#NotaLazyNigerianYouth: MR. President, Nigerian Youths Demand An Urgent Public Apology Within 14 Days!
- Target:
- PRESIDENT MOHAMMADU BUHARI
- Region:
- Nigeria
For the record, The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that 29 million Nigerians under labour force were unemployed, and more than 80% of them were youths that massively VOTED for President Buhari in 2015 general elections. Also among the 77.6 million people who were engaged in some extent of economic activity, 29.66 million people were self-employed, engaged in agriculture and 21.66 million were self-employed in non-agricultural sectors. Again, about 80% (51.32 million) of these hardworking self-employed Nigerians are young people. Most of whom have won several award both home and abroad.
Recall that, under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari who is seeking re-election in 2019, unemployment has climbed from 8.2% in 2015 to 18.8% in 2018. Many of us want to work but have no opportunities. Even though most youth today are willing and able to work, the corrupt system in Nigeria has not provided them with the needed enabling environment. It is evident that the Nigerian system makes life unbearable for youths.
Despite the unemployment rate in the country, the Nigerian youths are resolute to pursue academic excellence. UTME 2018 database revealed that 1, 502, 978 candidates registered for the 2018 UTME test and 88% of the applicants were youths while hundreds of thousands of young people graduates from universities across the country annually.
Nigeria accounts for one in every eight child deaths globally. Every single day the country loses more than 2,000 children under-five to diseases, while 158 Nigerian women die from pregnancy or childbirth related illnesses. Are the dying children and innocent pregnant women also lazy and uneducated?
Despite being Africa’s biggest economy, Nigeria proportionately spends very little on the health of its citizens and is failing to meet its promises on health spending made in the Abuja Declaration 15 years ago.
Even though Nigeria is suffering from the devastating effects of having almost 20 million housing deficits, 99% of her enterprising youths have never benefited from any government’s ‘special housing scheme’ to lessen their sufferings.
We, the undersigned dignified Nigerian youths, call on the National Assembly and the Governors Forum to present this petition to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari, to tender an unreserved Public Apology to her resourceful youth within 14 days, for the derogatory comments made against the Nigerian youths.
While noting with colossal disappointment that the president, who ought to be a source of inspiration and chief brand ambassador to young Nigerians, stated that “A lot of them haven't been to school and they are claiming, you know, that Nigeria has been an oil producing country therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, health care, education, free’’ as the worst statement any head of state can make about his people in a foreign land. The recent verbal assault of Mr. President on Nigerian youths indicates that his blame game attitudes has hit a destructive climax.
In view of this international embarrassment, we affirm with the strongest term, that the British youths are neither more intelligent nor laborious than the Nigerian youths. The Nigerian youths are not lazy! They only need the system to display their strength, luminosity and values and are ready to VOTE in a better leader capable of creating such system of equal opportunities for all and respect the youths, in the coming elections.
Therefore, we the youths demand for a public apology from Mr. President within 14 days, of receiving this petition, as we mobilize over 36 million young Nigerians- armed with their PVC- to sign this petition both online and offline. Failure to apologise within this period, we shall respond with our PVC during the coming 2019 presidential election and the rest will be history!
God bless Nigeria. God bless her highly industrious youths.
Twitter: #Notalazynaija Facebook: @notalazynaijayouth
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it