The Nation Newspaper

Tag: nation-building

  • Study of History and nation-building

    Almost all schools in the country have abandoned the study of history. But scholars and experts who know the importance of the study of history have decried the current neglect and warned against nonchalant attitude of Federal Government and relevant stakeholders in denying Nigerian children the opportunity of understanding their past.

    The adverse effect of this development on the behaviour of younger generation in the country cannot be overemphasized. There is therefore the need for National Council on Education (NEC) to re-assess its decision and chart a new course by ensuring that the subject is re- introduced in the national curricular and ensure that more attention is placed at exposing the pupils to core aspect of their indigenous history and culture.

    The rejuvenation of the teaching of history will not as a matter of fact interfere with or affect the existence of other subjects like social studies, civic education, geography and government as they all have their relevance in promoting academic excellence.

    But more importantly it is very pathetic today that many of Nigerian pupils are oblivious of history of their dear fatherland as some stakeholders have deliberately deleted it from the national curricular and far away from consciousness of the younger generation.

    The attendant effect of the deliberate action of removing history as subject of study has given free passage to incursion of Europeans, American and Asian history and culture which further bastardized our vision as a nation.  The younger generation are thirsty of information and are curious at grasping any available means of gathering information about their past to enrich their knowledge.

    But unfortunately they have been starved and technologically driven far away from acceptable norms by foreign history and culture. And if government at all levels as well as stakeholders failed to see the study of  history as important to nation building and quickly  salvage the situation and forestall Nigerian children from  being swept away out rightly  by the torrent of foreign culture.

    Recently it was discovered that Nigerian children more than a decade ago have been suffering from trauma of what could be tagged psychological misdemeanor from the doze of foreign contaminated culture they have consumed.

    These misdemeanors which ranges  from lack of respect for elders, cultism,  poor and improper way of dressing, violent  character, gangsterism among others are prevalent in the society.

    There is no gain saying the fact that the study of history is germane to nation rebuilding

     

    • From Lateef Ositelu

    Abeokuta.       

     

     

  • Citizenship and nation-building

    Citizenship generally refers to the right conferred by law or custom on an individual as a member of a state. It is usually denoted in the form of reciprocity or social exchange between the citizen and the state.

    Its origin was a major concern of social contract theorists- Thomas Hobbes and Jean Rousseau and it is intricately linked to the theory on the evolution of modern states. They had characterized the conditions of primeval man in the state of nature as that of ‘war of man against man’.

    At a point, man in that state of nature, got fed up with the lawlessness of that order and decided to surrender some of his rights to a sovereign, who will in turn, provide him with some form of protection- thus the twin concepts of state and citizenship.  It involves rights on the one hand, duties and obligations on the other.  By this reciprocity, the citizen owes the state certain duties and obligations and in return claims some rights from it.

    Nation-building which is closely linked to the former, involves conscious efforts to inculcate in the citizens a sense of common identity as a member of a given state. It is a psychological process of mind reconstruction to elicit in the citizens attitudes and dispositions that make for the good health of the state.

    It seeks for instance, to make Nigerians out of the various ethnic, religious and cultural groups that make up that political entity, in the same way leaders of the emergent state of Israel deployed the kibbutz system to inculcate the twin ideologies of socialism and Zionism in their people.

    That accounts for the strong attachment the average Israeli citizen has with his home state in the same manner Americans are very proud of their country. Success in nation-building will then make the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba ethnic nationalities etc to see themselves as Nigerians rather than from the current narrow primordial prism.

    Nation-building bears positive relationship with the foundation of modern states especially ones in which people of different ethnic, cultural and religious groups were lumped together to form a state by a former colonial power.

    Given the very manner these groups were lumped together by colonial Britain coupled with its policy of divide and rule, mutual suspicion and mistrust had arisen even before independence. Matters were not remedied by disparities in the level of education and development.

    Thus, bitter competition reared its ugly head as these inclusive units struggled with one another to take advantage in the affairs of and institutions owned by the federal government. The imminent departure of the colonial masters coupled with some of the strategies adopted by our nationalists while campaigning for their exit succeeded in alienating the people from the government.

