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Gen Z: young people now Politically aware because of Peter Obi

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Generation Z or Gen Z as commonly called are people born between 1998 and early the 2000’s, they are the crop of young adults today who are trying to shift the paradigm.

It is often said that children are the leaders of tomorrow, even though in Nigeria it seems to be a different case as the leaders we knew while growing up are still holding unto the leadership positions today.

When asked why he hasn’t retired from vying for political office to give room for young people to run, former Vice President Atiku responded by saying “they should fight and take the power”, in a supposed challenge, throwing the gauntlet at young Nigerians to rise up and not wait to be handed power but infiltrate the system, fight for elective positions and also be key deciders on who leads them.

This was a wake up call, but did they heed this call? No, they didn’t, not at the time.

An average Gen Z in Nigeria isn’t interested in politics, so many of them are still trying to find themselves. Some are immersed in their academic pursuits and social life so much so that politics is a far reach.

This is partly because most of them are still under their parents wings, they don’t pay their bills yet and it’s only natural for them to not be in sync with reality.

Speaking in the popular Nigerian pidgin parlance, my friend would tell his youngest brother “you still dey chop ‘mama thankyou’ so you no go understand as economy take hard”, simply put, “you are still eating mummy’s food and so you may not understand the cost of feeding in today’s economy”.

This was the narrative until Peter Obi came into the picture. Most of them were concerned with their many personal issues but the Peter Obi wave somehow managed to capture their attention and they are now major proponents of the OBIdient cause.

How did this happen?

Peter Obi has the appeal to every age strata especially the young Nigerians because he managed to inspire hope. He made the youths believe that they alone have the power to take back their country and not the so called leaders squandering the commonwealth of the country.

Peter Obi has given insight on how he works with young people and how he’s fully aware of what they can bring to the table. He has always mentioned that young people are the reason for his many successes.

He himself made it as a youth, becoming a multi-millionaire in his 20’s and a billionaire in his early 30’s wherein he became the youngest chairman of a Nigerian Bank at 34 when he assumed the huncho position at Fidelity bank in 1996, so he understands what young people are capable of and is exploring it fully.

90% of Gen Z will be first time voters in the coming elections, they have a collective strength of about 10 million possible votes, this is a major voting bloc, over 75% of them are Peter Obi supporters.

The Gen Z will be a major decider in the 2023 presidential elections should they come out in their numbers to support the candidate of their choice.

“I didn’t have any interest in politics but after watching a few Peter Obi videos, I went on to register for my PVC and also encouraged my friends to do same” says Yemisi, a 200 level student of Obafemi Awolowo University, on why she will be voting in 2023 and who she supports.

The Gen Z are now fully politically aware and they are here to shift the paradigm.

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