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Commentary
Published June 10, 2023

𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐐𝐔𝐎 𝐄𝐊𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆: A Shining Light For The Next Generation

By Emmanuel Clark

In the words of the Roman stoic philosopher Lucius Seneca, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end”. It is pertinent to state that the Southern Senatorial District needed the current generation to champion the cause of promoting oneness, togetherness, and nation-building, and chart a path that leads to the development of a senatorial district that works for all. This is why the emergence of 𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐐𝐔𝐎 𝐄𝐊𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆 as the youngest senator-elect in Nigeria, representing Cross River South has come as good news to many and will put the youths at the forefront of nation-building. 

In time past we have seen how youths around the world were able to create changes that drove innovation and economic growth across all sectors. Most pre-Independence political parties engaged the likes of Anthony Enahoro, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo, and Ahmadu Bello, who were all previously youth movements involved in the anti-colonial struggle. And those mentioned, alongside many others, were youths who played pivotal roles in the emergence of what became an independent Nigeria. For instance, Anthony Enahoro was barely 30 when he moved a motion for the independence of Nigeria in 1953.

𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐐𝐔𝐎 𝐄𝐊𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆 is on a mission to crest his name on the sands of time as one of the youths in Cross River State that will take on the mantle of power and leadership to shape the narrative of Africa’s largest nation, eschewing hatred and bigotry that has long been associated with the political elites and masses — and reposition Cross River State on the global stage where it belongs.

As a young senator skilled in business planning, business strategy, financial modeling, and corporate finance, it is believed that he will facilitate training for youths, empower women, create job opportunities, and most importantly make an ideal people-oriented legislation that will provide solutions, and create pathways for good governance.

With the unemployment rate projected at an all-time high of 32.5% in 2021, Nigerian youths have been at the direct receiving end of the system. This is one of the first areas the young Senator intends to arrest before other projects. If the youths are gainfully employed, empowered, or trained on a particular skill, it will help reduce the rate of unemployment and crime in the state, and the country at large.

People argue that youths of today are inexperienced and not ripe enough to govern, but I must point out clearly that such minds are still living in the dark ages, failed to delve into history, and have refused to reposition themselves with the present realities around the world. 

The young Nelson Mandela at the age of 24 joined the African National Congress and started the movement that resulted in the emancipation of the black South Africans. Similarly, the founding fathers of Nigeria’s independence were all in their prime when they led the struggle to secure independence from the British colonial masters. Youth are key to securing a more sustainable, equitable, and innovative future and we must tap into their energy, leadership, and optimism.

The craving for radical change is not just about 𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐐𝐔𝐎 𝐄𝐊𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆, it is about the state's collective consciousness and political will for a new beginning. 

As we look toward Cross River South’s future optimistically and the inauguration of the 10th National Assembly on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, we believe that the young senator's bravery, morals, audaciousness, and experience in business strategy will translate to a more productive and effective representation.