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Dialoguing with Kogi youths is a renaissance engagement strategy to articulate youthful political idleness into constructive focus of demands. This is the pinnacle of organising The Kogi Youth Dialogue.
The Kogi Youth Dialogues have taken place in Kogi West and East, while the next stop to balance the three senatorial districts in the state moves to Central 2 days before Christmas. This is the highlight of #KogiEastYouthDialogue:
1. Youth Unemployment &Electoral Violence: 2019 General Election in Focus.
Speaker: Patrick Idoko.
Notable quote:
“You do not create tension with vulgarity because someone has said an unverifiable lie about another person. It is not a useful way of using your intellect” ~ Patrick Idoko.
Mr. Idoko highlighted the significance of youths using the modern leveler of Social Media to advance political discourse in a healthy way. He advocate for the use of tact and diplomacy divorced of falsehood in creating the political and social realities for the general populace.
2. Political Leadership: Hurdles Before Kogi East Youths
Speaker: Enojo Kennie PhD
Notable quotes:
“If you do not arm yourself with education, you’re vulnerable to power hungry policians taking advantage of your ignorance to cause violence”- Dr. Enojo Kennie
Dr. Kennie summarily counselled the youths against violence. He is of thr opinion that the best form of leadership for the Kogi East Youths is “self leadership” which comes with personal awareness, armed by education to prevent ignorance, which is what violent-inclined politicians latch on to commandeer the youths into acting in their capacity as foot soldiers in breaking social norms through: thuggery, armed political banditry, organic and structural violence and mental violence. As a panacea, he admonished youths to seek quality information and education for themselves to demobilise evil politicians from using them.
3. Youth and Money Politics: Kogi East in Focus
Speaker: Chief Edward Onoja
Notable quotes:
“We have never had an avenue such as this where the Chief of Staff to a Governor, Commissioners and local government administrator sit to discuss with the youths. In Kogi, youth ideology is changing’. – Edward Onoja
“Any administrator under Governor Yahaya Bello who is not at the event right now needs to shape in. You cannot be in the New Direction government and not identify with the youths. It’s an error”- Edward Onoja
‘Youths are trying to bring vigour to governance, but we must understand that vigour alone does not guarantee good leadership. We must be innovative, industrious and analytical. Otherwise, we won’t be different from the old order”. – Edward Onoja
The Chief of Staff to the state Governor who spoke into minutes of deeply penetrating dialogue responded to some grey area questions posed by some of the discussants.
One of the discussants asked of the ideological changes in the current Government which he responded with the quotes above. He also gave insight into some of his Facebook activism which some persons are of the opinion that his engagement should be restrictive as a Chief of Staff. Responding, he cited the freedom of his right as Edward Onoja before being the Chief of Staff to the State Government. He also reiterated the youthful inclusion of mobilising technological advancement into political channel of dialogue and feedback between the governed and the government. He used President Donald Trump as an example. Mr. Trump actively engages Americans on twitter and Facebook beyond the traditional media because the New Media technology has the “immediacy” function of getting instantaneous feedback when messages are dispatched. He also revealed that the leveler excommunicates the god-like nature some politicians put on by becoming evasive of the people they govern, as it becomes a strenuous hurdle to access government officials who are supposed to provide services to the masses.
4. General reaction: Kogi East Youths in Focus
Lead charge: Dr. Usman Ogbo
Dr. Usman Ogbo responded to questions posed by some discussants who raised the issue of youths being raised into ignorance by the Kogi State University because a slippery slope of indiscipline to academics has been encouraged by some lecturers who sell handouts to students while not engaging them in serious intellectual rigour. Ogbo responded that the situation maybe resident in some Nigeria tertiary institutions, however, he dissented on that of Kogi State University, saying he is sure no lecturer sells handouts in the institution because it is against her instant rules. He also charged anyone who knows of any lecturer who engages his students in such manner should be reported and watch his diligence in pursuing redress within a week.
He was empathic on the youths not to be resentful towards their political opinions and ideologies in engaging government. He is also of the opinion that a platform as this for engagement would grow the polity and our democratic principles, spurring all actors of the state to remain forthright.
The Kogi East debate was full of intrigues and charm. Many youths found a common ground of understanding in some areas they’ve been in the dark before the event. It was an electrifying crowd that maintained orderliness and calm through the session.
The Kogi Central Youth Dialogue comes up on the 23rd of December 2017. To follow up the further information on the event, follow the Kogi Youth Dialogue on Facebook.
Facebook: Kogi Youths Dialogue
Event compilation: Promise Emmanuel (Kogi Rebel)
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