by Obisesan Matthew

 

The Youth contributed a large percentage of the votes which ensured Senator Ajimobi’s victory in 2011. Of these, students played a major role. In fact, the Governor’s party, ACN won in most campuses.

In Oyo state, the Youth have always desired greater participation in Government. Thus, when Governor Ajimobi dissolved his cabinet recently, many felt it was an opportunity to re-jig the machinery of governance, as well as promote participation from social and political stakeholders including the Youth. In a move that surprised many people, he appointed children of royal fathers eminent persons as Commissioners and Special Advisers. Some of them are young but do they really represent the aspiration of the teeming youths as regards Youth participation in Governance.

Don’t get it twisted, my definition of Youth is different from that of the PDP (where it is okay for a 60 year old to be Youth Leader). Youth in my opinion ranges from 16-40. In fact, anyone over 35 years in the stage of transition. About 5 of the new commissioners fall within this bracket. However, none of them came from the active youth or student movement in the state. They got their position by being children or protege of some Godfather or Royal Father. Indeed, they represent the interest of such Godfather, rather than the youth. In the current political dispensation, while many states have produced Governors and Speakers who are aged below 40, Oyo state Youth are still being short-changed in political appointments. Here, it is difficult for you to make headway political unless you are a child of a King or Godfather.

The Youth contributed a large percentage of the votes which ensured Senator Ajimobi’s victory in 2011. Of these, students played a major role. In fact, the Governor’s party, ACN won in most campuses. It may be unrelated to the fact a former students Leader, Segun Olaleye (Radical Brother) was contesting on the platform of the party, coupled with the desire for change and his promise to involve student in governance and regularly interact with them. With a structure that was coordinated by Engr Taiwo Fawole (who later became a Special Adviser to the Governor), Senator Ajimobi coasted home to victory in most campuses. In the University of Ibadan alone, close to 10,000 people voted, with a vast majority of that going to Governor Ajimobi.

With over half of the tenure spent, can the Governor still count on the support of students and Youths? One needs to consider how well Governor Ajimobi has fared with the students/Youth and how much they have been involved in the governance of the state. In the appointment of Commissioners, Special Advisers and other aides, only one position was given the active Youth/student movement. Comrade John Godwin Obode was appointed Special Assistant (Youth and Sport). The responsibility of handling the student constituency falls on him. This appointment is insufficient considering the political strength and population of Youth and students in the state, hence the Governor set up a committee to oversee students matters made up of some government officials that have links with the student movement. They facilitated the first Student/Governor Interactive forum held in University of Ibadan on the 5th of November 2013. Buses were given to Students’ Unions and Youth Council in the state. The turnout was massive. The Hall (5000 capacity) was filled to the brim with many students outside the Hall. This forum and the donation gave a massive boost to the political fortune of the Governor.

While the Government Committee did a good job of organizing the event and providing the logistic support, the mobilization of students to the event was to the credit of the Leaders of the Students movement themselves. They were led by Adelabu Adeola (Labzy), A former Presidential candidate and National Leader in NANS, Comrade Adeyemo Monsuru Tunde (Socrates), the South-West Coordinator on NANS, Comrade Olanshile Ahmad (FOSSU National President) and other leaders particularly Students Union Presidents. If the Governor intends to foster a closer relationship with students, he needs to empower this Leaders and work with them. It won’t be a bad idea if one of them is appointed Special Assistant on Student matters while Comrade John Obode could be promoted to a Senior Special Assistant. In fact, some states have up to 3 people handling the Youth/student desk because of its peculiarity. In Oyo state that prides itself as a pace-setter, we should not be lagging behind in youth involvement. The current politicians that constitute the committee may be more concerned with their own political fortunes rather than that of the Governor.

This writer hereby appeals to His Excellency, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state to reverse this trend before it gets too late. Student leaders and active youths should be given such appointments as Special Assistant and Board members. Youth should be encouraged and supported to contest at the Local Government level. This will provide a rallying point and a political capital which the Governor and his party can leverage on for future elections. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.