Opinion: Age and Governance

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Let us take a look at  leaders of the world who are leading with style and admiration before we come down to Nigeria. Donald Trump of America is 70 and I believe he is not doing badly in governance. The leader of Cuba, Raul Castro was born on June 3. He is 79 and arguably among some of the best world leaders. Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah of Kuwait was born on June 16, 1929. Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah was 76 years old when he was sworn in as the fifth emir of Kuwait in January 2006.

Beji Caid Essebsi, born on November 29, 1926, the Tunusian President was 88 years old when he began serving as the North African nation’s president in December 2014.

Queen Elizabeth II of United Kingdom was born on April 21, 1926. At 92, Queen Elizabeth II is not only one of the oldest heads of state but is also Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. She was just 25 years old when she inherited the throne and is now in her sixth decade in power.

Looking at the Queens scenario you will agree with that it us how Young or Old that matters but how active and versatile one is when it comes matters of governance.

President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria is over 70 years and all supporters of APC will agree with me that he is among the best Presidents, if not the best, Nigeria has produced since the inception of our democracy.

Now, to the issue of Governance.

The major essence of governance is to deliver to the people dividend of democracy through programs and policies that will shape the mind socially and economically positively.

Knowing fully well as a leader at my own level that governance is not an easy task as one must not continue to attribute the gains of Leadership to age.

Though not leaving out the fact that there are wold leaders too who are young and are doing well.

For instance, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, 39, was born on 21 December 1977. In world politics, youth appears to be having a moment.
The past week has seen two people in their 30s – Austria’s Sebastian Kurz, 31; and New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern, 37 – come out on top in their countries’ national elections, and are set to take high office.

Earlier in 2017, political events in France and Ireland also produced leaders in their 30s.

It is a stark contrast to just a year before, when UK Prime Minister, David Cameron (then 49) was succeeded by 59-year-old Theresa May, and 55-year-old US president Barack Obama handed over to Donald Trump, 70.

Macron won a resounding victory in the 2017 French presidential election, beating Marine Le Pen by a margin of almost two votes to one. Once a minister in the administration of previous president François Hollande, Macron broke away from the establishment Socialist party to form his own political movement and take a tilt at the presidency.

En Marche!, his political movement, has since secured a sizable majority in the French National Assembly, though Macron’s own popularity has started to dip precipitously.

Matteo Fiorini, 39, was born on 10 February 1978. Fiorini is a Captain Regent of San Marino. San Marino is a tiny principality of 33,000 people, entirely surrounded by Italy. It has two formal heads of state, known as Captains Regent, who hold equal power. Fiorini’s co-captain is also on this list.

They are chosen from San Marino’s elected legislative body, the 60-person Great and General council, which picks two of its own number to serve six-month terms.

Jüri Ratas, 39, was born on 2 July 1978. Ratas became Estonia’s leader in November after the country’s previous political settlement collapsed. As leader of the Centre Party he negotiated a new coalition in the country with himself at the helm.

He previously served as mayor of Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, from 2005 to 2007, and was later elected as a member of the Riigikogu, the national legislature.

He took over as leader of his party in November 2016 and became Prime Minister less than a month later.

Leo Varadkar, 38, was born on 18 January 1979. Varadkar took over as Taoiseach (similar to prime minister) of Ireland in 2017 when his predecessor resigned.

He held several ministerial posts in the administration of Enda Kenny, and became leader of the Fine Gael party when Kenny stepped down.

This fellows are doing well in there endeavours we all must agree.

You will agree with me that when it comes to the act of governance age has no value.

We fought for the not too young to run bill and it was signed into law but it made no impact in the life of the average young  Nigeria. This I will talk about another time.

We need to always approach issue from point of educating people.

– Comrade Abdullahi Ismaila Smile
An advocate for a better Kogi State.


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