Since independence violence has been a frequent practice and nearly every general election held in Nigeria has been affected by violence.
My mother used to tell me stories of how people are fighting and killing themselves, so ever since I was a young child when an election is approaching i always had this fear.
A lot of bad things happen during election which results to loss of lives and properties.
My people! As Election day is quickly approaching with only a few days left. I've heard reports and seen evidence in my community of politicians using some young people as weapons of violence. Let everyone know that no matter what we do, our lives are much more valuable than the meager sums of money we are given to use as justification for violence against others.
Let everyone know that voting is about exercising one's freedom to choose their candidates, not battling someone else because they did not vote for their preferred candidate. Please let know our point of view can never be the same, with that I don't see any reason why we should let politicians use us as a tool of violence.
Please i urge my fellow youths to refrain from letting any politician take advantage of us and we should turn out in large numbers on election days to cast our votes for the betterment of this country. As we all pray for free and fair election may we all witness it. Amen
Op many Nigerian youths are money mongers so no matter what you say here they will still allow themselves to be used by the political class because of money, we have forgotten that the good change of this country is in our hands, then you cut across both the military and paramilitary so with the power we have as the youths, we can say no to impunity, I have watched closely and I find out that the problem of this country is not only the people at the helm of affair, the problem is also as a result of the security personal who are youth in majority that keeps protecting criminals as leaders, election is meant to be free and fair if only our leaders are sincere but the story is different, we have underperformed leaders who are ready to do anything to assume power.
You are right, and another thing to even think about is the fact that the youths who usually give themselves up to be used as tools for violence during elections periods are not even on this forum, and no way they can see or read the op's advice, but all the same, this won't be the first, neither is it the second, or the last they will read or hear people giving such advice, and will still go on to do what ever they please all in name of money.
Coming back the leadership of this country called Nigeria, the reason we might never get it right when it comes to choosing leaders is the fact that our political system has be turned into one big business empire where people just go and become rich over night, people are not fighting to become leaders in Nigeria to serve or govern the people, but are fighting to become leaders to enrich themselves.
Until we develop a system where leaders have no choice but to serve the people, and when they don't, they are shamefully and disgracefully thrown out of office, we may never find the right people to lead this country.