In the year 2002 up till 2010 during the then PDP administration in Kogi State, a lot of youth in Dekina local government especially those from Anyigba died for being political thugs to selfish and wicked politicians. Many of the youth who ended up being political thugs to politicians were either boys who never went to school, school drop outs and from very poor family background. A lot of parents lost their children and many young women became widows as there was hardly any week without without someone dying as result of political thuggery.
The youths were wooed by self serving politicians with as little as N500 ( Five Hundred Naira only), encouraged to kill and maim anyone avast to their political ambitions. I remember vividly how a 21year old boy was shot and killed at Iyale Road for supporting a candidate of his choice.
Self Serving Politicians in Dekina who have abused the human dignity of the youth take advantage of the low level education and high level poverty of our people; turning most of them to killer squad, chronic drunkards, escorts to political rallies and events. Most youths in dekina end up becoming drug addict in a bid to meet the high activity demands of this selfish politicians. Youths in Dekina were mostly used to settles political score with perceived opponents of some politicians
Having less people empowering them positively to make the most of their lives, A lot of youth in Dekina move around the local government aimlessly having nothing to do. They are not employed as there are no factories in Dekina local government neither are they empowered to become entrepreneurs by their elected representatives or positively mentored by anyone.
A lot of our youth in Dekina end up becoming filling stations attendants, floor cleaners, gate men etc. simply because they have no one to support, empower and mentor them. This makes my heart bleed all the time. For these youths it is a situation of circumstance rather than their destinies.
This is one of the many reasons why I have decided to run for the Office of the House of Representative to Represent Dekina / Bassa Federal Constituency in the green chamber to stem this ugly tide that has befallen the youth in dekina and Bassa local government. I want to provide purposeful leadership that would lead to the mentoring of many of our youth in Dekina and Bassa Local Governments respectively.
In the month of October last year when I was to kick start my campaign for the House of representatives to represent Dekina / Bassa Local Government A group of youth sort audience with me and according to them it was to advice me on how to “engage our fellow youths” to supporting me. They told me to invite youths from the 12 wards of Dekina local government to Harbour bay or Wisdom gate hotel and buy them drinks and when they are going, give them stipends for their transport.
I was shocked to my bone marrow by this advice given to me by “a fellow youth” it sounded so ridiculous and got me thinking. It amazed further to know that this is how most of Politicians in Dekina use to empower the youth. Buying and Drinking alcohol has a become a major bargaining tool for political relevance in Dekina Local Government.
My fellow youths of Dekina Local Government Enough is Enough!
Think of a situation, where your elected representative would out of constituency allowances develop and sponsor educative programs, provide seed capitals for young men and women to start up business of their own thus turning them to entrepreneurs.
Think of a situation, where young men and women whose parent have no means of sending them to the university are given scholarships to complete their education and become graduates and useful to the society.
Think of a situation, where those who cant go school for obvious reason are administered vocational trainings to make them useful to themselves and their loved ones.
Think of a situation where sports is been encouraged, sponsored and used as a veritable tool for harnessing the hidden potentials in our youths knowing that through sports a lots of youths have been empowered to living fulfilled lives;
and so many more.
Sometimes in September last year during the Sallah celebrations, I organized a football competition for our youths in Dekina and Bassa local government. The stadium was jam packed. Anyigba came alive. Winners and loser went home with something tangible as a token to their hard work as Sports Men.
I have heard of great men and women who through their actions have positioned themselves as role models to be emulated in Dekina. I have heard about Hajia Salamatu Baiwa who used her position in government to ensure that most our unemployed youths in Dekina gain profitable employment in federal institutions, I know of Alhaji Jubrin Isah Echocho who used his position to do like wise as the then Executive Director of a bank. He built schools and sponsored a lot of youth to becoming self employed.
I must talk about the Late Prince Abubakar Audu who though not from Dekina built a university to encourage the youth not only in Dekina or in Kogi East but the entire state and beyond to further their education, become graduates and make the most of their lives in their individual chosen career. Posterity would remain kind to him.
I believe with the wealth of experience I have gathered over the years in my professional career both home and abroad, I will be able to make positive changes on the burning issue of youth empowerment in Dekina and Bassa Local Government Respectively.
– Sanni Idakwo Philips is a House of Representative Aspirant seeking to Represent Dekina / Bassa Federal Constituency in the Green Chambers come 2019.
