Former Jigawa State Governor, Dr Sule Lamido, has warned that Nigeria’s political class may be creating a dangerous leadership gap by using young Nigerians for political battles instead of preparing them to govern the country.
Lamido said the youths being mobilised today to defend politicians, attack opponents and fight over political interests would eventually take over leadership, asking what kind of leaders Nigeria was preparing them to become.
He spoke in Dutse during activities marking his 78th birthday, at an event chaired by former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
The former governor challenged political leaders to look beyond their immediate struggle for power and invest in the character and development of the younger generation.
“We seem to have abandoned the youth,” Lamido said.
He criticised the growing practice of turning young Nigerians into political foot soldiers, saying many youths in their 20s and early 30s were becoming more committed to individual politicians than to national development.
Lamido said young people were being drawn into bitter political battles in the name of governors, presidential candidates and other political figures, while receiving little mentoring on leadership, integrity and public service.
He said the danger would become clearer when the politicians dominating today’s political space were no longer around.
“When they go in 25 years, they are going to be our leaders. So what are we doing to save them? That is my concern,” he said.
Lamido said the current political generation should not assume that its influence would last forever, stressing that the younger Nigerians being neglected today would eventually inherit the country.
“Beyond this whole Lamido, Atiku, Tinubu, Peter Obi and all this, we are just a passing phase,” he said.
According to him, the real issue is not who dominates the political space today but whether Nigeria is producing young people capable of providing responsible leadership tomorrow.
He questioned the practice of using youths as “political labourers” and “political mercenaries”, arguing that political parties should not become a reason for young Nigerians to see one another as enemies.
Lamido said young Nigerians needed deliberate mentoring in character, integrity, empathy, friendship and a sense of national responsibility.
He urged youths belonging to different political parties to recognise that their political affiliations would change, while their shared future as Nigerians would remain.
“No matter your party, whether you are PDP, APC or any other party, you share something as youth,” he said.
Lamido also recalled the political environment of his youth, saying leaders of his generation exposed young Nigerians to mentorship rather than turning them against one another.
He cited figures including the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa as leaders who, according to him, helped groom younger Nigerians.
“They were simply grooming us, mentoring us and giving us character formation,” he said.
Lamido said the challenge before today’s political leaders was whether they were giving young Nigerians the same opportunities for mentorship and character development that his generation received.
“The issue is, are we giving our youth what we got when we were 25? That is the challenge,” he said.
He warned that without a change in approach, young Nigerians could learn political opportunism rather than the values required for public service.
“What is the lesson for the younger generation? What are they learning from us? Opportunism? That is my worry,” Lamido said.
The former governor urged young Nigerians to look beyond the politicians they currently support and focus on the future they would eventually share as leaders and citizens.
“We are from the same generation, we have a common future. We have a future which we share in common. What do we do about it?” he asked.
The event was held under the theme, “Nurturing Youths in Purpose-Driven Politics for the Building of a New Nigeria,” with paper presentations and panel discussions focusing on youth development, political values and nation-building.