    With the advent of military rule, things took a turn for the worse as the command and regimentation system of the military, led to the centralization and concentration of virtually all powers of the state at the federal level. The federal government thus became omnipotent and omnipresent dispensing almost entirely, the means of life and death.

    This in turn, accentuated bitter competition among the various ethnic groups for the control of the centre so as to take advantage of the enormous resources at its disposal.  That accounts in the main, for the scandalous level of corruption that has wrestled this country to the ground.

    Today, these primordial cleavages are in stiff competition to control the centre and all efforts to restructure the country, diffuse the debilitating rivalry and unleash the creative energies of the population for rapid development are being resisted by interests that profit from the decadent order. It is a pipe dream to nurse the idea that we can possibly make Nigerians out of these competing interests the way things stand.

    Peter Eke in his theory of the two publics, made a distinction between the primordial and civic publics which have different standards of morality.  He contended that though these two are different, politicians operate in both the primordial and civic publics and the problems of African politics are traceable to the defective moral bearing that accompanies the civic public.

    The relationship of the people with the civic public is characterized by an amoral linkage while there is a high level of moral attachment to issues that impinge on the primordial realm. Thus, while one is seen as an avenue to be impoverished or even incapacitated (civic public) the other (primordial realm) is conceived as one that needs to be cared for and protected.

    This has been the reason for the constant competition between primordial tendencies and the central government for the soul and loyalty of the citizens. Nearly 56 years after independence, centrifugal tendencies have continued to impose the greatest obstacles to nationhood.

    You are considered smart if you steal from the coffers of the government because that government is thought to belong to nobody and could be conveniently incapacitated by members of the various ethnic groups for themselves and members of their inner groups. Foremost political scientist Richard Joseph dubbed this prebendalism- politics for the benefit of one’s immediate families and ethnic groups.

    It is therefore neigh impossible for nation-building to take root in such a fragmented, disoriented and dysfunctional political environment. What we get instead is the ascendancy of primordial and parochial tendencies to an all time high. Separatist tendencies denoted by communal violence, agitations for self determination, sectarian and religious fundamentalism have had the combined effect of whittling down any prospects for nation building.

    Today, the nation is still battling the Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east part of the country; militancy in the Niger Delta region is again in an upsurge. Agitations for the independence of the sovereign state of Biafra have also resonated with great ferocity while the insurgency of the Fulani herdsmen has taken a dramatic but dangerous dimension.

    All these fissiparous tendencies cannot allow the psychological reconstruction of the mind for a common national identity which nation building requires to flourish. Matters are not helped by the increasing disposition of the government to the notion that military might is all that is needed to wield this country together. Coercion may succeed in quelling dissent or outright rebellion but it is of very limited value when it comes to nation-building as has been clearly shown by the resurging centrifugal tendencies. We need a rethink; new approaches to festering challenges.

    For this country to make real progress in nation-building we must first, restructure the polity; reduce the over-concentration of the powers of life and death at the federal level. Fiscal federalism will whittle down the concentration of all the finances of the government at the centre and reduce the unbridled competition for its control by the competing primordial cleavages.

    The mind-bugging looting of public funds, illustrates the amorality that is associated with the affairs of the civic public. There is no way nation-building can take root in a clime replete with these negative attitudinal tendencies.

    It will require very serious and conscious efforts at social re-engineering and mind reconstruction to elicit trust in the capacity of those in authority to be just, fair and equitable to the federating units before the brand of citizens that will be easily amenable to nation-building can emerge.

  • Children’s literature effective for nation building, says writer

    Renowned writer, Mrs Mabel Segun, has urged the government and stakeholders in education to take children’s literature seriously as it can be effective means of encouraging cultural diversity early in life.

    Mrs Segun made this appeal at the 2016 First Award Winners Lecture of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) held at the Main auditorium of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

    Though present, the 86-year-old did not read the lecture because of her age.  She was assisted by her daughter, Miss Omowunmi Segun.

    Speaking on the topic: “Towards nation building: The importance of children’s literature”, Mrs Segun, said children’s literature books helps to train and sustain cultural values in the children which is key to nation building.

