“Does it ever worry us that history which neither personal wealth nor power can pre-empt will pass terrible judgement on us, pronounce anathema on our names when we have accomplished our betrayal and passed on? We have lost the twentieth century; are we bent on seeing that our children lose the twenty-first? God forbids!” (Chinua Achebe 1983).
This quote by Chinua Achebe serves as a heart wrenching reminder that truly, things have fallen apart in our dear nation; the country is in an even bigger mess than he envisioned. We are on the brink of erupting like a volcano and only a strategic, planned, all-inclusive motion set in place can push back the heavy stone rolling forcefully in our direction.
Nigeria is suffering from a pure failure of leadership and a nation without accountable leaders is a volcano awaiting eruption. The continued denial of the true state of the nation by our leaders is a manifestation of the make-believe world these leaders continue to propagate; they keep saying there is nothing wrong with Nigeria during nerve-wracking crisis like insurgency, banditry, kidnappings, bomb blasts in this great country of ours and their deathly silence almost near mockery is baffling.
Nigeria is not, has not been a great country for a while now, suffice it to say that it is one of the most corrupt countries in the world with an upcoming reputation for terrorism related operations.
Nigeria is a country richly blessed by providence; milked dry and deeply afflicted by failed leaders who time and time again have proven incapable of rising to the responsibility of taking charge of the nation.
Arise O’Compatriots
Nigeria’s call obey.
The Leaders of Nigeria have turned deaf ears to the deep cries and calls of Nigeria, the country in accordance with their machinations is deeply plagued and in the intricate webs of their outright lack of patriotism amidst other vices like corruption, lack of intellects in political process, political apathy from youths, social injustice, terrorism.
What is this delusional air of comfortability about? What must the youths do to snatch this country away from the strict confines of corruption and usher in a New Nigeria?
The youths make up 42.54% of the Nigerian population, they must realize that great affluence and power lies therein and understand that it behooves on them and their sheer doggedness and strong will to build a nation where truth and justice shall reign.
The youths must stop aspiring to be leaders of tomorrow, a tomorrow that will never come. We must start today, tomorrow after all is not promised. The citizens and youths of this country have abandoned the fate of the nation to resigned sighs and nods however they must realize that there is great danger in merely resigning and tossing the horrible state of discord and anarchy of the nation to small talks and zero proactive actions; not only must they embrace constructive criticisms and discussions but must also intimately embrace proactive political activism, shun political and nation building apathy in other to usurp power from bloodthirsty political godfathers and elites.
Nigerian youths must hurriedly address the dark and bleak realities they continue to insensitively procrastinate indefinitely. There must be a paradigm shift. They must realize that they have great roles to play for the realization of a new Nigeria to be possible. How will they do this? What roles can they possibly play?
For a positive youth led new Nigeria to emerge, the problems of old Nigeria must be effervescently dealt with; old wine in a new wine skin must not be condoned. Gerontocracy must be disbanded; the problems of Nigeria must be effervescently dealt with. By whom? Nigerian Youths. They are ones whose future is being tampered with, yet they sit and nod like overfed frogs, a man whose house is on fire does not chase rats.
Nigerian youths must rise to the occasion through creation of youth led organizations, youth led activism, abolition of election thugs, active political participation, embracing of servant-based leadership, creation of youth dominated political parties and organization of big political debates using social media and traditional media.
Nigerian youths must take care to abolish the foul stench of tribalism and embrace togetherness so that this fight against a torn apart Nigeria can stand solidly and borrow a leaf from the old national anthem of the country.
Though tribe and tongue may differ In brotherhood we stand.
The Nigeria of old did not stand for long in brotherhood; the new Nigeria must sit then, sit in unity and that brotherhood they refused to stand in perhaps because their legs were shaking. Nigerian youths must rid themselves of manifestations of negative prejudice against tribal differences and sit together as one.
Nigerian youths must stop dinning with potbellied, corrupt political juggernauts and make conscious efforts to shun Do-me-I-do-you politicking, resist from sliding into the heart wrenching litanies of national deficiencies and short comings and be consciously commandeered to facilitate the nation’s advancement and progress.
As ugly as it may seem, Nigeria is not absolutely beyond redemption, mediocre leadership must be abolished and for a new Nigeria to be ushered in successfully, we must seek young, no-nonsense youth leaders; a leader’s no-nonsense reputation can induce a favorable climate and must then be followed up with carefully planned social and economic reorganization, well mapped out agenda of social reform. Nigeria is what it is today because the youths and leaders are not what they’re supposed to be.
Nigerian youths must rise as one as seen during the End Sars protest and collectively usher in a new dawn. The sun of corruption must set in Nigeria and the sun of change must rise; Nigerian youths are equal to the task.
ADAEZE ILOKA – LOCAL CONTENT/INDEPTH ARTICLE.
