by crossriverwatch admin
It is no longer news that the 2015 Cross River State gubernatorial elections is by the corner with campaigns (consultations if you like), already going on.
It is also no news that the bulk of the states’ population are youths in their prime who should be in charge of drawing up roadmap for the progress and repositioning of Cross River in the comity of states. But this is not the case.
From the National Association of Cross River Students World Wide (NACRISS WW), an association of all Cross River students all over the world, with membership of over 50,000 students spread across the world, to the Cross River Youth Council that most times look like an appendage of the state government, all seems to be lost in the euphoria of the coming election with their ‘dangerous silence’ a sign of cluelessness and inept leadership.
NACRISS for instance seems to be drowned in internal wrangling and struggle for power between two ladies and cheered or should I say jeered by a set of ‘ball less’ men who probably don’t know the difference between students unionism and politicking, men who see politics (they will like you to believe it is unionism) as an end, rather than a means to the ‘equitable distribution of resources’ in this case, students’ resources.
The Cross River Youth Council is very active; very active at the office of the Commissioner for Youth and Sports; at least they have a very big banner dedicated to them. But guess what? That is where their presence and sphere of influence begins and ends- in that banner in front of the Ministry of Youths and Sports.
A council that is supposed to lead the campaign for youth participation in politics, a council that should be making policy demands that are geared towards increased number of youth in political offices, a council that should be serving as the ‘4th realm’ of the state is busy competing with government appointees over who runs errant for the state government, that is the condition of the Cross River Youth Council.
It is a very saddening fact, but a fact still that the state government in consonance with some ‘youths’ who are bent on forever silencing and perpetually pocketing cross river youths are succeeding and the youth seems to be fine with it. With the technological advantage and the gadgets in our possession we seem to be losing out, losing out in our future.
Since the youths are worst hit by governments’ inability to perform, since every dime stolen is taken out of the fixed deposit account of the youths, it then behooves on us to stand up and take positive steps towards reclaiming what is rightfully ours.
It is our duty as ‘informed’ youths to spread the message about the ongoing voters registration exercise, spread the news about good governance, about the importance, and need for political participation and about what true leadership is.
We should as a matter of importance discuss the vices and tactics politicians will employ in an attempt to break our fold, including using us as political thugs and marauders.
Let us ask contestants to debate and not to campaign, let’s look at them objectively without any bias and prejudice.
Let our twitter handles, facebook account, whatsapp, email, 2go, ebuddy and other social networking group/sites we belong to serve as our public address system.
Let us begin to debate politics with the same amount of seriousness we employ when debating football.
Let us evangelize, preach and campaign for good governance and equitable representation come 2015.
CROSS RIVER YOUTHS IF WE CAN’T HAVE OUR WAY, LET US HAVE OUR SAY!
Ogar Monday is a student of Political Science in the University of Calabar.
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