Leading the Leaders of Tomorrow

Where children stand in policy is reflective of a government’s priorities even to the adult citizens who legitimize their power. Introducing civic education was the right step towards creating political awareness among children, has it accomplished its goal?

Written by Victoria Oladipo

Jan 25, 2023

Photography by Muhammad Taha Ibrahim / UNSPLASH

My earliest memory of an election was December 2006. I was barely eight years old. The catchy jingles for the gubernatorial elections in 2007 were my reasons for watching the election proceedings where Babatunde Raji Fashola emerged as governor of Lagos State. I memorized a lot of them. I remember the feeling like it was yesterday—that I could predict an election and have my preferred candidate win. I would sit with my parents and their friends, listening to them discuss politics; now armed with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations, I have some understanding about Nigerian and global politics.

As a result of military rule and the leaders in the First Republic, Nigerians practised a form of parochial culture—a subject political culture where the citizenry had little to no say in political activity. This culture continued to affect the way Nigerians participated in politics even after the country became a democratic state in 1999. Nigeria has had six elections since then, yet political participation from her citizens has remained low. Little wonder the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recorded the lowest amount of voter turnout in the 2019 elections. This political cycle however, INEC has recorded the highest number of registered voters ahead of the 2023 general elections, with youths topping the voting population. The #ENDSARS protests of 2020, combined with rising inflation and recurrent attacks by insurgent groups, have served as a catalyst for a participatory political culture among the youths.

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About the Author

Victoria Oladipo

is a writer and a research student based in Lagos.

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Leading the Leaders of Tomorrow