Researcher Reveals How Youths Mimic Corrupt Politicians, Attend Conferences for N50,000

A researcher highlights the growing trend of youths imitating corrupt politicians by attending conferences for monetary gains, calling for urgent value reorientation among Nigeria’s youth.

Leading up to the national youth conference set for early 2025, policy researcher Emmanuella Arikpo has urged young people to approach the event with a fresh perspective rather than a business-as-usual mindset.

Arikpo expressed disappointment that youths frequently attend conferences not to discuss the genuine issues they face, but rather for the handouts provided by the government.

She urged the selected youths attending the conference to present issues such as life security, job insecurity, policy inconsistency, and more before President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

The policy researcher appeared as a guest on the Friday edition of “Inside Sources with Laolu Akande,” a socio-political program broadcasted on Channels Television.

In August 2024, dissatisfied young people spearheaded the #EndBadGovernance protests across the nation, primarily opposing hunger and escalating living costs. Among their demands were reduced government expenditure, reinstatement of the petrol subsidy, and a call for improved governance at all levels. For ten consecutive days, thousands marched throughout the country advocating for these changes.

In what seemed to be a reaction to the concerns of young people, Tinubu announced during his Independence Day Broadcast on October 1, 2024, that a youth conference would be organized to address their grievances.

In his New Year Address on January 1, 2025, the former Lagos governor announced that the conference would take place in the first quarter of 2025 and assigned responsibility to the youth ministry for determining how to organize and conduct the 30-day event.

Arikpo emphasized that while dialogue is beneficial, young people should not approach the conference with a corrupt mindset or focus on personal gain. Instead, they should engage in discussions about the challenges facing their country.

She remarked, “Dialogue and conversations are beneficial. I participated in the Youths Summit organized by the 10th Assembly, which was indeed a productive discussion. However, not to sound negative, but often when people attend such events, they have ulterior motives. We tend to emulate those at the top; therefore, we go there anticipating what’s in it for us afterward rather than voicing our genuine concerns because we’re cautious about upsetting anyone.”

I say this without bias: If young people want Nigeria to be successful for our generation and if older generations wish to see progress before passing the torch, avoiding regrets on their deathbeds about missed opportunities, then it’s crucial that these discussions move beyond business as usual.

If we’re going there to discuss what young people want and address security issues, let’s have a meaningful conversation about real change. Rather than just changing uniforms or unit names, we should focus on truly reforming the police and every branch of the Armed Forces. When it comes to ending bad governance, instead of merely consolidating ministries or agencies, let’s figure out how to make them operate effectively. How can we ensure that only those who drive progress remain in civil service?

The discussion should focus on security, employment, and the implementation of minimum wage policies.

Young people, I’m speaking not only as a guest on this show but also to convey an important message: if you are invited to the 2025 conference and have the opportunity to speak with the president, please don’t attend merely for the N50,000 you’ll receive at its conclusion. Remember that it will be more than just a monetary transaction; it’s going to be truly significant event.

“You should aspire to have a country that supports you. Join the conference and speak genuinely from your heart. Avoid causing conflict; instead, focus on discussing topics such as employment opportunities, security, and fostering an environment where entrepreneurship can flourish.”