Youths Warned Against Trading Growth for Political Favour
YOUTHS, PLEASE LISTEN……
Neglecting your own growth on the altar of politics is a mistake many young people do not realise until much later. There is a growing trend where youths devote their strength, time, and even personal resources to pushing the ambitions of political figures, attending meetings, defending them online and offline, and hoping that one day their loyalty will be rewarded. In the process, they abandon their own development, their education, their skills, and their long term plans. What feels like being “active” and “relevant” in the moment often turns out to be a cycle of dependency with little to show for it.
Politics in itself is not the problem. It becomes a problem when it replaces personal responsibility. When a young person knows every slogan, every rival, and every internal party issue, yet has no clear career path, no growing skill, and no stable source of income, something is wrong. The truth is that political actors will always prioritise their own interests first, and when the season changes, many of those who shouted the loudest are left behind to start from scratch. You will hear, they used me.
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There is also the danger of misplaced identity. Some youths begin to see themselves only through the lens of the politician they support. Their voice is no longer their own, their thinking becomes tied to another person’s ambition, and their worth is measured by proximity to power rather than personal achievement. This is risky, because power is not permanent, and loyalty in politics is rarely reciprocated in equal measure.
A wiser approach is balance. Be politically aware, even involved if you choose, but do not trade your future for access. Build your own capacity, invest in your education or business, develop skills that can stand on their own, and create a life that is not dependent on political favour. When you have something of your own, your involvement in politics becomes a choice, not a survival strategy.
At the end of the day, the most respected voices in any political space are not the loudest supporters, but those who have built themselves to a point where they cannot be ignored. Your first responsibility is to yourself. If you fail there, no amount of loyalty to others will truly compensate for what you have lost.
Don’t say we didn’t advocate for you to listen.
Fanisi Babatunde, Ph.D
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, MARCH 21ST 2026)
