Why many young people are tuning out of politics even as election campaigns grow louder, flashier, and more desperate to win their attention
On the morning of the election rally, Kunle sat on the edge of his bed scrolling endlessly. Posters flapped outside his window, loudspeakers blared promises from passing campaign vans, and yet his thumb kept moving, past videos, past slogans, past the future. When his friend shouted from the street, “Are you coming out to register?” Kunle didn’t answer. He locked his phone, lay back, and stared at the ceiling. Outside, democracy was campaigning hard. Inside, a young voter had quietly checked out.
That quiet withdrawal is becoming a defining feature of youth participation in politics, even as election campaigns grow louder, flashier, and more aggressive. Across cities and rural communities, candidates crisscross regions, spending millions on rallies and social media outreach. Billboards smile down from highways. Hashtags trend. Influencers are paid. Yet, many young people, the very demographic politicians claim to court, remain unmoved, unregistered, or simply uninterested.
“I see all of it, but I don’t feel any of it,” said Aisha Bello, a 22 Year-old final-year student. “Every election season they remember us. After that, we disappear again. So why should I stress myself?”
Her sentiment echoes a growing chorus. According to youth advocates and election observers, political apathy among young people is no longer just a passing phase of disinterest; it is hardening into a culture of disbelief. Campaigns promise jobs, education reforms, digital opportunities, and inclusion, but the lived realities of unemployment, rising costs, insecurity, and broken infrastructure tell a different story.
“I voted once,” said Samuel Okorie, a 27-year-old graphic designer. “I queued for hours. The candidate won. Nothing changed for me or my community. Since then, I decided my energy is better spent hustling than hoping.”
For many youths, survival has replaced civic duty. The daily struggle to make ends meet has crowded out the patience required for political engagement. In this climate, campaign messages, no matter how polished, sound hollow. Political scientist Dr. Funmi Adeyemi describes it as “promise fatigue.”
“Young people are not ignorant,” she explained. “They are informed, connected, and analytical. But repeated disappointments have trained them to emotionally detach. Campaigns speak to youths, but rarely with them.”
Politicians, however, argue that the apathy cuts both ways. “We organize town halls, we go on social media, we engage youth groups,” said Hon. Ibrahim Danjuma, a spokesperson for one of the major parties. “But democracy is a two-way street. If young people refuse to participate, their voices cannot shape policy.”
Some youth leaders disagree, insisting that the problem is not refusal but exclusion. “Engagement is not about dancing at rallies or sharing flyers,” said Blessing Olatunji, coordinator of a civic education NGO. “It’s about trust, accountability, and seeing results. Young people want sincerity, not slogans.”
Social media, often blamed for distraction, plays a double role. While it has become a battleground for political campaigns, it has also amplified cynicism. Videos of vote-buying, rigging allegations, and unfulfilled promises circulate widely, reinforcing the belief that the system is rigged.
“I can’t shout ‘my vote counts’ when I’ve seen it not count,” said Musa Abdullahi, a first-time voter who never completed his registration. “Online, you see everything.”
Yet, within faith communities, a different conversation is emerging, one that frames political participation as moral responsibility. Religious leaders and youth ministers are increasingly urging young people not to withdraw, but to engage wisely.
“The Bible says in Proverbs 29:2, ‘When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan,’” said Rev. Daniel Akinwale during a recent youth fellowship. “If good people stay silent, we indirectly empower bad leadership.”
He paused, letting the words settle. “Apathy is also a choice, and it has consequences.”
Scripture after scripture warns against indifference. In Matthew 25, the servant who buried his talent out of fear was condemned, not praised. To many faith leaders, political apathy resembles that buried talent, the refusal to use one’s voice, vote, and influence for the common good.
Still, not all youths are disengaged. A smaller but determined group is channeling frustration into alternative forms of participation, community organizing, voter education, and independent advocacy.
“We may not trust politicians, but we still believe in change,” said Esther Nwoye, a 24-year-old volunteer mobilizing first-time voters. “Change doesn’t start on election day; it starts when we refuse to be invisible.”
Her words reflect a deeper tension: between hope and disappointment, faith and fatigue. Youth apathy is not born from laziness, but from long exposure to unmet expectations. It is a defense mechanism against repeated betrayal.
As campaigns roll on, the unanswered question remains whether politicians will listen beyond the noise, and whether young people like Kunle will look up from their screens and re-enter the public square. Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds us that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” Many youths believe the season of empty promises must end before a new season of participation can begin.
Until then, rallies will continue, posters will fade, hashtags will expire, and in quiet rooms across the nation, young voters will decide, once again, whether to believe, to engage, or to remain silent.
.webp)
0 Comments