Today every year, the world marks the International Youth Day to honour the youths all over the world.

It’s a day set aside to evaluate the importance of the youths to the socio-economic cultural and political development of every nation.

Most nations of the world have placed their youths in productive and comfortable positions through policies that places the interest of their young ones first on the list. Such countries priotizes the need to establish an independent youth for national growth and all round development.

Countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and some African countries have given their youths the opportunity to participate actively in the political development of their various countries. Youths have been integrated into the mainstream of their country’s leadership.
Today in most western countries and few counties in Africa, Youths are in leadership positions as presidents, prime ministers , governors etc.

Unfortunately in Nigeria, leaders kill the Dreams of her youths through corruption, bad governance, ethnicity, bribery, human right violation ,police and military brutality, induced poverty, hunger and starvation.

Nigeria youths of 1960s were given every opportunity by the colonial masters to excel, although not without skirmishes and restrictions but they thrived and got independence for the Nigerian People.

After independence till around 1979,the level of youth participation in politics and leadership declined due to the rise of corrupt leaders who had taken over the realms of leadership, through military dictatorship who constantly overthrow themselves to be in power. Most of these military dictators got corrupted by the political class who taught them how to embezzle public funds and cover up their tracks.

The era of military dictatorship and the consequent handover to the civilian government in 1999, gave rise to a more vicious and insensitive leaders who gives no damn about the needs of the people.

It is these crop of Nigeria leaders that have successfully killed the beautiful Dreams of the Nigeria youths.

Today, the youths are left with PA positions in politics, when their fellow counterparts are presidents , Prime ministers, governors etc in other countries of the world and Africa, example, Sierra Leone .

Most Nigeria Youths today, have lost hope in the Nigeria project, many have left the shores of this country to seek for greener pasture overseas. This has continued to cause a terrible brain drain in most aspects of our economic productive sectors such as health , Education, sports, etc

Nigeria youths of yesterday seem more determined to make a change; Nigeria youths of today seem too busy to make the desired change, but definitely the Nigeria Youth of tomorrow won’t take it easy on making drastic changes come 2027.

This is why the National Youth Alliance NYA has come to bridge the gap of the Nigeria youth of yesterday and today for a positive outcome tomorrow!

In this light therefore,all youths are urged to wake up from any form of slumber and face the challenge of changing the collective Dreams of all Nigerian youths for an egalitarian society, where no one is unjustly treated because he or she has no God father or God mother.

Our dream for a better must not dwindle not fade off because of the current leaders who lack human sympathy to develop the country despite billions of naira allocated on monthly basis to them.

If we fail as youths of today, our children will ask us questions at old age!

The Time To Dream our Dream and make it come to pass is Now!

Happy International Youth Day to All Nigeria Youths!!!!

Comrade Chinonso Uba Nonsonkwa

Imo State Chairman
National Youth Alliance (NYA)