Opinion: Nigeria’s young voters aren’t done yet

Editor’s Note: Rinu Oduala is the founder and director of Connect Hub Nigeria, an online platform for building social networks and organizing mass movements. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion on CNN.

Lagos
CNN
 — 

As the sun began to rise over the bustling city of Lagos, Nigeria, a group of young people dressed in t-shirts and jeans were already gathered outside a polling station.

Joining the slow-moving queue, these young, educated voters had one common goal – to make a difference.

They had grown up in a country plagued by corruption, poverty and political instability, and were tired of waiting for change to come from the top. They remember the day, in October 2020, when the sound of gunshots and screams filled the air as the military opened fire on unarmed protesters in Lagos, the second-largest city in Africa – in what became known as the “Lekki toll gate shooting.”

At the time, young Nigerians, who had been peacefully protesting against alleged police brutality for weeks, faced violence at the hands of security operatives. Many were injured, some maimed, and others lost their lives.

Fast forward to Nigeria’s recent controversial presidential election, and the memory of those protests lingered for young voters like those lining up in the early morning sun. Young voters carry with them the scars of the violence that they faced in 2020. They remember the tear gas, gunshots and violence, and the friends and loved ones who were injured or killed. The protests were both a critical moment and the culmination of years of anger and disillusionment with the system, which has failed to address the needs and aspirations of Nigeria’s youth.

But despite the trauma and tragedy of those days, they remain determined to make their voices heard. These young Nigerians are driven by a sense of justice, a determination to hold those in power accountable for their actions and a belief in the power of collective action to bring about change.

As a 24-year-old Nigerian, I am part of one of the largest youth populations in the world. We are energetic, ambitious and full of hope for our future. However, we face politicians who are older, are often disconnected…