NIGERIA IN THE HANDS OF THE YOUTHS-ANY HOPE?
31 October 2009
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I am writing these lines not to our fathers or to our leaders who have plundered the resources of this great nation. Rather, am writhing this to address my generation and the generation coming behind. Of a great concern to me is what I experience recently and that have got me thinking that, do we have hope of a better future? I am one person that believes so much in the future of our great country, Nigeria. For some years now I have followed the campaigns of two most outstanding youth leaders and mentors of this present time; Fela Durotoye and Deolu Akinyemi, these two people have been campaigning tirelessly for the actualization of the glorious destiny Nigeria has.
I so much believe in them and the message they are propagating. But of great concern to me like I said earlier is the attitude and mind set of the generation in line to take the mantle of leadership from the corrupt politician, administrators, CEOs, etc. I was opportune to be in a meeting organised by Jenifer (Jenifer is a regular columnist in The Nation newspaper on Sunday) the meeting was supposed to be a forum where young people will come together to discuss our vision for this country and chart the way forward, hmmm, what I saw there was a gathering of youths who are hungry and thirsty for grant from advance country. Except for few people who really pulled respect and you can see that these ones are focused kudos to Udoh Obong… who stood his ground that is actually we that should help the people out there.
There was a prominent youth leader canvassing for the youths to be included in the electoral reform, and that as soon as you are 21years old you should be permitted to be voted for, i.e. you can contest for the post of the governor or for a sit in the national assembly. Brilliant, that sounds great! But to my surprise the recent attitude of the same people to money scared me, I wonder if these set of youths are permitted to hold the post for just 6months is “the glory of the latter not going to surpass the formal”? in terms of corruption?
Look at how we apply and attend programmes that has nothing to do with us or our professions just because of the estacodes, worst still they get to those programmes and start fighting over money is this not a shame to the future leaders? The way we call for attention baffles me and this is something that naturally will follow us if we are doing the right thing. Let me give you this funny example, I was at a meeting organised by BranditNigeria, there at the meeting a friend of mine Paul Adeleye and myself met a guy who look like one of our school mate when we were at the higher institution. We got talking and my friend said is like I have seen your face somewhere? The response from the guy is “oh that must be from the picture I took with Formal president Obasanjo” we have not seen anything like that we replied, in the actual sense maybe we met at one of the villages that we have gone for community development.
I need to let my generation know that we cannot keep doing things the way our fathers have been doing it and expect a different result. It is not possible! Because you cannot always blame constant for the result. We have a lot of things to do so that this country can be in the position she was designed to be.
DON’T OVERATE YOURSELF
This I have noticed as an error in this generation in the name of personal Branding and commanding respect. Respect is not commanded is earned. What you are not, don’t say you are, that is a lie! Better still don’t liar in the name of branding. These and many more are the sins of the sacked formal CEOs of the banks. Nobody knows their true position. Go at your pace, by so doing you will not put yourself into problems.
BE CAREFUL THE WAY YOU HANDLE MONEY
This is very important, most of the people that were jailed recently were jailed because of money or the way they handle it. Mardoff in the USA, Tafa Balogun, Bode George and the host of others, I believe you know them. Don’t take what does not belong to you in the name of national cake. If the way you want to treat the national cake is the way other have been doing, will you have met anything at all? Be careful what you know about money! Don’t be greedy.
CONSIDER OTHERS FIRST
I know uncertainty can drive people to themselves, but you must be determined to drive in the opposite direction. The more you take it upon yourself to help others the more your own situation is getting solved. The best investment you can make is to invest in the life of people. What are those things you are doing selflessly? Don’t fights over honorarium let your goal be to bless others.
FOCUS ON TODAY ALSO
I know this may sound strange against the popular teaching of focusing on the future. I wonder why many people are focusing on the future without doing anything about today. Don’t you know that the future is just the accumulation of different “todays” in yours life? Focus on what you can do within the next 24hrs that will deliver that future into your hand. It is not in the future you will stop stealing, jumping the queue and disobeying traffic rules. It is now (today) and we shall all see the country of our dreams.
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