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Young Nigerians Aim for Political Office as Alternative to Protests

Timothy Obiezu

   ABUJA, NIGERIA - Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari addressed the
   nation late Thursday in response to weeks of protests calling for
   greater youth inclusion in Nigerian politics and an end to police
   brutality. The president urged young Nigerians to stay out of trouble,
   but critics say his address failed to highlight vital issues that are
   driving the demonstrations.
   Buhari's televised address came after nearly two weeks of widespread
   protests by thousands of youths in Nigeria.
   But the broadcast which lasted about 12 minutes has been widely
   criticized by citizens and human rights activists who say it lacked
   empathy and did not address the shooting of protesters at the Lekki
   toll gate in Lagos Tuesday.
   Human rights activist Aisha Yesufu has been part of the protests.
   "It just shows you the kind of person that the president is, and the
   kind of government that he is running, and the reason why they never
   listen to the yearnings of the people. He seems not to care, that is
   why he will do a speech and will not even mention the people that were
   killed, he will not even mention their families," Yesufu said.
   The protests to halt police brutality in Africa's most populous nation
   started out quickly and expanded to include a growing demand by
   Nigeria's younger citizens for better governance and inclusion in
   Nigerian politics.

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