THE ROLE OF THE YOUTH IN THE REBRANDING NIGERIA PROJECT.

Currently in the president Alhaj Musa Yar'Adua administration under the chairpersonship of the honorable minister of information and communication,the country Nigeria is undergoing re branding.This is due to the wrong impression about the country Nigeria in the world over.The country was in the time past acclaimed the world third most corrupt country.So to save our country from the ugly perception,the president,as part of his seven point agenda,brought up a project he termed re branding Nigeria project in conjunction with the ministry of information and communications.
This project is like a fight.A fight comparable to that of the fight for independence.Our forefathers fought for independence and won it.But now the problem is not the oppressions experienced by our people during the colonial era because of the fight for independence but ways of sustaining the sovereignty of the country.
Re branding Nigeria is not an easy project but it is possible because we can achieve it.All we need to do first is to understand the core meaning of the concept very well.
But we must understand that this project cannot be feasible if certain grades of citizens like the youth,the teachers,the commuter drivers and their conductors,doctors and nurses,students in the university,market women,traders in the market etc.
The youth comprises the young men and women whose age is between 15-30 years.They are the engine house of the development of any country.They are the no-do-withous in the governance of the country.They are the driving force of the economy of our nation.Nigeria as a nation cannot undergo complete re branding without the youth.The youth contributes about 60% of the gross domestic product (GDP)of this nation.Also about 65% of the working population of the country is made up of the youth.So,attention must be paid to their activities more than any other interest group
As much as possible,young people should not be allowed to roam the streets joblessly.To avoid this,one of those reasons why youngsters are oftenm found in the streets is the incessant strike action among teachers in the federation.The federal government should make effort to see that teachers in the primary,post-primary and tertiary institutions are paid as at when due.To control youth's involvement in political thuggery,government should provide them with gainful employment avoid them being idle during electoral periods.To curtail youth's choice of motor park touting, government has to reform the road transport sector of the economy so as to maintain effective management in our motor parks.The youth should be well oriented so as to understand that migration to foreign lands cannot do us any reasonable good.They should understand that their limitless effort in Nation building especially in terms of industrialization is not neglected.They should change their mind set as regards their perceptions about the events in the country.Even mere citing of the prophetic stanzas contained in our national anthem reminds us the youth that the labour of our leaders past shall never be in vain if only we can change our mind and attitude.And also if only we can change our mind set towards our nation.All hands must be on the deck.Until these things are done,the re branding Nigeria project will always appear to the world like a mirage.It will come to futility.