As Nigeria prepares for its highly anticipated youth conference in early 2025, policy researcher Emmanuella Arikpo has raised concerns over the prevailing culture of corruption among young Nigerians attending such events. In a direct challenge to youths, she urged them to attend the conference with the intention of addressing critical national issues, not just to collect handouts.
Arikpo, a prominent voice on socio-political matters, highlighted the disturbing trend where youths often attend government-led conferences primarily for the financial benefits they offer, rather than engaging in constructive dialogue. Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, Arikpo emphasized that the upcoming conference, which follows a series of youth-driven protests and national demands, should be used to address pressing challenges like job insecurity, security concerns, and governance reforms.
In the wake of the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in August 2024, Nigerian youths made their frustrations known, taking to the streets to demand action on issues such as hunger, high living costs, and corruption. The protests, which saw young people marching across the country for ten consecutive days, also called for a reversal of the controversial petrol subsidy removal and a reduction in the cost of governance.
The protests put the Nigerian government on alert, with President Bola Tinubu responding by announcing a national youth conference during his Independence Day speech on October 1, 2024. This move was seen as an attempt to address the grievances of the youth, a critical demographic in the country. Tinubu further confirmed that the conference would take place within the first quarter of 2025, tasking the youth ministry with organizing the event.
However, Arikpo believes that the upcoming conference should be more than just a platform for political theatre. In her opinion, past youth conferences have often been tainted by corruption, with many attendees focusing more on receiving monetary rewards than contributing meaningful solutions to national issues.
Arikpo, who has been an active participant in youth-related summits, shared her frustrations with the recurring patterns at these events. “Oftentimes, when people go to conferences like this, they are corrupt. We learn from the best, so we go to these places, and we are expecting the packages after; we are not there to speak about what we want because we don’t want to offend these people,” she explained. She urged youths to prioritize the future of Nigeria over personal gain.
The researcher didn’t mince words when she warned youths against attending the conference with the expectation of financial handouts. “If you are invited to the conference in 2025, and you are coming to speak to the president, do not go there and think about the N50,000 you are going to get at the end of the show because it is going to be a show,” Arikpo stated.
Her remarks serve as a call for deeper reflection among young Nigerians, who often find themselves caught in the cycle of patronage and handouts, rather than pushing for tangible reforms. She emphasized that the focus of the conference should be on issues that truly matter, such as job creation, security, and empowering youths to build sustainable entrepreneurial ventures.
Arikpo’s appeal for meaningful dialogue comes at a time when many youths feel disillusioned with the political process. After years of failed promises from successive administrations, many young Nigerians have become skeptical of government initiatives and conferences that promise change but fail to address systemic problems.
“Dialogue is good. Conversations are okay. But the thing is, we need to ensure that these discussions lead to concrete actions. If we are going to talk about security, let’s talk about real reforms, not just changing uniforms or renaming units,” Arikpo said, stressing the importance of focusing on real issues like reforming the police force and improving the state of the armed forces.
Arikpo also underscored the urgency of tackling job insecurity and unemployment, which remain major concerns for young Nigerians. She noted that many youths attend these conferences only to receive symbolic gestures like N50,000, which does little to address the structural challenges they face in securing meaningful employment. “What you should desire is a country that works for you,” she urged.
A Call for True Leadership and Accountability
In her call for reform, Arikpo stressed the importance of holding the government accountable and ensuring that the voices of young people are heard. She stated, “If we are going to talk about good governance, let’s talk about ending bad governance in a meaningful way. It’s not enough to talk about collapsing ministries or merging agencies — what matters is how we can make these institutions work better for Nigerians.”
As 2025 draws closer, young Nigerians are gearing up for what they hope will be a pivotal moment in the country’s political landscape. With the youth population representing a significant portion of Nigeria’s electorate, their engagement in the upcoming conference will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping the direction of the nation’s future.
Arikpo’s message is clear: the upcoming conference must not be another platform for political grandstanding or empty promises. Instead, it should be an opportunity for the youth to have a real and honest conversation about the future they want to see, one that transcends the shallow promises of handouts and addresses the deep-seated issues plaguing Nigeria.