Ayo Makun, a comedian and filmmaker, said one of the reasons some players in the entertainment industry refuse to endorse a political candidate is to save their careers.
“You know that when you pick a side and you pass the message you want to pass, at the end of the day, pray that that party wins,” Makun said. “If that party doesn’t win, you will become redundant for another eight years, and everything about you will be questionable.
“That is why you see some of these entertainers not coming out to declare who they are voting for, but some of us are bold enough to do what we are doing at the moment,” he said.
The comedian disclosed this in his address Thursday at a discussion organised by the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos.
Themed ‘Youth Involvement in the Democratic Process,’ the event was to draw awareness to the impacts of youth participation in politics.
“This event was to encourage Nigerians to make sure that the election is peaceful and that the results are respected,” said Mary Catherine Phee, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.
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“You know your system better than any outsider, and the kind of activity we do here is to support and share our experiences if it will be useful for you.”
Also speaking at the event, Olamilekan Agbeleshe, a rapper and songwriter, said the election was made too expensive and that’s how young people and women were disenfranchised strategically.
“There is an increase in price for nomination forms to contest in any election while there is a decrease in the standard of living,” the Big Brother Naija season 5 winner said.
“Also, the #Not Too Young To Run bill that was passed into law reduced the ages of contestants, but the money to buy forms went up; so it’s not a young to run law, but a not too poor to run one.
“Youths and women’s interest in politics is declining because the standard of living has fallen, prices of goods, as well as nomination fees to contest an election, are going up,” he continued.
“However, what the youths can do is to try and find a way to go in there and change the system.”
In the same vein, Kafayat Oluwatoyin Shafau, a choreographer and dance instructor popularly known as ‘Kaffy’, said: “As youths, political participation is your civic responsibility and the obligation of a great Nigeria is on the neck of every Nigerian.
“No matter the stress you’ve gone through to get your PVC, be focused, stay woke, turn up at the polling booth, and cast your vote come February 25. Because it’s not about the large numbers, just about enough numbers. You the youths out there have the power to force leadership to do the right thing.”
On his part, Abdulkareem Olayinka, Vice President YALI RLC Alumni Nigeria, one of the participants, said: “We are at the right time and we have to do the right thing by participating in the election.
“I learned that as youths, we need to change our mindset, look beyond our personal interest, and put the interest of the nation first,” he said.
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