By Martha Agas
The Centre for Inclusive Social Development (CISD) has urged Nigerian youths to demand stronger institutions, accountability and effective policies to tackle challenges hindering the country’s development.
Mr Folahan Johnson, Executive Director of CISD, made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the third edition of its Civic Talks dialogue programme, organised in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
The dialogue focused on the theme, ‘From Fear to Safety: Rethinking Security and Civic Responsibility in Nigeria’.
Johnson said Nigeria’s youthful population, with more than 60 per cent of people below 35 years, made it imperative for young people to participate in national conversations and policy decisions.
He explained that every generation inherited three key elements, geography, institutions and psychology, which influenced the country’s governance and shaped its society.
According to him, young Nigerians should pay greater attention to the institutions that run the country rather than focusing solely on elected political office holders.
He said Nigeria’s leadership class was shaped by colonial rule, military dictatorship, the civil war and other historical experiences, which were crucial to understanding present challenges and building better institutions.
The CISD founder highlighted opportunities emerging from Nigeria’s youthful population, citing the rapid growth of technology and agritech start-ups.
He said fintech start-ups in Nigeria raised more than 500 million dollars in 2024, describing the development as evidence of young Nigerians’ capacity to create solutions.
Johnson identified national security, regional integration, infrastructure and economic interdependence as four pillars of collective interest that should guide youths in discussions on Nigeria’s development.
He urged young Nigerians to recognise their role in strengthening institutions and shaping a better nation for future generations.
“The country we inherit doesn’t have to be the country that we leave behind,” he said.
According to Johnson, Civic Talks was designed to bring government, citizens and policy experts together to discuss issues confronting the country.
Delivering the keynote address, Managing Director of Reverso, Ayokunnu Ojeniyi, emphasised the importance of culture in shaping people’s psychology, values, behaviour and understanding of leadership.
Ojeniyi said many practices accepted as normal were passed down through generations and had become deeply embedded in society, making them difficult to change.
“There is a culture of sycophants and hypocrisy that has been passed down and if we are not careful, we will pass it down to the next generation,” he said.
He said society must encourage younger people to ask questions, interrogate ideas and challenge practices that no longer served the public interest.
He said education had an important role in changing social attitudes, stressing that people should learn from other societies while retaining positive aspects of their own culture.
“Respect for others does not mean that you cannot interrogate some of their ideas,” he said.
The speaker also called for greater attention to human rights, civic values and gender inclusion, saying women’s perspectives should be adequately considered in society and governance.
He urged Nigerians not to regard the country’s current challenges as inevitable, saying citizens and leaders had the capacity to influence the country’s future.
According to him, Nigeria’s progress would require a willingness to examine existing beliefs, retain positive cultural values and deliberately change practices that hinder development.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants identified poor policy implementation, corruption, weak legal systems, inadequate professionals in educational institutions and poor reward systems as challenges affecting Nigeria’s development.
They urged all stakeholders, including youths, government and the private sector, to uphold accountability, describing it as critical to ensuring that institutions work effectively and contribute to national development.(NAN)
Edited by Yakubu Uba