Nigerian youths have been asked to stop at nothing in demanding for true democracy as the nation prepares for political transition.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at a pan African economic entrepreneurship forum organized by the African Economic Merit Awards Inspire, a human rights activist and Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress Party, (AACP), Omoyele Sowore, said it is impossible for the youth of Nigeria to enjoy the benefits of democracy without demanding for under the present dispensation of “corrupt government.”
Sowore alleged that the present crop of Nigerian leaders are deeply corrupt to the extent that they are deliberately not investing in the education sector in order to let the public wallow in poverty so that no one becomes knowledgeable enough to challenged their misrule.
Sowore, while advising young Nigerians to get involved in entrepreneurship as source of income and financial resilience building, said they cannot truly enjoy the gains of democracy unless they defend their rights through voting and protests where necessary.
He said any deviation from this will leave the current crop of leaders run the country aground.
He lamented that: “What is happening to Nigeria now in terms of leadership is pure wickedness, I think young people have a right to a piece of the commonwealth and the way to do it when you have a bunch of greedy irresponsible leaders is to free their hands so that you can get what is due to you and this is where democracy, elections and protest come in.”
He noted that there is noting bad in protest, adding that “It is depriving the person of their benefits that leads to protests. You cannot get things done under a corrupt government without protest.”
He decried that the Nigerian government kills every idea that will grow Nigeria. “Everything must support their corrupt lifestyle that is why there is no alternative to fighting and speaking out to the right things.”
He said it is sad that access to grants and other financial support that boosts entrepreneurship is almost non-existence due to the large scale stealing of public fund going on in the country.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Founder and convener of the awards, McEva Temofe explained that the merit award is a pan African project covering 17 African countries with a focus on the development of young Africans through entrepreneurship trainings.
He said AEMA Inspire is a programme that is aimed at universities, reaching out to young minds with budding businesses and encouraging them to build on their dream in order to grow into financially independent individuals that can contribute to the Gross Domestic Product, (GDP) of their country.
Temofe said: “We are taking this entrepreneurship tour to young people in the universities because we believe that this will motivate them when they see young people like them taking their entrepreneurship career seriously. They will be encouraged when they see young entrepreneurs employing 10-15, they will be motivated to build their businesses to compete in the international markets through packaging of goods, importing and exporting thereby contributing so much to the national GDP and projecting the image of their country in a positive light.”
He noted that small businesses remain the engine room of every economy and should therefore be encouraged by any country which aim to thrive.