Democracy Day Reflection with Zigwai Tagwai, a Social Activist

How would you describe the significance of Democracy Day for Nigeria and its citizens, particularly the youth?

Democracy Day is a reminder of how far Nigeria and Nigerians, have come in their journey of upholding the principle of popular sovereignty, which implies that a legitimate government is only possible by the will of those it governs, that is the citizens, through free, credible and fair elections. It is a reminder of the return from the military regime to democratic rule in Nigeria, which took place in May 1999 and also marks the memorial of the June 12th elections, which has served as a reference of what the people’s choice means, in relation to the 1992 general elections of Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

As a young leader in the civic space, what role do you believe young people play in shaping and strengthening democracy in Nigeria?

Active citizenship in terms of political education, participatory governance, the exercise of civic rights through voting and vying for political offices, serving as checks for elected representatives as they demand accountability in service delivery, patriotism, and obeying the laws of the land.

Could you share a notable example of a youth-led initiative or movement that has positively influenced democracy in Nigeria?

One that comes to mind is the Citizens’ Platform advocacy initiative with a focus on changing the face of governance in Nigeria by advancing citizen engagement and participation in the governance process. The citizens’ platform initiative kick-started in 2018 and was successfully implemented across the 44 local governments in Kano state between August 2018 – February 2019, it was then scaled up to communities and tertiary institutions across the 36 states in Nigeria between March 2020 to April 2022, engaging youth between the ages of 18-40 years on issues ranging from the electoral process in Nigeria, power building sessions, conflict management, citizenship, theory of change, governance and so much more. Participants were engaged as election observers across the 44 local governments in Kano, and the 25 local governments in Niger state for the 2019 elections, to leverage the skills gotten and serve as instruments of check on the voting process. Several community development projects were also carried out across 10 states by participants, while many others have continued to engage with other initiatives for expanded impact.

In your experience, what are some of the main challenges that young people face when engaging in civic activities and advocating for democratic values?

First would be insufficient information or lack of knowledge on the issue being advocated for (absence of facts and data).

Second is fear of pushback from the state security apparatus, and intimidation, or suppression (threat to life and family).

Getting the buy-in, or support of stakeholders is also a major challenge, it can either make or mar an advocacy effort.

Consistency, and commitment (time, resources, energy etc.)

How can young Nigerians effectively contribute to creating positive change in governance and politics, beyond just participating in elections?

Stay informed on political and social issues across the nation and globally, understand the roles of the elected and appointed representatives, engage in political activities such as town hall meetings and budget formulation at the local level, find issues you are passionate about and interrogate the policies relating to those issues, hold your leaders accountable, and educate others.

What are your thoughts on the current state of youth inclusion in decision-making processes and political representation in Nigeria? Are there any promising developments?

I would say that we are definitely not where we should be at, as representation and inclusion is very low, however, I also believe that over time we have made encouraging progress, as a nation, in having a good number of young elected representatives in political offices. We have also had an increase in political awareness and engagement by the youth, over the past 8 years. However, to be able to experience a remarkable improvement, we need to be very intentional as a youth in positioning ourselves in the right places (being active and valuable members of political parties, building political capacity and social capital to support those vying for political offices, delivering quality service in whatever space we find ourselves), collaborating with one another rather than tearing each other apart on the basis of sentiments and bias, as well as being accountable for our actions.

What advice or message would you give to fellow young Nigerians who aspire to make a difference and actively participate in shaping the country’s democracy?

Start where you are, with the people around you and what you have. Challenges and issues always affect you and the people in your immediate communities (neighbourhood), local government, state, or even schools. Find out which of these issues resonate with you the most, whether are there others who feel the way feel about that issue, how can you walk together to educate others about the solutions, and who can help in making the solution work, is there a local radio within the school/community you can leverage, what can you do with the little or not so little you have? Little drops of water, make an ocean. Stay consistent and never lose hope.

How can technology and social media be harnessed by young leaders to promote transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in Nigeria’s democratic processes?

Share your story (the challenge/issue you are concerned about) on your social media platforms, have a call to action for your followers if need be, keep people updated on the progress of events if it is an ongoing issue, connect with state or non-state actors who are responsible for addressing the specific issues by tagging them to take action, engage civic actors who work in similar thematic areas to gain more information (data and facts), engage online media to project issues and build momentum on the ground (physical mobilization).

What key issues or areas do you believe need urgent attention and reform in Nigeria’s democracy?

Infrastructure (available and stable power supply across all communities, quality road networks, telecommunications in terms of internet connectivity and broadband access, reviving of industries), primary health care with a wide range of insurance coverage for all, revamp of the education system, and security.

Looking ahead, what are your hopes and aspirations for the future of Nigeria’s democracy, especially in relation to the active involvement of young people?

I look forward to a Nigeria where its citizens are more concerned about the competence and capacity of its leaders, rather than the ethnic/religious/party affiliations of the people that govern them and make decisions that influence their lives and future. I hope for a Nigeria where the youth are willing to let go of self/instant gratification, for the interest of the whole. A Nigeria where patriotism becomes a way of life, not for fear of consequences, and justice prevails at all times.

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