    “It will show them the importance of having a cultural identity as a form of reference. Nation Building has many facets which includes building institutions, creating a common sense of purpose as well as building values to sustain the collective community”, Mrs Segun said.

    She argued that the study of historical children literature can help to teach children about their roots, heritage as well as imbibe in them values so that they can learn to appreciate their backgrounds.

    She said: “The study of these books provide an avenue for giving young people a panoramic view of all that happened to mankind in the past.”

    She, however, pleaded with authorities concerned to make these books accessible and affordable, explaining that it was the only way they could be effective for nation building.

    “Governments should invest in school libraries, Public libraries, local government libraries and club libraries. They should not be placed in no go areas like the principal’s residence; they should be placed in accessible locations,” she said.

  • Role of women in nation-building 

    The place of women in any endeavour can never be over emphasized and given their enormous contributions to socio-economic development, there can be no meaningful advancement where women are excluded. In Africa, the conditions of women are more critical, given lingering gender inequalities, domestic violence, lack of social protection, among other issues, that exacerbate injustice and privation. These and many more limit their ability to reach their full potential. Nigeria is one of the countries where women have faced challenges and discrimination for reasons of their sex and wrongful perception that women belong to a lesser class than their male counterparts; a perception strengthened by traditional and cultural practices.

    Be that as it may, Nigeria has continued to develop and implement national strategies and plans for the advancement of women in leadership and managerial roles in the form of amending legislation, policy and institutional framework as it affects the full promotion and protection of the rights of women. This year alone, the Federal Government has re-enacted several criminal laws to reflect a gender perspective and to ensure that restorative justice is incorporated for victims of crime, who are noted to be mostly women.  These include the Administration of Criminal Justice Act which is applicable in all federal courts, and the Trafficking in Persons Law Enforcement and Administration Act.

    Another model legislation in this regard is the Violence Against Persons Act (VAPP) 2015 which creates a broader legal framework for the prevention of all forms of violence, including rape, abolishes Female Genital Mutilation, unfair and discriminatory widowhood practices and other harmful traditional practices. It further makes provision for protection, compensation and rehabilitation for victims of violence. The government has also approved a National Gender Policy which acknowledges the attainment of gender equality as not only as an end in itself, but as a prerequisite for the achievement of sustainable development. In addition, there exists a National Policy for Protection and Assistance to Victims of Trafficking which provide a broad framework for providing protection and assistance to trafficked persons.

    Common to these legislations and policies is a review of the victimology recompense regime in our legal system, incorporating compensation and rehabilitation, counselling and supporting survivors through skills acquisition and financial empowerment. All of these are in acknowledgement of the lasting effect of trauma suffered by victims and need to restore them to some kind of acceptable social and psychological footing, maximizing their potential for full recovery. This is with the view to facilitating opportunities for victims of crime to continue to contribute their quota to critical sectors of our national life.

    To ensure coordination and sustainability of all initiatives in this regard, Nigeria has federal and state ministries of women affairs with a mandate to bring about speedy and healthy development of Nigerian women, children, and the main-streaming of their rights and privileges in national development process. The ministry with key development partners, including civil society organizations, has developed policies, initiatives and strategic plans to engender gender equality and ensure full and effective participation as well as equal opportunities for women in leadership at all levels.

    There has been a deliberate increase in the number of women holding leadership positions in crime prevention and criminal justice. Specifically, some critical positions held by women include the positions of Chief Justice of Nigeria and head of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal, Chief Judges of High Courts, Comptroller General of the Immigration Service, Commissioners of Police, Directors of Public Prosecution with significant numbers of women justices in superior courts of record. The Nigerian Army also now admits female combatants in the Armed Forces. I should also mention the position of Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons, which I am privileged to hold, as its second female chief executive.

    At a practical level, appreciable gains have been recorded in the last two decades and criminal justice policies and institutions are continuously being strengthened to better reflect the invaluable contributions and needs of women.  All of this has been possible as a result of intense advocacy as well as growing recognition of leadership potentials and competences, irrespective of gender. The result is that women are able to claim their pride of place in this sector and make invaluable contributions that have led to the positive development of criminal justice institutions and policies in the country.

