When will Nigerian youths lead?

For months, I tried to avoid commenting on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s fourth attempt at becoming president of Nigerian under a democratic rule, but the more I dodged it, the more I became burdened and restless, until it dawned on me that conscience is an open wound; only the truth can heal it, apology to Uthman Dan Fodio.
Truth, no matter how harsh or bitter it sounds, must be told because we cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by dodging it today. After listening to Gen. Buhari’s presidential declaration speech with keen interest and rapt attention, I lost my peace, not because of his ethnic affiliation and religious background, but for the important fact that I am a Nigerian youth who, for decades now, has been buying the dummy being dished out by Nigerian leaders that we are the leaders of tomorrow.

As I was listening to the speech, I started meditating on this over-used phrase, “leaders of tomorrow”. I can recall vividly that I was still an unborn baby unconscious of myself when Gen. Buhari toppled Nigeria’s nascent democracy in 1983, which paved way for him to become the Head of State. While still listening to his speech, my mind connected to infinite intelligence, while mind-illuminating and thought provoking questions began racing through my restless mind.
I fell into the deep ocean of introspection and reflection on Gen. Buhari’s ambition of emerging Nigeria’s president in 2015 election after over 30 consecutive years since he left office as military Head of State.
I started asking myself the following questions: what is the  definition of “leaders of tomorrow”? This tomorrow, is it forever? When will my tomorrow as a future leader come? How does Gen. Buhari feel whenever he sees Nigerian youths who were born when he was holding sway as Command-in-Chief becoming fathers and mothers now, and are now trailblazers in their different facets of life?
What will be going in his mind after trying to determine the political future of these youths for more than three decades now by contesting and re-contesting for 16 years running? Does Gen. Buhari really believe in the youths of this country? If yes, what is he still doing in the presidential race while his fellow big masquerades have left the political stage for young Turks? There is a proverb that a child that does not die must live to become an adult. Are our older politicians students of this school of thought? Are Nigerian youths not competent to handle the affairs of this country?
While still reflecting, I asked my fellow youths these questions: can Gen. Buhari make a visionary and dynamic leader in a 21st century country?
Can he condone excesses of Nigerian youths on the social media as a president, knowing his antecedents as a military head of state? Why can’t Gen. Buhari groom a youth amongst his followers to continue with his struggle for change? If he cannot trust a younger politician to become the APC’s presidential candidate, is he not indirectly telling us that he does not believe in us?
Until answers are given to these mindboggling questions, Nigerian youths may continue to reject Gen. Buhari at the polls, as they commenced in 2003 general elections and may repeat in 2015 elections, unless he tells us how Nigerian youths will become leaders of this great nation—while we still have our great grandfathers contesting for political offices.
Former United States President, John. F. Kennedy, after x-raying the dynamism of life said, “Change is a law of life; those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future”. Change by its definition, is dynamic and transitory—certainly apt in a fast evolving world. It is now obvious that the world of the 21st century has become complex.
Leaders of today’s world are elected based on their ability to drive change using fast ideas, in which the youths of those nations are always at the forefront.
The trend in the developed democracies at least judging by Britain and the United States is towards national leaders who are relatively young. David Cameron is the youngest British Prime Minister in 200 years. He was 43 when he became Prime Minister. In the same vein, Barack Obama is the youngest American President alive, having being voted into the exalted office at 47.
A recent study revealed that more than half of American Presidents at inauguration were between the ages of 51 and 57. The same study informs that Americans tend not to vote for presidential candidates who are over 64. There are exceptions, the most notable being that of Ronald Regan who came into office a few days to his 70th birthday. But, in matters like these, it is unwise to bank on the odd chance.
Based on the precedent set in the developed democracies of the world where we borrowed ours, the world is drifting towards youthful leaders, and Nigeria cannot be isolated. In the light of the foregoing, Gen. Buhari will be 73 years next year; God willing. He has been technically knocked-out by age-factor as far as 2015 presidential election is concerned, because Nigerian’s political destiny cannot be hinged on one man!
Nigerian youths have been voting for decades now, without being given the chance to be voted for