Falana Urges Nigerian Youths to Challenge Those in Power

Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria and renowned human rights lawyer, has called on Nigerian youths to rise up and challenge the nation’s leadership in a bid to reclaim the country from poor governance.

Speaking at the sixth Annual Youth Leadership Conference held in Lagos on Saturday, Falana emphasized the need for youth engagement in politics and national discourse. The event, themed ‘Resilience and Innovation’, brought together young leaders and change agents from across the country.

“You will have to challenge those who are in power when you have access to them because some of them in power today belong to our generation,” Falana said. “We didn’t suffer what you are going through. We lived a life of dignity.”

He noted that his generation had big dreams for Nigeria, fueled by the country’s rich human and natural resources, but expressed disappointment at the current state of affairs.

According to Falana, the time is now for the younger generation to take responsibility and be inspired to fight for justice and national progress. He urged them to draw motivation from the works of iconic African musicians who championed social justice.

“You’re told this country is poor. Quote me: it’s not poor. We suffer from material poverty because there is poverty of ideas,” he added.

Falana’s call comes amid growing youth disillusionment with the political class and a renewed push for youth participation in leadership across various sectors.