Youth & Governance with Mojisola Ohiero

Abigail Mojisola Ohiero is an Author, Social Entrepreneur, and Politician. Her working career has with the Public Complaints Commission, Calabar, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), DBN TV, and as the Lagos Bureau Chief for South-South amongst others. She is a firm believer in training and development. Frequently she comes to the aid of women with small grants to help them start a trade with which they are able to support their family. As a professional writer and editor, she holds workshops to train talented people as well as writing enthusiasts. She is currently vying for the post of House of representatives- Ikeja Federal Constituency under the SDP party.

Below is a summary of the Interview Youth & Governance with Mojisola Ohiero

She spoke on issues bothering on the ‘not too young to run bill’, godfatherism, Youth Empowerment amongst others. Mojisola whilst recounting her childhood days, recalled that growing up, she did enjoy reading and in turn, loved to write as writing was a way of expressing herself.

The journey to Politics, according to her had started when she had looked around and discovered that things weren’t going on well, amidst this a number of them had gathered together to find a way to move the country forward, so in 2017 they began the process. Sharing her journey on youth empowerment, the social entrepreneur recounted a number of experiences where she was involved with youths in her early stages. Citing instances, she recalled at one time admonishing a male youth, encouraging him to go to school and now hereafter he had gotten a Ph.D. and now resides in the US. Similarly, she also recalled that during her first year in the University she had met a Lady who was at the time tending her cousin and upon several encouragements, the lady was able to go back to school and now hereafter she had become a graduate of the University.

Discussing youths in governance whilst speaking on the ‘not too young to run bill’, Mojisola opined that although the bill had been passed in the last year just a number of youths can be said to have worked on themselves. In a similar vein, she ruled out the popular motive behind the ‘not too young to rule’ bill saying that governing shouldn’t be handed to the youths without ado. She opined that the reason behind this line of thought looking at when the basic question of ‘what are you doing in the Student Union Government?’ is directed to the youths on campus, there is usually no response. “How many during the electioneering period have offered to volunteer to work for a candidate?”, she quipped. With this, she advised that youths start somewhere, hone their skills, be prepared, mentored, trained and equipped so when the time does come, they will be able to perform.

Speaking on concerns that youths are to deal with such as having their own party, she ruled out the need for it saying that it wasn’t of a necessity that the older generation steps aside for the youth to rule as it could be an infusion of the two. In a similar vein, she cited the electioneering process in Malaysia where youths were allowed to intern as public office holders while they are gradually prepared and equipped for office. Discussing the situation in Nigeria, she opined that although the same structure could be seen in Nigeria still it was a case of some person serving his boss who is then pushed into the society ready or not, to continue some private legacy of this boss and be only answerable to this boss.

Consequently, she urged the youths to get involved as they could only get experience and learn on the job if they are to ever run. On a further note, she advised that youths be united, forgetting the things that might divide them as if one is to continue to look within ethnic and religious ties, there will be a problem.