The non-governmental organization Gatefield Impact launched the “Engaging Students in Democratic Discourse Across Nigeria” project, themed FRAME Democracy, at Bayero University, Kano, today. This initiative aims to encourage public dialogue among students about the state of democracy in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the project representative from Gatefield impact, Mr. Mahmoud Jafar, said the initiative seeks to provide students across the country’s six geopolitical zones with a platform for open dialogue and debate, deepening their understanding of democratic principles and enhancing their ability to resist authoritarian influences.
Mr. Jafar added that the FRAME Democracy Project involves a series of 2-hour sessions held at higher education institutions. These forums, named “Frame Democracy,” are designed to foster conversations among students about the values of democracy and the challenges it faces.
While speaking, Prof. Kamilu Sani Fagge of the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano, opened the roundtable discussion by highlighting the distortions in Nigeria’s democracy over the past 25 years.
Prof. Fagge pointed out several factors that have hindered democratic progress. According to him, “The fiscal processes of elections and the enormous amounts of money spent during democratic processes, categorization and value of youth involvement in Nigerian politics, tracing their roles back to the independence and pre-independence eras, and the role of youth during the Nigerian civil war from 1967-1970, comparing and contrasting the engagement and impact of youth then and now.”
The university don also addressed the role of youth in today’s political landscape, noting issues such as the inability to organize effectively and limited access to political processes, along with changes in behavior over time.
The Kano Programmes Manager of the Arewa, Wazobia, and Cool FM Radio stations, Prince Daniel Aboki, contributed to the discussion by questioning whether Nigerians truly celebrate the achievements of democracy over the past 25 years.
Prince Aboki emphasized the importance of freedom of speech and expression as fundamental gains brought by democracy.
Dinatu Emmanuel Ishaku, Founder of Kasham Girls, Women, Youth, and Community Development Network (KGWYCD), highlighted the significant role of women in democracy, discussing how they have become pivotal figures in political processes.
According to her, the active participation of women in decision-making and politics remains important if Nigeria is to achieve equality, sustainable development, peace, and democracy.
She noted that while women have the fundamental right to participate in political life, most of them still face many social, cultural, and financial challenges.
The Head of the Department of Public Administration, Bayero University Kano (BUK), Dr. Sa’idu Ahmad Dukawa, addressed the dilemmas facing Nigerian youth, emphasizing their disorganization and limited access to political engagement.
He questioned whether studying political education could mitigate these issues.
Dr. Dukawa responded that while political education alone may not solve all problems, it can help set the stage for some improvements. “Youth engagement at all levels will help in peace-building, community development, and economic growth in this current democratic circle,” he added.
He concluded that Nigeria as a country must begin to look inward by actively engaging the youth in mainstream governance to bring enduring solutions to the numerous problems facing the country.
“When the youth are well catered for, there won’t be a need for them to join bad gangs and engage in other illicit acts,” Dr. Dukawa emphasized.
