#NotTooYoungToRun: A Personal Experience. By Jude Feranmi

Every time I am caught in introspecting about Nigeria and meditating about the solutions to the many problems that we face as a nation, from corruption to lack of infrastructure to a huge housing deficit to the rotten educational system to insecurity in all the corners of the geo-political zones to internet fraud and codeine addiction amongst the youth, I am forced to think about the future of Nigeria.

What will this future look like? Most of the times when I get the opportunity to speak to an audience, I have formed an habit of asking the audience to add 20 years to their current age and try to project what life in Nigeria will be in that time. From all indicators, figures and charts, the picture of this future is such that no one will be interested in being a part of that future.

This future starts from as early as next year when Nigeria will overtake India as the country with the highest number of people living in extreme poverty to 25 years’ time when Nigeria will be competing with China, India and US for top 3 most populated country to 15 years’ time when there would have already been at least 7 metres rise in the sea level covering most of Bayelsa State and the luxury highlands of the coast of Lagos that are just 5

metres above sea level.

The old-age prayer that the lives of the young ones will be better than what the old ones experienced no longer obtains. There is now a seemingly, even proud assertion by members of the old generation that what they experienced was far better than what we have today with the slogan-ization  of the “good old days”. When this gloomy future finally arrives, who will be the victims and the casualties?

It is at this point that the #NotTooYoungToRun movement comes in. An advocacy that started before the days of President Goodluck Jonathan has now metamorphosed into a global movement with the United Nations Youth Envoy latching on the narrative to drive home that demand – that young people be allowed to run for office. Here in Nigeria the demands are to reduce the age for contesting to as low as 25 for the House of Representatives and 35 for President.

The #NotTooYoungToRun Bill having thankfully passed both houses have now being sent to the state houses of assembly for the next hurdle as we hope for its eventual passage in at least 24 states. As a strong proponent of this bill having canvassed for its passage, I think there is a more serious need to now at least start to ask the hard questions that critics have posited as their reasons for its objections.

How many of Nigeria’s young, passionate competent people who are advocates of this bill are known and popular in their wards of residence/origin? How many of us are impactful enough on a local scale? How many of us are recognized as the leaders of this generation the same way we are recognized on social media? How much followership do we have in our wards? To what level can we influence the politics of our community vis a vis security, economic activity, local organizing for solving little problems and overall emotional impact?

There is no gainsaying in asserting that we need to ease our way into the leadership of our nation right now so that we can make the policies that  positively impact on the future that we will be a part of, as opposed to our current leaders whose vision is about how proposals and projects and legislation benefits them and their pockets today, not even tomorrow. But to change this leadership into future-centric leaders amongst us who are passionate about better living for us all, we cannot but start at the lowest level where it matters.

As a young Nigerian, I have seen my parents go through the painful experience of building a factory and shutting it down after 5 years, a lot sweat and high blood pressure. I have seen the effect of poor education as my friends who we played football on the same streets go from dropping out of school to becoming broke to turning into survival criminals. I have seen my country fail the best students in a class in accidents on a road trip only to fly their corpses back home to their parents and lecturers destroy female students’ careers because they refuse to sleep with them.

Most of those who have led the #NotTooYoungToRun movement are leaders of the 83 civil society organizations who came together to start this about 9 years ago. As we continue to engage the state representatives on the passage of the #NotTooYoungToRun bill, we must sit back and ask ourselves what roles we are going to play in the gloomy future that besets us. Are you going to be laying the foundation for another generational mistake like we witnessed in 1966 and 1999 by staying in the background while those who are versed in the ‘usual way to do politics’ take over this advantage? Are you going to be simply content with opening up the space for the children of those who have gone before us to destroy our future and care nothing for the next day talk less of the next year?

I am strongly convinced that unless we ALL go back to our wards and make the case for a better Nigeria in our lifetime and the case for a change in leadership to make that happen, our efforts will not only have been in vain, we would have actively contributed to the continued oppression of this incompetent and selfish political class.

I have decided to take that ‘backward’ step. I hope all the young and passionate Nigerians with a high level of competence, the capacity to deliver results and the character to lead the aspirations of a new Nigeria will do the same.

