Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Nigerian youths to secure their future by participating in politics to ensure a power shift from “those messing things up.”

“If you leave things to those who are messing it up for you and who are saying you are the leaders of tomorrow, you will never have that tomorrow. Today is your day,” Mr Obasanjo said during his 85th birthday celebration.

The former president, who admitted that the country was in a difficult situation, charged the youths to utilise the available opportunities in the country to make their lives better.

“Yes, things are not what they should be but you as youths, individually and collectively, must make up your mind,” he said. “Make contributions in order to make things the way they should be.”

Mr Obasanjo further prayed for God to provide those who would help the youths to reach the sky, which he said should be their limit.

The former president also distributed 85 tricycles to youths from all federation states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), urging them to contribute towards rescuing the country from various challenges.

While distributing the 85 tricycles as part of the activities marking his 85th birthday celebration, tagged, ‘OBJ @85 Free Keke Programme’ urged the youths to shun the famous cliché that “Youths are the leaders of tomorrow.”