The Nigeria Youth 4 Peace Initiative (NY4PI), a network of young people working on peace-building and coordinated by Building Block For Peace foundation, an incorporated non governmental organisation working on peace and development in Nigeria has indicated that it is converging about 60 Nigerian youths who are going to be trained to be preachers of peaceful youth involvement in the coming 2019 election.
The youth-centered group, which is organising its 3rd National Workshop themed “2019 Elections in Nigeria: Enhancing Youth Political Participation for Peaceful and Inclusive Societies”, made clear that youth participation in formal politics is very important, considering what happened in 2011/2012 in the Arabian enclave where uprisings and various occupy movements toppled several administrations where youths were fenced out of governmental roles.
Speaking on the workshop, which comes up on Thursday 28th June, 2018, at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies, University Of Ibadan, the National Coordinator of the organisation, Mr. Rafiu Lawal, reminded Nigerians of the incidents where youth-led protests have forced authoritarian regimes out of power, linking the scenes to significant frustration among youths who were not included in decision-making.
Mr. Lawal, reflected that according to the Human Right Watch, every electoral process comes with its fair share of violent conflict, for instance, the 2003 and 2007 general elections were among the worst elections witnessed in Nigeria, as at least 300 people were killed in the violent attacks.
He asserted that at the center of every election violent conflicts are the youth who funnily, makes up about 63 percent (60 million) of all the eligible voters.
“In this wise, these youths in politics and governance has far reaching implications in the country as a more politically active youth would bring about fresh ideas, insight, values and strengthening the democratic system which will in turn bring about peace, security and
development,” he said.
Lawal declared that the workshop, will as a matter of urgency, bring together 60 youth leaders and relevant stakeholders that will be exploring how to enhance youth electoral participation for peace, security and development in Nigeria.
The workshop will map out expected roles to be played by youth throughout the electoral cycle, and it will highlight ways by which youth can contribute to peaceful elections and be politically active.
In the same line, the workshop will identify innovative youth-led initiatives, formal and informal, that enhance youth political participation, and proffer ways by which young people’s role and influencein decision-making be enhanced.
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