    It is however acknowledged that a lot still needs to be done in this regard. While appropriate legalization and policies are in force in many parts of the country, there still appears to be a gap between the existence of these laws and policies in some areas and the reality due to cultural norms, prejudices and practices that reinforce discrimination against women, including the activities of terrorist groups. In pursuing the goals of women’s effective involvement in crime prevention and the criminal justice sector and building the capacity to ensure their own protection; strategies could broadly be categorized in two viz: Women as role actors within crime prevention and the criminal justice system institutions and, Women as subjects of protection from crime.

    A possible starting point is to deliberately ensure the incorporation of women in crime prevention because they are known to have more empathy and are more likely to win the confidence of victims of crime. Another point is the review of victimology recompense regimes and public education of members of society on the benefits of inclusive criminal justice practices and institutions. This will serve the dual purpose of supporting the place of women in criminal justice roles and dealing with gender attitudes, accounting for crimes committed against women.

     

    • Jedy-Agba is Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons(NAPTIP)
  • ‘Contribute to nation-building’

    ‘Contribute to nation-building’

    Youths have been advised to contribute to the growth and development of the country’s economy by engaging in profitable ventures, even as they were urged to eschew acts capable of portraying them as irresponsible and unpatriotic.

    The pieces of advice were given by a Belgium-based ex-footballer, Tosin Dosunmu during the unveiling of his world-class events centre he established in Lekki Lagos. Urging them to develop their potential, he maintained that self-discipline is vital to overall development of an individual.

    Speaking to Southwest Report on what informed the establishment of the events centre of such magnitude, Dosunmu said he was buoyed by the call by the Federal Government to Nigerians in the Diaspora to either return home and invest in their fatherland or contribute their expertise to nation-building.

    Located at Sagote on the busy Lekki-Lagos Expressway, opposite Crown Estate, TT Parkwest Events Centre’s two letters were taken from the name of Tosin and his wife Toyin.

    Dosunmu said he was touched by the Muhammadu Buhari administration’s policy to encourage Nigerians in the Diaspora to come home and invest.

    On why he chose to invest in the events subsector, Dosunmu, said though he initially planned for a filling station, “because it is the easiest thing for me to manage’’, he changed his mind as he wanted something clean and different from what others had been doing, saying from there, he would expand to other businesses.

    Explaining why he chose to locate the business in Lekki, he said: “This is where we have land. This events centre was borne by the words of God and prayers. We bought the land and waited for two years before embarking on construction. It took me another two years before the work was completed.”

    Dosunmu further explained that the centre was the outcome of a vi sion he shared with his spiritual director, Pastor Mike Nwanegbo, who gave him the nod, after fervent prayers. “It was a celebration of success and how a young man listened to God and followed it through,’’ the cleric said.

    Dosunmu said: “The centre is unique in many ways. It can accommodate 800 guests, has a kitchen, two giant power generating sets to tackle power failure and a bathroom. Our tent is also different. It could last for 20 years. We have franchise with a foreign firm.”

    Continuing, he said: “It was quite challenging. God has been good to us. I didn’t borrow. I built it from my savings. God started it and completed it. Everything was done by God. I knew from the beginning that football career has a short life span. So, when you are playing, you have to save for the rainy day. The plan had been there.”

    To his colleagues, he said they had similar challenges, noting that it was not easy to be a man at a young age.

    “Football brings huge money in a short time. They should start thinking of doing something at a young age,” he advised.

    Dosunmu, who was the highest goal scorer in the Belgian premier league, also played in Austria, France and Holland, among others. He said his colleagues were JJ Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo and Obafemi Martins. To him, playing in Europe was a bit taxing.

    It was for this he advised the youth. “If you want to be successful, you must listen to those who are experienced. Talent is not enough; self-discipline is vital. If you want to marry, do so. Don’t jump around, he added.

    Pastor Nwanegbo, a Senior Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), said he was glad to have Dosunmu as a member of his church in Belgium and be part of the project. The cleric, who flew in from Belgium, to attend the ceremony, said: “We came to celebrate with him.’’

