Omoyele Sowore, the presidential candidate for the African Action Congress (AAC), has launched a scathing criticism of the Federal Government’s upcoming National Youth Conference. According to Sowore, the initiative is nothing more than a ploy to reward a select group of young people who are closely linked to President Bola Tinubu’s son, Seyi Tinubu, and their associates, rather than addressing the real issues faced by Nigeria’s youth.
Sowore’s accusations come on the heels of an announcement by President Bola Tinubu on October 1, in which he revealed plans to establish a National Youth Conference. The goal of the confab, as stated by the president, is to provide a platform for the country’s young population—who make up over 60% of Nigeria’s citizens—to discuss the various challenges and opportunities they face.
However, Sowore, who has positioned himself as a staunch critic of the current administration, claims that the proposed conference is more about politics and patronage than it is about genuine youth empowerment. He voiced these concerns while speaking on Lunchtime Politics, a popular television programme, on Wednesday.
“This so-called conference is designed to compensate some young people who are in their corner. These are probably Seyi Tinubu’s friends, not Nigerian youths,” Sowore alleged during his appearance. “They are only calling certain people to the table, the ones they know will not rock the boat.”
Sowore’s remarks reflect his ongoing criticism of the government’s treatment of Nigeria’s youth, which he says has been consistently neglectful. He went further to claim that the government’s plan is an attempt to create the illusion of youth involvement in governance while sidestepping the voices of the country’s more politically active and discontented youth.
“If I’m invited to this conference, I will not attend. It is a joke. Nothing will come out of it,” Sowore said with conviction. “This is not about finding solutions for the youth; it’s about making a few individuals feel like they belong, while the real problems continue to fester.”
The National Youth Conference was announced by President Tinubu during his Independence Day address, where he called it an essential step to address the nation’s social and economic challenges. “Our youths represent the future of this nation, and it is imperative that we provide them with the space to discuss their issues and propose solutions,” Tinubu stated at the time, positioning the conference as a beacon of hope for young Nigerians.
But for Sowore, the conference appears to be a superficial gesture that serves the interests of a select few. He believes the government’s intentions are far from altruistic. Instead of uniting young Nigerians to create meaningful change, Sowore argues that the gathering will be nothing more than a tokenistic event for those who already have political and economic influence.
“The government cannot afford to have the real youths on the table,” Sowore continued. “They want to create a platform where a handpicked group of people will talk, get compensated, and leave with nothing. It is a classic case of giving the appearance of doing something while actually doing nothing.”
Sowore’s sentiments echo a growing skepticism among many Nigerians about the effectiveness of government initiatives aimed at youth engagement. While the conference may be seen as a positive step by some, there are others who feel it is just another distraction that does not address the underlying issues of unemployment, education, and social justice that plague the youth of Nigeria.
In fact, Sowore’s remarks also underscore the longstanding divide between Nigeria’s political elite and the growing number of young Nigerians who are disillusioned with the status quo. The AAC candidate believes that the real solution to Nigeria’s challenges lies not in ceremonial conferences, but in real, grassroots political action.
“If young people really want to take over the reins of power in Nigeria, they don’t need conferences like this,” Sowore argued. “What they need is unity. They need to come together, without being co-opted by the political establishment, and work towards real change.”
Sowore’s stance on youth involvement in politics has always been clear. As an activist, he has repeatedly called for the dismantling of the current political structure, which he claims perpetuates corruption and inequality. His criticism of the National Youth Conference follows this narrative, emphasizing that any real progress for Nigerian youth will only come from outside the established political system.
While Sowore’s comments have sparked a great deal of controversy, they also reflect the broader dissatisfaction felt by many Nigerians, especially the youth, with the current administration. Despite the rhetoric of youth empowerment, there is a palpable sense of disillusionment among young people who feel excluded from the political process and ignored by those in power.
The question now remains: Will the National Youth Conference actually result in tangible benefits for Nigeria’s youth, or will it be yet another exercise in political theatre? For Sowore and many others, the answer is clear.
“It’s a scheme. A plan to reward their friends and cover up the failures of this government,” he said. “If the government truly wants to address the problems of the youth, they need to stop with the illusions and start taking real action.”
With the conference set to take place in the coming months, many are watching closely to see what, if anything, will emerge from the event. For now, however, Sowore’s bold claims have added another layer of skepticism to the proceedings, and the question of whether the youth will truly have a voice in the future of Nigeria remains as pressing as ever.
President Bola Tinubu’s announcement of the National Youth Conference was part of his broader vision for the country, where he has promised various initiatives to address the youth population’s concerns. The confab is part of a wider effort to engage young people in discussions about national challenges, but critics have questioned whether it will lead to concrete changes or simply be a tool for political manipulation.
Omoyele Sowore, the founder of the Sahara Reporters news platform, has long been an outspoken critic of Nigeria’s political elites. His 2019 presidential campaign centered around themes of anti-corruption and the need for greater youth participation in governance. Despite not winning the election, Sowore’s calls for reform and his accusations of systemic corruption continue to resonate with many Nigerians who feel that the political system is stacked against them.
