Youth leadership and conscious demonstration
Commonly referred to as The Leaders of Tomorrow, the youths have a special and important role to play as the future of society. To be fully equipped and prepared for this responsibility, first and foremost, the youths have to take the bull by the horn, stand up to leadership demands and difficult tasks, and
should be able to challenge the status quo.
Also, education should be made available as according to Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Moving on, the youths have to undergo leadership training and also be exposed to real-life instances where their leadership skills will be put to test.
On the other hand, apart from being leaders, the youths are also catalysts to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the United Nations, “The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.” A catalyst, according to the Cambridge English Dictionary, is an event or person that causes great change.
Hence, the youth are viewed as persons that are capable of enforcing a great change in the society, particularly the Nigerian society, as regards the SDGs.
As catalysts, the youth have important roles to play in the achievement of these sustainable goals. One of these roles is critical thinking. As a result of their vibrancy, youths can think thoroughly and also analyze every situation at hand as regards achieving these goals.
They can also apply for this role when these goals are prevented from being reached as a result of hitches or challenges. Another role is innovation and change-making. The youths are saddled with the responsibility of bringing about new and relevant ways through which these goals can be effectively achieved and also enforcing these new ideas to bring about great changes in society.
Yet another important role is leadership. The youth also have the responsibility of enlightening their people and leading them down the path of realizing the SDGs. For instance, they can educate people on the causes and effects of climate change and also lead them on how to reduce the effect of human activities on the climate.
They are expected to rise above all others and drive their people towards these goals Apart from all these roles, an important role is the communication of ideas, opinions, and changes. The youths can communicate their opinions and ideas concerning certain individual sustainable goals. They can also communicate their agenda and experience to other societies and countries of the world who can imbibe such ideas and ways of achieving these SDGs which is the ultimate objective.
In conclusion, with adequate commitment and resources, the youth are capable of making and enforcing a landmark change in Nigerian society and the world at large thereby making this world a better place for the present generation and even for the future generations.
Youth leadership in the new normal, begins now!!
This article was written and published by the Content Unit, TYLC Africa.