    Nwanegbo, who is the Coordinator of RCCG in eight European countries, including Switzerland and Russia, said he has five ex-Super Eagles players in his church. His objective is to reposition them and invest in the country.

    On whether Dosunmu’s project would succeed, Pastor Nwanegbo was optimistic that it would.

    He said: “We wanted to put something back home. We did something in Belgium but home is home. We’ll monitor it regularly. There won’t be a problem with running it. There is a management team in place.’’

    He revealed that Dosunmu also has other projects in the pipeline.

  • Conference on nation-building

    The Nigeria Association of Educationists for National Development (NAEND) will hold its yearly conference on Monday, September 14 at the Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Ondo State.

    NAEND’s president, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti zones, Prof. Oyetunde Awoyele said the two-day conference will hold between Monday, September 14 and Thursday, September 17 at Obongwan Lecture Theatre of the institution.

    The theme of the conference is “Education and Nation Building”.

    Registrar, Joint Admission Matriculation board (JAMB), Prof Dibu Ojerinde is the keynote speaker and Prof J.B Babalola of the Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan will present the lead paper.

    The host is the Dean of Education, Adeyemi College of Education, Dr. Oyenike Oyinloye while the chief host is the head of the institution, Prof. Olukoya Ogen.

    Issues to be discussed in the three days conference include Early Childhood and Nation Building, Vocational Education and Nation Building, Entrepreneurship and Nation Building, Language Education and Nation Building, Curriculum Planning Development and Nation Building among others.

    Educationists across the nation are expected to attend the conference that will be declared open on Tuesday, September 15.

  • Expert charges youths on nation-building

    The National Director of Save The Children, Nigeria, Mr. Ben Foot has challenged Nigerian youths to rise to the task of rebuilding the ruins of the older generation with new skills, tact and moral lifestyle.

    Foot gave this charge at the 2015 Global Day of Action organised by Save the Children in collaboration with ONE.Campiagn.org, The Future Project and Disability Advocacy Centre in Lagos.

    According to him, the task of building a world fit for children is so urgent especially as the world continue to groan in war, epidemic and disasters.

    He said: “We have failed this generation. The future is not violence, or in the hands of inhuman politicians but is in the hands of young people who will look at the problems around them and say enough is enough.”

    Foot stressed that the new Sustainable Development Goals that would be decided upon by December by world leaders, is about children and they must be involved as they cannot be in the future they were never part of.

    The Save The Children boss also hinted that a summit tagged: ‘Finance our Future’, aimed at providing countries with the opportunity to give the final push towards getting their policy makers, and key players in the economy to attend the Financing for Development (FFD) conference coming up in Addis-Ababa.

    Echoing similar sentiment, Director of ONE Campaign.org, Edwin Ikhuoria said the commitments on international tax cooperation, development assistance and targeted spending toward those living in poverty are some of the issues that would be taken on board at the summit.

  • Role of women in nation building

    The role of women in nation building cannot be over-emphasised. Over the years, women have been relegated to the background on issues of development, especially in developing countries, such as Nigeria.

    The reason may have been that, the views of women are always sentimental. While women have contributed positively to the progress of humanity, this article will focus on the role played by women in the development of Nigerian politics.

    Women have been playing leading role in shaping our nation and this dates back to the pre-colonial era. In the history, we have read about women, who played active part in the administrative system and business. Women during the pre-colonial period were allowed to participate in the administration of communities. For instance, the exploit of Iyalode (women leader) of the old Oyo Empire has remained the reference point on how political involvement women can engender a free society. Not only did they shape the political system of the period, they also act as mediators in inter-ethnic rivalry. This can be seen in exploit of Moremi during the Ife-Modekeke war.

    The advent of colonialism made women to disengage in political participation in the country. In this era, women’s role was limited to trading and other social activities, leaving out politics for the men. The colonial masters can be said to be chauvinistic in nature, having left out the local women in their indirect rule policy.

