The Special Adviser to the governor of Nigeria’s Kogi State Oladele Nihi has urged young Africans to actively challenge the political status quo and seek positions of power, rather than waiting for them to be allocated.
Speaking as a panellist at an International Youth Day (IYD) celebration in Luanda, Angola, Mr. Nihi encouraged young people to form movements to drive constitutional change, citing Nigeria’s “Not Too Young To Run” bill as a key example.
The bill, which was passed nine years ago, successfully reduced the age requirement to run for the presidency from 45 to 35, and for governors and parliament from 40 to 30.
The Special Adviser emphasized that African youth should focus their energy on “championing causes that change leadership structure,” rather than being distracted by social media trends. He noted that while financial barriers exist for running for office, young people must get involved in their countries’ political structures instead of simply complaining from the sidelines. The event was held in collaboration with the Pan-African Youth Union and the National Youth Council of Angola.