Jude Feranmi

National Youth Leader

KOWA PARTY

jude.feranmi@kowaparty.com.ng

ANAMBRA 2017: 'PRAYER WILL BE THE FOUNATION OF MY GOVT' - KOWA CANDIDATE

A head of the November 18 Anambra election, 17 out of the 37 candidates Wednesday, in a debate organised by Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Anambra Chapter with theme: “Moving Anambra Forward: The Task That Must Be Done” held at Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, presented their plans to govern the state.

The candidates who differed in their manifestos, however, agreed on local government autonomy and security which they said should be paramount in governance.

KOWA candidate, Rev. Rufus Ezeokonkwo said he would fight insecurity in the state using prayers – in the light of the fact that he is a Reverend. “Prayer will be the foundation of my government, and Anambra people must come first in my administration and there would be no favoritism in any way,” he said.

Dr. Stephen Obiora Mbah of the PRP promised he would pursue the issue of security through creation of jobs for the teeming youth population. He said he would equip the local vigilante for them to work in tandem with police and equip the courts under his jurisdiction to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

He also explained his government will have zero tolerance for corruption and live up to the name of his party, whose mission he said, is to redeem the people from the clutches of leaders who could not take care of them, just as he promised that he would, within nine months of his inauguration conduct local government election in the State and ensure that council chairmen who embezzled public funds in the present and past administrations face prosecution.

Candidate of the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Mr. Onuoha Onyeacholam said that if voted into power, that he would create three million jobs and that the state would be turned green to make sure that there is huge amount of food production through subsistence and mechanized agriculture.

Yul Edochie of DPC said, “I will assist industrialists in the State to expand so as to help in job creation as part of the measures to fight insecurity, just as I will leave my comfort zone as a Nollywood actor to use my experience to develop Anambra State. My administration for your information will have zero tolerance for corruption.”

The governorship candidates who participated in the well attended debate were, Stephen Obiora Mbah of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP); Yul Edochie, Democratic People’s Congress, (DPC); Ogbuevi Nonso Ozoemena, Youths Democratic Party (YDP); Praise Okechukwu of the Mega Peoples Progressive Party (MPPP); Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, A.D.P; Emmanuel Nwibe, DA; Dame Uju Ozoka, AA among others.

First civilian governor of the state, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife was the chairman of the debate session.

KOWA PARTY TO ADOPT DIRECT PRIMARIES IN SELECTION OF CANDIDATES

KOWA PARTY kicked off her three day policy conference themed Our Covenant With Nigerians on the 26th October 2017 at the 7 star event centre in Ikeja.

The objective of the three day conference as highlighted in the National Chairman’s speech when he declared the conference open is to “ engage the issues of the problems in Nigeria sector by sector and proffer solutions to the problems as a party”.

Policy papers will be given by experts on the topics Education, Healthcare, Infrastructure, Security and the Economy and the overall party strategy for deepening the party’s structure.

The conference kicked off with debates on party strategy and a policy paper presented by Barr Igwe Uchenna.

Mr Poju Oni a social justice advocate in the United States reiterated the need for leaders with integrity in the leadership of the country and endeavour to get such leaders who must have proven themselves in previous capacities to join the party. He said that “anyone who has integrity, who has leadership qualities can aspire to lead and KOWA is presenting people who understand that it is not about who you are or what you can bring but how you can serve people”.

The National Chairman, Alh Saidou Bobboi said that “today’s discussion has being a fruitful one and that the participation and meaningful contribution of professionals from the party was impressive”. He also said decisions made by the party will be presented on the last day of the elections via a communiqué where all the party’s position will be communicated.

As part of the discussions, a motion moved by the National Youth Leader, Jude ‘Feranmi which was also seconded by Ayo Lijadu, an actor, which is to be considered at the National Executive Committee of the party is the issue of direct primaries for the election of candidates for the party. Even though the debate that ensued considered the pros and the cons of direct primaries, it was generally accepted that allowing all members of the party to decide who the candidates of the party were going to be starting from the Osun State Elections.