    Though, the likes of Mrs Margaret Ekpo, Mrs Janet Mokelu and others were members of the Eastern House of Assembly. The late Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, though not a full-fledged politician, was a very strong force to reckon with in the politics of the Western Region. Hajia Gambo Sawaba waged a fierce battle for the political and cultural emancipation of women in the North. They made impacts in pre-independence era and surmounted so many obstacles and limitation but their exploits still stand as a legacy up till today.

    The coming of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s regime brought the role of women in the country’s politics to the front burner. The office of the first lady was first institutionalised by Maryam Babangida. Other women who have made impact in the country’s politics include, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Minister of Finance.

    Mrs Obi Ezekwesili also left a huge landmark in the history of Nigerian politics. The late Prof Dora Akunyili, former Minister for Information, also performed credibly when she was the Director-General of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); she waged war against adulterated drug dealers, starting in her home state. There are many other women in politics that have done very well and still performing excellently well.

    Though recently women have become actively involved in the country’s politics unlike before, nevertheless, they are still face with some challenges that limits their chances and sometimes have some psychological effect that kills their morale. However, the role of women in our country can be re-energised and accorded popularity.

    The role of women in a country’s administration has regained its prominence internationally. Liberia president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has made history as Africa’s first female president.

    Also, we have the likes of Hilary Clinton in the United States. The world has, in the past decades, witnessed an unprecedented expansion of women’s rights, being one of the most profound social revolutions we have ever seen. Couple of decades back, only two countries allowed women to vote. Today, that right is virtually universal.

    Millions of men and women around the world now support the call for gender equality, although there is much to be done especially in developing countries like Nigeria.

    In sum, it is apparent that no appreciable development can be made either at the local, national or international platform without recognising women as key players. The nation must empower, up-skill and invest in girl-child for a better society.

    The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said: “When we empower women, we empower communities, nations and entire human family.” The impact of political involvement of women has left a patch in path; therefore it can be asserted that women are not only loaded with valuable potentials, but also have the legal right to contribute to the development of their societies. Any government should adequately provide for the position of women in its administration and make amendment to policies that have placed women at the losing end.

     

    •Adebola, 200-Level Political Science and International Relations, LANDMARK UNIVERSITY

  • Role of youths in nation building

    The leadership cadre is filled with aged politicians who think nation building is their exclusive preserve and as such youth  should not be given a chance. Perhaps, their stand explains why  though youths are said to be leaders of tomorrow, that future never comes.

    This is the unfortunate mind-set that has informed the pattern of successive leadership in Nigeria. This cliché in some way has sedated almost all youth and created in them a sense of reluctance in participating and taking up roles and responsibilities that will help in nation building.

    Youths in the Nigeria Constitution refer to persons between ages 18 and 35. So, how come the youth leader of the largest political party in Africa is above 50 years? This question and many more are part of the problems facing the youth that has incapacitated him to fully partake in issues of nation building. In a broader sense, youth refers to people who have energy, vigour and enthusiasm to get things done. It is a state of mind not a function of Age, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity and an insatiable appetite for progressive reasoning.

    Youths are the building blocks of every developed nation. The stronger the youth of a country, the more developed that country. For a country like Nigeria with about 70% youth population, one wonders why we are where we are but why would this not be so when the future of the youth has been mortgaged for selfish gains; when we have been denied the benefits of good education, when our minds have been chronically infested with low morality and loss of values, when the leadership class is riddled with notoriously corrupt individuals which the justice system has helplessly fail to punish. Why won’t it be so when government’s plans and readiness to revive youth un-productivity is but a mere lip service? They only engage us during election and turn us into electoral thugs instead of building enough schools and creating adequate employment opportunities.

    I am glad the young people missed the horror of the Civil War as well as the hardships and depression that came with it but I also regret that we missed the leaders, the true heroes who told our fathers sincerely when things will be tough and the need to make sacrifice beginning with themselves. They brought our fathers together and gave them a sense of national purpose, which our present leaders are bent on destroying.

    On the other hand, the youth are the architect of our misfortune because we have internalised the wrong precedence of corrupt politicians. We are ideologically bankrupt and in a state of delirium.  We chose violence instead of peace and mutual coexistence. We chose the comfort of the moment instead of striving for self-sacrifice that will guarantee the freedom of this country. We chose the highway for robbery instead of class rooms. We chose guns, knives and axes instead of pen, paper and hard work.  We avail ourselves all kinds of dirty jobs during election. We lack character and morality. The qualities of tomorrow’s leaders lie in the characters of today’s followers.

