A succinct look at global leadership trends today shows that, the role of leadership is tilting towards the younger persons; France, Belgium, Qatar, North Korea, Tunisia, Greece, Canada, Poland, Georgia and so on. Economy-wise, these countries are doing great, too.
The best memories of our nation were when young people took up the mantle of leadership, the dividends of which we are enjoying today.
A close look at the history of Ghana shows how much the youth have featured prominently in political leadership and governance. But in recent times, the story is not exactly the same.
A world leader was once reported to have said that war is too important to be left to Generals alone; the implication of this statement is that a lot more than force is required in any situation, especially war.
A look at the voting demographic in this country show that most of the voting population falls within the category of the youth, so any political party, desirous of power must of necessity win this voting population.
The 2016 elections revealed so many defaults with the youth wing of the National Democratic Congress. The leader of the youth in the party, was at best a surplus to requirement, compared to his counterpart in the New Patriotic Party.
I could not believe my ears when on voting day of December 7, students of the premier university, University of Ghana, who wanted to travel to their various designations to vote, were left stranded without a bus to convey them.
The youth leader of the NPP, was on the UG campus to convey his supporters to their various destinations, he granted interviews to many radio stations, surprisingly the youth leader of the NDC, was nowhere to be found.
NDC supporters who complained and waited for a bus to no avail, had to join the buses provided by the NPP and they vowed to vote for them, after all to whom much is given, much is expected.
If you observe critically, you will discover that what most young voters are able to achieve on Election Day is to validate the options presented to the electorate by political parties.
What this means is that the voter is not really the one who wields political power, but the party people who decide the candidates we all vote for on election day. The far-reaching implication of this is that when party A and party B give us bad candidates, whichever candidate the majority decides ends up being a bad leader anyway and we have seen it, in the kind of governance president Akufo-Addo and the NPP, are dishing out to Ghanaians.
When a party is in government, it has a lot of people, including institutions talking for it; the difficulty is, when it is in opposition without the trappings of power.
The NDC, whatever mistake it made by electing Sidi Abubakar as its Youth Organizer can forgive him, but what the party cannot forgive is his apparent silence both in power and now opposition.
The youth of the party needs a rallying force, their leader must by now be engaging them, telling them to let go of the pains of the loss and pick up their arsenals for 2020. His voice should not be lost on them, they need hope, and the person who can give them that hope and reassure them is the youth leader.
The NDC, did not do well on virtually all the tertiary campuses in this country. From universities, to then polytechnics to the teacher training institutions, the performance of the party, was abysmal to say the least.
If the party could not capture the young and vibrant minds whiles in school, how does it hope to do, when they are out of school.
The problem of the no-show at the campuses, cannot be placed at the doorstep of only the Youth Organiser, but his actions and inactions, would determine whether any effort was made by him to write the wrong that predate him.
Sidi Abubakar, became the Youth Organiser, when the party had a lot of goodwill, but unfortunately party supporters, who had the opportunity to choose executives to lead the party, as happened to the Ghanaian electorate changed their coloured Television sets for black and white.
Sidi Abubakar is not alone is the square pegs the party voted for, in round holes, but as a youth myself, I am more concerned about the General leading the youth of the party.
His position is an enviable one, it has been occupied with people who left indelible marks on the psyche of the supporters. They have gone on to occupy sensitive and strategic national positions. The kind of youth front Sidi Abubakar inherited is not what he is leaving behind.
The future of the party rests on the youth, it is incumbent that, the yawning gap created by the lack of interest of the youth leader, to bridge the gap between the elderly and the youth be bridged, if the elderly are going to have hope and assurance in the ability of the youth to take over the party, when they are no longer there.
Greed, selfish ambition, lack of capacity and “over-competition” have conspired to weaken the ability of Ghanaian youths to collaborate effectively as a united front that advances the well-being of young Ghanaians.
Sidi Abubakar must wake up and face the reality that his work goes beyond just bearing the title Youth Organiser, he must be seen and heard, working for the advancement of the interest of not only the youth of the National Democratic Congress, but Ghanaians.
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