Mr Gboyega Songonunga, a KOWA Professional said on the issue that what is important is the aim and that how we achieve the aim is what is important. He said “I think we have had a clear statement and agreement from the members and the leadership of the party that the party is going to put in place a process where everybody’s vote counts within the party” He also said that “ We are doing this not just because we think it’s a wining electoral strategy but because it is the right thing to do for our people”

The National Secretary of the party said about the conference that the open discussions and interactions of professionals from the party was impressive and robust enough for instructing the party on policymaking for the country. On the issue of direct primaries he said the debate about direct primaries have been going on for a while within the party and that “the suggestion of the National Youth Leader, Jude Feranmi puts an end to the debate and proffers a way forward in finally conducting direct primaries for all members of the party during primary elections”

The policy conference will continue tomorrow where the policy paper on Education, Healthcare and Security will be considered.

KOWA PARTY SLAMS ROCHAS OVER KILLING OF 10-YEAR OLD BOY IN OWERRI MARKET DEMOLITION

Reactions continues to trail the killing of a 10-year old Somtochukwu Mbanusi allegedly by agents of Imo State government who had come to forcefully demolish the Eke Ukwu Owerri Market in Owerri while the boy was trying to protect the property, as KOWA Party on Monday condemned the act, saying it was particularly pained by the killing.

KOWA gave this stance in a statement issued by its National Secretary, Comrade Mark Adebayo, saying it condemned unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms what it described as government-backed armed banditry that claimed innocent lives.

The party also described as irresponsible and callous comments of the Imo State government in the aftermath of the coldblooded murder especially of an innocent minor who committed no crime, even as it called on the Human Rights/Civil Society Community to urgently rise up in unison and take necessary actions.

“We condemn unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms this government-backed armed banditry that claimed innocent lives, and the irresponsible and callous comments of the Imo state government in the aftermath of the coldblooded murder especially of an innocent minor who committed no crime.

“In a Gestapo-like onslaught, the Eke-Ukwu Owerre Market was ferociously and fatally attacked by the state government’s environmental agency backed by heavily-armed thugs, military and police personnel that reportedly led to the loss of lives.

“We call on the Human Rights/Civil Society Community to rise up in unison and take necessary actions, as a matter of urgency, to bring to book all culprits involved in this dastardly crime no matter how ‘highly’ placed,” the party said.

This was just as KOWA Party called on Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, to tender unreserved apology to the people of the state and ensure that he takes immediate steps to pay adequate compensations to the victims starting with a minimum of one hundred million Naira only to the family of each dead victim.

Speaking further, KOWA expressed grave shock at what it described the “persistent wave of indiscriminate demolition exercises” being carried out across the country by state governments.

According to the party, many state governors, who promised the people during electioneering campaigns that they would embark on people-oriented projects have suddenly resorted to aggressive anti-people and anti-poor policies that further impoverished the already pauperized majority of Nigerians.

It said this was especially with regard to destroying homes and businesses of the masses under the guise of development, beautification, road expansion, and the so-called megacity.

KOWA listed Lagos, Osun, and Ogun state governments, among others as being perhaps, the worst culprits in perpetration of such act.

“It is a crime against humanity to forcefully relocate a people and destroy their means of livelihood under whatever guise without providing affordable and accessible alternatives for them.

“This evil trend has been gaining currency across the country for some time now and it is time to stop it by a collective peoples’ action(s). Infrastructure and environmental beautification cannot take precedence over the fundamental wellbeing of the people.

“In most states where markets are destroyed, the markets subsequently built to replace them are made so costly as to be inaccessible by those who originally do business there. Same thing for houses built by government which the people cannot afford.

“It is for that reason that there are many desolate markets and housing estates in Lagos and other states only useful for rodent, reptiles, and criminal hideouts.

“As a political Party founded on a solid ideology of Social Democracy, KOWA Party believes that government policies must not be to the disadvantage of the people who elected that government nor be a punitive return on their democratic investment. Sensitive policies and projects that affect the livelihood and habitation of a people must be implemented with extreme caution through painstaking community engagement processes and dialogue.

“KOWA Party stands with the people of Imo State in these dark hours of what can best be termed government terrorism. We offer to extend free legal services to all the victims and their families. We call on the Imo State governor to tender unreserved apology to the people of Imo State and ensure that he takes immediate steps to pay adequate compensations to the victims starting with a minimum of one hundred million Naira only to the family of each dead victim. This is without prejudice the prosecution of government and security agencies – including government-backed militias – that partook in that murderous attack against the people of Imo State.