To deepen the democratic process through civic education, citizen engagement, volunteerism and youth participation in the governance process, the Initiative for Dialogue and Development (IDD) convened the maiden edition of Y|X Assembly Nigeria on the theme “Nigeria Tomorrow…” on Tuesday, 25th July, 2017, at the Aquarian Consult Auditorium, Asokoro Abuja.
Rising from the first assembly, which enabled young Nigerians interact and engage one another on issues of youth opportunities and national development, participants resolved to issue the following Communiqué:
1. We do recognise that the youths are in need of requisite skills, information and knowledge to participate in greater numbers in nation building efforts. A “Replacement Generation” with the competitive edge that would make the nation relevant in the 21st Century needs the right platforms for informed decision- making and participation in the political process. This prime population and essential population in Nigeria would also require leadership training, value re-orientation and responsible mentorship from credible, patriotic and visionary leaders in the private and public sectors. Nigerian Youths need steadfastness and commitment to new and inclusive political paradigms and a cross cultural perspective that seeks unity and not uniformity; working towards ONE Nation under GOD.
2. However, we are resolutely of the view that the current ratio of Young Nigerians in governance at all levels of government is unbalanced, unjust, unfair, non-inclusive, anti-development, unsustainable and therefore unacceptable. Accordingly, we firmly support the “Not too Young to Run” bill currently in the National Assembly, thus demanding a re-structuring towards greater inclusion of youths in governance. We wish to affirm on this day that the “Not too Young to Run” is the legislation we seek and “Not too Young to Lead” is our advocacy tool for engagement.
3. We identity the need for new models and strategies for greater participation of young people in civic activities such as voting, volunteering, community, holding public officials account able and being active participants in the governance process. We wish to affirm “Nigeria First” as our guiding principle, as nation building predicated on the guidance and experiences of the older generation working together and synergizng with the energies, creativty and industry of the her young population will progressive lead to the path of growth.
4. Ideas, technology and innovation are key growth drivers in today’s digital economy, therefore we stoutly wish to affirm the use of social media as a productive and positive platforms to foster growth, development, citizens mobilization and credible information exchange. We also do acclaim that social media platforms be used as tools for creating cross pollination of progressive ideas by the Nigerian youth and indeed all users of this fast growing personal broadcasting space, of click it, like it and share it digital world.
5. The summit endorses in very clear terms the quest and call for more young Nigerians to be entrepreneurs and private business owners. This we profoundly validate, as the private sector largely driven by small and medium scale businesses are the engine rooms of most thriving economies around the world today. However, we also do wish to state that, in start-ups or scale-ups of businesses by young Nigerian entrepreneurs, we make bold and urge all young people to “think global and act local”.
