within the husband, wife and their children, adding that if youths are running away from politics of governance, what of the politics they are playing at home with their family members.
He, however, encouraged the youths to participate in politics, saying all human beings are political animals.
Present at the event include: Kwara PDP State Chairman, Rt Hon. Babatunde Muhammed ably represented by the State Treasurer, Moro LG PDP youths, Kwara4Kwara group, Action Alliance state executives and party members among others.
Also, the awardee are; Hon. Saheed Olamilekan Popoola, Member Kwara State House of Assembly, representing Ojomu/Balogun Constituency, Hon. Abdulganiyu Cook Olododo, Member, Federal House of Representatives, Ilorin East/South Constituency, Hon. Abdulrasak Owolabi, Kwara House of Assembly Member representing Share/Oke Ode Constituency, Hon. Abdulakeem Ajinikirun, Action Alliance State Party Chairman, Comrade Nura Muhammad, Member PDP engagement and reconciliation committee, and Barr. Anifowoshe Titilope Tawakaltu, YPP Publicity Secretary.
