For decades the good people of Nigeria have swam through the ocean of
despair and dived into the tides of economic hardship, still hoping that
someday they would reach the shore of a prosperous reality. For the records; it
has been accounted that no other country of the world speaks and yearn for good
leadership than our nation Nigeria.
It like the Nigerian populace have found themselves in a dark cave of gloom
owing to bad governance. The situation we find ourselves can be akin to being a
lifetime inmate to suffering in a prison yard of corruption. But aside all this
anomalies, a few still stare at the roof top of the cave hoping to see tiny
holes that could percolate little light beams that could illuminate our
darkness. Sometimes we can’t help but ask ourselves when would our crooked path
decorated with pot holes of poverty on the road of societal deterioration going
to end? When are we as a country going to cruise past the beautiful gate of
true freedom into the promise land of national prosperity? When are we going to
but at long last get things right? These are salient questions begging for
sincere answers.
The young generation of our time have being reputed to be pilgrims who
would lead our country to a place of bliss. We (the youths) are believed to be
the dove whom would fly to the mountains of opportunity and bring back fresh
olive leaves in their beaks as a message of peace and tranquility. But have the
youth fared better in these responsibility. Or is it that they have occupied
their fertile uncultivated minds with frivolities like Man Utd, Chelsea, how
much Cristiano Ronaldo earns per year, what Rihanna did in the last Grammy, the
latest trend on social media etc. it however baffles me that septuagenarians
and former military heads are still the men ruling the affairs of our nation.
Come to think of it, our founding fathers who fought for the independence of
Nigeria from the British Empire were men within the age bracket of 27 to 37. In
fact Major General Yakubu Gowon was just 27years old when he became the
military head of state. Are the youth still the leaders of tomorrow? A man
can’t lead tomorrow when he fails to lead a life of diligence and discipline
today (in his present).
I got talking with an elderly man some time ago, he said that one of the
problem of the youth is most of us are just too impatient to acquire material
wealth. We want to ride luxurious cars, have all the cash in the world without
creating value in our society. An average youth is ready to jump into any fast
money making venture (most especially entertainment) just to have cash at hand
to squander. Only a few thinks of how to solve eminent problems in their
immediate environment. It appears to me that a lot of young folks are oblivious
of the fact that in major societal problems lies treasure chests of influence,
wealth and “soulish” comfort.
Four to five months ago, our campus was entangled in the political jamboree
with candidates campaigning, manifestos, election, propaganda… it was like
unending and intriguing soap opera. Although the political arena in LAUTECH has
its applaudable aspect especially when we consider the zeal and the extra-mile
candidates go just to canvass for votes. Not leaving out those who show their
priceless support to their favourite candidates in rallies even though they aren’t
contesting for any political office. But I will however shy away from giving
student politics in LAUTECH a pass mark.
It baffles me that some fellows whom I would acclaim to be absolutely
ignorant of the responsibilities of the office they are vying for, fellows who
do not have any realistic plans or agenda for the post they are bidding for
eventually end up winners. As a student journalist, during the build up to the
last student election at all levels I was opportune to cover of the electoral
debates/manifesto, interviewed some aspirants, and even also the election. I
must say there were many of them, who now occupy one post or the other lack
ideas. Some can’t express themselves, some practically exhibit habits of
thuggery, and one can define some as clueless. You begin to question yourself,
how come these fellows ended up emerging as winners? But why not? Most of them,
when they contested, they were unopposed. PASSA (pure and Applied Sciences
Student Association) election example had unopposed candidates for all the
available post except for the post of the President and Vice President I. Where
were the brilliant minds? Did they shy away from shy away from contesting
because of fear or they were just indifferent. I once heard; when good people
fail to act, bad people will, and the result… I bet your guess is as good as
mine.
Martin Luther King Jr said, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of bad people but for the appalling silence of good people. Human progress never rolls in the wheels of unavailability.”
Martin Luther King Jr said, “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of bad people but for the appalling silence of good people. Human progress never rolls in the wheels of unavailability.”
I don’t only want to spur us to rise us to take responsibility for the
needs of our immediate society but also guide ourselves from being rubbed of
various opportunities life presents us because of our inaction due to fear of
the unknown. In the lyrics of Marianne Williamson it reads that, “our deepest
fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful
beyond measure” the most interesting part about the poem for me is when it says,
“And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same”
By
Rex Efmtop
(ariyopaul@gmail.com)
(ariyopaul@gmail.com)
