A Better Future Starts Now: Uyero Erarawewho Inspires Youth Through Civic Engagement

The establishment of the Office of the Citizens stems from a pressing need to address the alarming decline in voter participation during elections. In Nigeria, of the 93.47 million registered voters, only 24.9 million cast their votes in the recent presidential and National Assembly elections, resulting in a disheartening voter turnout of merely 26.72 percent—the lowest since the return to democracy in 1999.

In light of this, a civic engagement initiative led by Uyero Erarawewho on October 1, 2024, under the theme “Empowering Tomorrow: Engaging Youth for a Better Future,” was organized to raise public awareness about the importance of preparing our youth for active participation—not just in the electoral process, but also in governance.

Ambitious Objectives:

This civic engagement aims to achieve several key objectives:

• Raise awareness about the importance of participating in governance.
• Empower citizens to understand their rights concerning public governance.
• Encourage citizens to engage willingly in the electoral process.
• Provide citizens with essential information through town hall meetings to articulate community needs to the government.

Key Outcomes:

The event commenced with a prayer, followed by Uyero Erarawewho welcoming the guests and outlining the programme, which was divided into two segments: a keynote address and a panel discussion. Mr. Uyero shared that this initiative is a requirement for his graduation from the Emerging Political Leadership Fellowship. The event focused on addressing concerns regarding the political participation of young people and the necessity of encouraging new voters to register and vote. He underscored that democracy encompasses more than just voting; it involves continuous engagement with the government regarding policy decisions and resource allocation in communities.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Ubara Obaro, addressed the topic “The Importance of Youth Political Participation in Building a Better Society.” He highlighted the age range of youth as defined by the United Nations (15-24), contextualizing it within Nigeria as 18-45. He emphasized the boundless energy and strength of youth, advocating for their active involvement in the democratic process. Mr. Obaro pointed out the potential of young people, who make up over 55% of the population, to influence governance, particularly through their proficiency in ICT, sports, and media. He stressed that without active participation, young individuals lose their right to demand societal improvements. The subsequent Q&A session allowed participants to inquire about amplifying youth voices, leading Mr. Obaro to recommend organizing efforts to address pertinent issues and leveraging social media as a platform for advocacy.

Moderated by Singer Glory, the panel discussion titled “Mobilizing Young Voters: Challenges and Opportunities” included panellists Comrade АКРОВОМЕ PRECIOUS and Josiah Omenuwoma. They tackled the challenges of voting, calling for a shift in mindset and addressing the harmful effects of vote-selling on societal development. The panellists reinforced that voting is not just a civic right but an opportunity for citizens to elect their leaders and hold them accountable.

Lessons Learned:

Participants gained valuable insights into the necessity of organizing for community mobilization and effective representation. They recognized voting as a civic right essential for electing leaders and ensuring accountability in resource allocation. The engagement emphasized the importance of changing mindsets, noting that vote-selling undermines society’s ability to hold leaders accountable.

Expected Outcomes:

This civic engagement initiative aims to increase voter turnout in the Uzere community in the upcoming 2027 elections.

• An immediate follow-up meeting with community leaders will be scheduled to discuss the community’s needs in the 2024 budgetary allocation.
• Mobilization efforts will commence to encourage new voter registrations ahead of the 2027 elections.
• Regular civic engagement meetings will be established to maintain momentum.

Recommendations:

A committee of three members will be formed to monitor and encourage new voter registration in the community leading up to the 2027 elections.

Periodic meetings should be held to continuously raise awareness. Future meetings should involve community leaders and focus on youth participation.

Way Forward/Next Steps:

There is a critical need to educate the Nigerian populace about the importance of participating in governance as a pathway to a better Nigeria. A radio programme should be considered to guide communities in organizing and advocating for their needs, while also utilizing social media to drive change.