A look at the society today reveals the inherent weakness found in today’s youth. In a country filled with problems ranging from corruption to unemployment, infant mortality, polygamy, abuse, rape, wife battery, incest, underdevelopment, educational problems to name a few, one would think that the average Nigerian youth would be looking for how to solve the problems in his homeland.
It is indeed sad because when we compare the youth in today’s Nigeria to what the likes of our first generation nationalists, the likes of Chinua Achebe, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Wole Soyinka, etc. did, we marvel at the level of lack of concern for his country’s future on the part of the Nigerian youth. We don’t have nationalists anymore in Nigeria, freedom fighters, human rights activists, nobel men, men who are intellectuals and gifted in character who would fight for the cause of the country and the good of the people. I remember the times of the military regime and how various activists fought against the massive oppression and brutality of the dictators who ruled our country, fearless journalists who risked their lives to defend what they believed in and the cause of justice. Where are those men and women in today’s Nigeria? They are all gone. The few that are left of the brood are either tired of fighting, have all gotten old, or have completely despaired of seeing their dream for Nigeria become reality.
Where are the Michael Ozekhomes, the Femi Falanas, the Gani Fawehinmis, the Festus keyamos in this generation?
A look at what is going in the minds of the Nigerian youth is clearly evident. Even when someone manages to remind us of our enormous problems, the reception he gets is always harsh. It is as if the average Nigerian youth does not think it is in his place to correct the ills in his society.
Some people might argue that development is a process and that we should not rush in as youths to take up where our elders have left. But I argue that it is a matter of attitude. The Nigerian youth should not pretend that he is saving his energy for future battles; I grew up in this country and have seen firsthand that Nigeria seriously needs to worry about its future. Some Nigerian youths are as corrupt as their fathers. This again can be seen in the SUG (student union government) across Nigerian universities. SUG presidents lobby to get into positions only to embezzle SUG funds. Some buy cars at the end of the tenure, others build houses. And these are people who belong to this generation.
There should be a call for uprightness amongst the youth of today. There is no better way we can achieve as a nation and as future leaders of the country.
Nigerians are fond of not saying anything in the face of provoking circumstances and despite the fact they live in some of the worst conditions in the world. They depend on individuals to fight their battles for them mainly because most of them are uneducated and therefore consider themselves weak. This is the stance Nigerian youths have taken forgetting that keeping quiet in the face of intimidation is considered a stance for the illiterate and the helpless. We are not helpless and definitely are not illiterates. Therefore we should not keep quiet. Education is empowerment. We must therefore rise to the challenges we face in this country and do something about it.
We should stop depending on a messiah to rescue us. We are our own messiah and the day we realize it, is the day we step on our path to becoming free.
It is indeed sad because when we compare the youth in today’s Nigeria to what the likes of our first generation nationalists, the likes of Chinua Achebe, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Wole Soyinka, etc. did, we marvel at the level of lack of concern for his country’s future on the part of the Nigerian youth. We don’t have nationalists anymore in Nigeria, freedom fighters, human rights activists, nobel men, men who are intellectuals and gifted in character who would fight for the cause of the country and the good of the people. I remember the times of the military regime and how various activists fought against the massive oppression and brutality of the dictators who ruled our country, fearless journalists who risked their lives to defend what they believed in and the cause of justice. Where are those men and women in today’s Nigeria? They are all gone. The few that are left of the brood are either tired of fighting, have all gotten old, or have completely despaired of seeing their dream for Nigeria become reality.
Where are the Michael Ozekhomes, the Femi Falanas, the Gani Fawehinmis, the Festus keyamos in this generation?
A look at what is going in the minds of the Nigerian youth is clearly evident. Even when someone manages to remind us of our enormous problems, the reception he gets is always harsh. It is as if the average Nigerian youth does not think it is in his place to correct the ills in his society.
Some people might argue that development is a process and that we should not rush in as youths to take up where our elders have left. But I argue that it is a matter of attitude. The Nigerian youth should not pretend that he is saving his energy for future battles; I grew up in this country and have seen firsthand that Nigeria seriously needs to worry about its future. Some Nigerian youths are as corrupt as their fathers. This again can be seen in the SUG (student union government) across Nigerian universities. SUG presidents lobby to get into positions only to embezzle SUG funds. Some buy cars at the end of the tenure, others build houses. And these are people who belong to this generation.
There should be a call for uprightness amongst the youth of today. There is no better way we can achieve as a nation and as future leaders of the country.
Nigerians are fond of not saying anything in the face of provoking circumstances and despite the fact they live in some of the worst conditions in the world. They depend on individuals to fight their battles for them mainly because most of them are uneducated and therefore consider themselves weak. This is the stance Nigerian youths have taken forgetting that keeping quiet in the face of intimidation is considered a stance for the illiterate and the helpless. We are not helpless and definitely are not illiterates. Therefore we should not keep quiet. Education is empowerment. We must therefore rise to the challenges we face in this country and do something about it.
We should stop depending on a messiah to rescue us. We are our own messiah and the day we realize it, is the day we step on our path to becoming free.
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