Romanus Okoye
Senior Pastor, the Covenant Nation and Convener, the Platform Nigeria, Poju Oyemade has called on Nigerian youths to channel their energies and effect changes through a political process.
Pastor Oyemade while offering the advice on his Twitter handle, stated, “Now the street peaceful protest is over but the opportunity for change within the legal framework is now wide open.” According to him, the real effort behind the scenes can now begin. “Channel the energy right. It takes time to bring about change. You cannot be hasty. Some of you we saw on the streets should be Senators and members of the House in the next three to seven years where you will have the power to effect your objectives,” he tweeted.
“If you truly want to drive change channel your energy and knowledge into the political system. Elections have consequences and it affects peoples lives. The streets have a life span, it is good but when it can no longer be peaceful it works against you. Build a party or become delegates.”
He narrated a story that in the 60’s, in the United States, a group of young men and women under 35 years were fed up and wanted a dramatic change in the way things were being done in the polity. “They stood up and it ended in the Government having to use force to rein them in. They were disappointed. A mentor of theirs told them you have three options, go find a wailing wall and feel sorry for yourselves. Two, go psycho and start acting radically and you lose everything or three, learn a lesson. Go home, organise, build political power and be the delegates at next party convention.”
Concluding his advice, Oyemade said that energy for change must be channelled through the political process. “One big step is to become delegates who elect the candidates within a party structure. This is one of the most influential positions in the process which is accessible and easy to reach today.”
