By Israel Adebiyi

A Non Governmental Organization, Gatefield, says it is targeting about 600 political scientists in public and private universities nationwide under its Frame Democracy Project to deepen democratic discourse and encourage citizen participation in the electoral process.

The Project Manager, Frame Democracy, Mahmud Jafar disclosed this to journalists on the sideline of the Edo State Frame Democracy Forum Agenda in Benin City. 

Jafar explained that the programme aims at actively involving young Nigerians in discussions and conversations about democracy and concerning authoritarian trends in the country.

He highlighted some authoritarian trends in Nigeria to include constraints on civil liberties, corruption, government surveillance, media manipulation, weak rule of law, and the emergence of personality cults. 

He said that the organization decided to focus on the political science students to help drive the process of educating and sensitizing the youths to be politically inclined with the view of correcting the mistakes of the past leaders adding that the future of the country rests squarely on their shoulders.

The Head of Political Science Department, at the University of Benin, Dr Charles Eghweree commended the initiative saying Nigerian youth must actively involved in the nation’s political process rather than taking the back seat.

Dr Eghweree said that their refusal to participate in the nation’s politics whether local, state or national, gives room for those who are not qualified to mount the leadership positions and decide the fate of the majority of the people. 

He said for them to take their rightful place in the scheme of things and put the country in the right footings, they (the youths) must ignite and develop their interest in politics.

He said Chief Anthony Enahoro, Nnamdi Azikiwe and other Nigerian nationalists were youths when they made their marks in the nation’s politics adding that, they should be encouraged by them so that they can correct the present political settings in the country.

He noted that the present crop of politicians have weaponized poverty, reinforced the sentiment that the youths can do no good, and orchestrated a faulty system that continually perpetuate them in office. 

The HOD therefore urged Nigerian youths to rise and  redeem themselves by developing interest in politics through participation and possibly registering a political party of their choice.

Some of the students, Oshoke David and Okolie Isabella, thanked the organizers of the event for coming up with such a programme which they both said, have spurred them to be actively involved in the nation’s politics.