To commemorate the World Youth Day, August 12th, 2025, We the People hosted a virtual conference on “Mobilizing Youth Action for Democratic Inclusion and Rights Protection” as part of the #IncludeNaija Project supported by the European Union. This year’s International Youth Day event was more than a commemoration — it was a wake-up call for youths in Nigeria and across the globe to become more involved in democratic and political processes. The conference brought together over 100 participants, including young leaders, activists, and reformers, who examined the decriable situation where Nigeria’s political space remains rigged against its most populous and vibrant force — the youth.
Ken Henshaw, Executive Director of We the People, opened the dialogue with a reminder that the old saying “youth are the leaders of tomorrow” has kept young people perpetually sidelined because “tomorrow never comes.” He charged the audience: “Youths are the leaders of today, we should lead now.” While acknowledging the Not Too Young to Run Bill as a milestone, he emphasized that its promise has not fully materialized, as youth participation remains low and political systems continue to marginalize young voices. His solution was simple and urgent: demand space, seize space, occupy space.
Adekunle Ajayi, a young 2023 governorship candidate in Ekiti State, shared experiences from his political journey. He spoke of structural barriers such as age restrictions, exorbitant nomination fees, financial exclusion, and the intimidation of youthful aspirants by entrenched elites. Often, youths are offered token positions that silence rather than empower them. Ajayi’s message to young persons at the conference, is to stop waiting for permission to lead. Instead, they must build strong ideas, rally communities, and boldly put their names on the ballot.
Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa and the leading advocate of the Not Too Young to Run movement, analyzed how Nigeria’s political class thrives on division and poverty. He pointed to the culture of godfatherism and urged youths to seek mentors whose values align with their own, rather than submitting to exploitative political sponsorship. He called on young people to join political parties, organize within them, contest elections, and protect internal democracy, stressing that “change will not be handed to us — it must be taken.”
Baba Aye, trade unionist and Global Health and Social Policy expert reminded participants that elections are only one battleground. To truly transform society, youth must embrace revolutionary ideas, build unity across class lines, and dismantle systems designed to keep citizens in perpetual survival mode.
The discussions also revisited the lessons of the 2020 nationwide #EndSARS protests, where Nigerian youths demonstrated their collective power to the world. While the movement forced government concessions, the responses were ultimately half-hearted and short-lived. The experience underscored the need for sustained organizing and political engagement.
The conference closed with a resounding charge to youth: to stop watching from the sidelines and start acting; to organize both online and offline; to demand genuine representation rather than accept crumbs; to run for office and defend their votes; and to work together across tribes, classes, and faiths. The conference ended with and affirmation that the struggle for democratic inclusion and rights protection will only be won when youth step fully into the arena of leadership.
