By Isiwu Divine.

Nigeria, a country in the western part of Africa considered as the ‘Giant of Africa ‘ ranks among the countries with the largest youth populations globally.

On August 1st, 2024, Nigeria’s population was estimated to be below 230 million people, with youths amounting to about 160 million which is approximately 70 percent of the country’s population. This large youth population makes them an important and vital decision makers and key to Nigeria’s future.

In recent years, Political apathy has emerged as a growing concern, spreading like a silent but deadly virus, leading to a rampant withdrawal of Nigerian youths from active political engagement and participation.

A growing number of the youths are increasingly disengaging from political affairs, with many deliberately avoiding political news and refusing to participate in civic duties such as voting.

This apathy, experts say, is largely driven by a widespread belief that electoral outcomes in Nigeria are predetermined by political appointments rather than the will of the people.

For example, during the 2023 General elections, Nigeria recorded a total of 93,469,008 eligible voters. Among them, 37,060,399 were aged between 18 and 34, while 33,413,591 fell within the 35 to 49 age bracket. Despite these figures, only a small fraction of these demographics actively participated in the electoral process.

Now is the time for the youths to awaken to political awareness and serve as the Public Watchdog to checkmate the affairs of the Government rather than spending valuable time chasing viral trends on social media, they must redirect their energy towards holding their leaders accountable, asking critical questions, challenging decisions, and speaking truth to power when necessary.

Don’t wait for change—be the change. Speak up, ask questions, and demand answers.”