ECOWAS Youth Council Urges President Tinubu To Be Youth Inclusive

The ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) Youth Council has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make youth inclusion part of the ECOWAS agenda during his tenure as the regional body's chairman.

President of ECOWAS Youth Council (EYC), Oluwaseun Williams said during the investiture of Dr. Babatunde Adeyemo as ECOWAS Youth Ambassador in Abeokuta that youth should be included in the governance of ECOWAS.

The event was attended by Neurosurgeon Olusola Talabi, Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Bureau of Politics and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kehinde Onasanya, and former lawmaker, Adekunle Adeyemi, among others.

"The ECOWAS Chairman, Bola Tinubu, who doubles as the President of Nigeria has made stopping coup and maintaining peace and security in West African subregion, most especially in the francophone countries, as top items on his agenda," Williams said, Punch reported.

He continued, "We are waiting and we want to see the agenda of Mr Chairman as regards youth inclusion because this is where we would be able to engage the ECOWAS Chairman and the commission on how they want to be decisive in ensuring the growth of young people in West Africa."

EYC President noted that even before hearing Tinubu's agenda, they'd like to share some of their ideas to "engage the appropriate quarters that link to Mr President to see how we can bring youth inclusion in the governance of ECOWAS itself."

Williams noted that youth can participate in politics, economic development, regional integration, and education.

ECOWAS Youth Ambassador, Adeyemo also emphasized the importance of including Nigerian youth and said, "An average Nigerian youth have had their future stolen and looted, hence the need for our new government of the day to make a drastic effort to reconcile the huge margin between the young and the old Nigerians in governance."

While he noted that the numerous economic challenges can't be fixed overnight, an average Nigerian youth needs to have a sense of belonging from the appointments of the president.

"Only the youths can guarantee an effective and efficient delivery of the Nigerian future," he added. "Research has it that the current life expectancy for Nigeria in 2023 is 55.75 years, when you compare this with the ages of our leaders, we will all agree that the nation needs a drastic injection of decent youths in governance."

Adeyemo noted that if these youths are properly selected, then they can "always be used as frontline or veritable agent of bargaining powers for government, whenever revolt raises its head and also to guarantee quality and energy–filled governance."

The request came after President Tinubu met with his counterparts Patrice Talon of Benin, Mohamed Bazoum of Niger, and Umaro Embaló of Guinea-Bissau last week to discuss security and economic development-related issues in the sub-region.