By Chisom Asogwa
It came as a welcome news to all and sundry when President Muhammadu Buhari finally signed the ‘Not too young to run’ bill into law at about 2:30pm at the presidential villa Abuja on Thursday May 30th 2018. It was a notable act and one that would go down in history.
The ‘Not Too Young To Run’ bill sought reduction in the age limits for contesting public office in Nigeria.
The bill passed by the National Assembly in 2017 altered Sections 65, 106, 131, 177 of the Constitution.
It reduced the age qualification for president from 40 to 30; governor from 35 to 30; senator from 35 to 30; House of Representatives membership from 30 to 25 and State House of Assembly membership from 30 to 25.
This bill was initiated; taking cognizance of the fact that Nigeria’s political system is filled to the brim with ‘old’ ethno-centrics who see politics as a game and not a tool for mass empowerment.
It is however unequivocal that the bill will put an end to some seemingly man made problems we’ve created for ourselves in Nigeria.
One of these problems is that of ethnicity. The issue of ethnicity in leadership is a very sensitive one and is not at all new to Nigeria. It is in fact an issue predominant in Africa.
This is evident in the war between the Hutu and Tutsi people of Rwanda, Katanga (now Zaire) break away struggle from Congo, Biafran war in Nigeria, Somalia’s attempt to take the Ogaden from Ethiopia, South Sudan’s 17years struggle to break away from the North and in the end settled for autonomy in 1972. The list still goes on.
Currently in Nigeria, we have parties that are based on ethnicity and not ideologies. This is why the signed bill is a baby step towards correcting that. Young minds are capable of eschewing all forms of ethnocentrisim owing to the fact that they possess ‘digital’ mindsets.
Although, they are not totally free from this but to a reasonable extent, they are still better than the oldies.
Also, the access of young minds in the corridors of power as active policy makers will give room for rapid development.
This is evident in other climes. Young people have the intellectual capabilities to tackle the current realities we’ve found ourselves for societal advancement.
However, we might not fully enjoy the benefits of this bill. It will take a while before it plays put in reality, having 40year olds as presidents and 25 year olds as state house of assembly members, it sounds even far to seek when spoken out loud. But keeping in mind that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, the ‘not too young to run bill’ is a big first step in this thousand miles journey.