In a transfer to strengthen grassroots political participation, no fewer than 1,000 youths from Wards 1 to five of Egbeda Native Authorities Space in Oyo State gathered for a significant political sensitisation drive organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The occasion, tagged “Youth in Politics Sensitisation 1.0,” marks the primary version of a collection centered on youth empowerment and political engagement. It’s also the fourth in a broader sensitisation programme for Youths and Ladies in Politics, convened by Farmer Omolara Svensson Busari, a distinguished APC stalwart and grassroots mobilizer within the state.
Held underneath the theme “Understanding Our Function in Lively Politics,” the programme goals to coach and empower younger Nigerians to actively take part in democratic processes—from the ward stage to nationwide management.
Delivering the keynote handle titled “Seeds of Change: Younger Nigerians and the Way forward for Democracy,” Busari urged the youth to cease viewing politics as distant or corrupt and as an alternative embrace it as a software for real-life transformation.
She mentioned: “Begin native, faculty boards, market unions, ward councils, then transfer up. Prepare, mentor, fund, defend, and maintain elected officers accountable.”
She emphasised that younger individuals should evolve from being passive voters and celebration loyalists to turning into policymakers, neighborhood organisers, and energy brokers.
Busari, who hails from the Egbeda neighborhood, warned that continued youth disengagement may silence a complete technology within the democratic course of.
Citing statistics, she famous a regarding 6.6 per cent decline in youth political illustration between the 2018 and 2023 common elections, regardless of the sooner momentum generated by the “Not Too Younger To Run” motion.
Busari acknowledged current reforms by the APC, significantly efforts to scale back nomination charges for teenagers and ladies, however known as for deeper structural modifications and steady youth re-orientation.
“When you don’t perceive who you might be and the worth you possess, you’ll stay a lifetime of no worth. This isn’t nearly politics—it’s about objective,” she declared.
She additionally known as on younger individuals to withstand political violence, make themselves out there for mentorship, and stay fearless within the face of intimidation, particularly from political thugs.
The APC Chairman of Egbeda Native Authorities, Hon. Olawale Odeleye, praised the sensitisation marketing campaign as a strategic software for reviving youth participation in politics.
“Individuals are clamouring for change, and that change begins with the youth. Politics on the nationwide stage rests on native mobilisation,” he mentioned.
Additionally, Mr. Lateef Abiodun, the APC Youth Chief in Egbeda, expressed optimism, stating that the occasion has already begun to encourage a cultural shift in how younger individuals understand politics.