    Our thoughts are ominously perilous, non-productive and self-renegading. According to Mahatma Ghandhi, “A man is but the product of his thoughts, what he thinks he becomes.” We learn from the bad examples of our leaders as evident in violence and fraud that characterise students’ union election and large scale embezzlement of funds in our unions and youth forums.

    To really enhance the youth and make him or her contribute meaningfully to nation building is a duty for all, the government, parent and youth themselves. The energy and brightness of the minds of youths act as torch bearer for national development. The countries which utilise their youth in positive direction are more developed. The youth of nation are the trustees of posterity.

    Good education prepares one to impact positively on self and society. Government must provide this and youth must seek and desire to be educated at all levels. Nelson Mandela said “no country can really develop unless its citizens are educated”. For the philosophy of the classroom in one generation is the philosophy of government in the next generation.

    Provision of jobs and employment opportunities are leverage for the youth to properly and conscientiously channel their energy and talent towards nation building.

    Service and sacrifice to country and fatherland in the spirit of true patriotism must be a front burner in the heart of every youth. This means the country’s peace, sanity and orderliness should be the utmost desire of every youth.

    We must be agents of change and the change we desire in others must start from us. We must use all of our talent to serve country and fatherland. We must also help government at all levels in the implementation of policy. We must resist all forms of exploitation by individuals and groups for in this they take away our voice and right and take us away from the big picture.

    Youths must seek to participate in government, politics and policy formulation. We must shelve aside our responsibilities of joining mainstream politics and forming healthy and progressive alliances among ourselves and participating in all issues of national interest. This way, our voices will be heard and our views considered.

    We must have a change in character and value; we must purge and cleanse ourselves of all qualities inimical to national development. For a man who wants equity must come with clean hand, so goes the saying.

    In conclusion, we need the wisdom of the old because if the energy of youth is left unchecked, it portends imminent danger. It is time for the young generation to stop seeing themselves as too young. We all have something to offer this great country.

     

    •Innocent, 600-Level Medicine and Surgery, BSU

  • Nigerians advised on nation-building

    Nigerians advised on nation-building

    Nigerians have been urged to exhibit good character that could help in building a virile nation. They have also been enjoined to imbibe the virtue of righteousness that can withstand temptations and positively impact on the behaviours of individuals in leadership positions.

    These were the pieces of advice from the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan to the Wise Men Conference of the Christian Pentecostal Mission International in Ajao Estate, Lagos. It was delivered by the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Dr Sarah Jubril.

    The First Lady said as individuals with no other country than Nigeria, it is important that Nigerians should come together and build a virile nation that will be the pride of all. This, she said, will be achievable through good character and discipline.

    “Parents must live exemplary lives and bequeath enviable legacies to their children. They must affect their work places in a way that will build the nation, even as they must evolve a dress code that commands respect from their children particularly, the girls.

    “Also, they must cultivate a culture of righteousness and decency that can withstand corruption, nepotism and ethnicity and place collective interest above personal and parochial ones,” she said.

    Earlier in his message to the conference, the General Overseer of the church, Dr Obiora Ezekiel, said Nigeria would outlive every politician; so it is necessary for them to live the kind of life that would encourage and build others.

    In line with the theme of the conference which was “Understanding the Times”, Dr Ezekiel said as the country grapples with some challenges such as insecurity, youth unemployment and kidnapping, politicians and individuals should come up with workable solutions to these myriad of problems instead of scathing criticisms.

    “We must always think of how to get out of our problems instead of engaging in open criticisms that will make us sink deeper. God has been wise to place us in this mightily-endowed country. We must not destroy ourselves, rather we must encourage our leaders always to do the needful,” he said.

    He advised participants at the conference to discuss salient issues that will sustain faith in times like this, saying “we beseech each and every conferee to remain steadfast and focused, eschewing all forms of distraction throughout   this conference.”

    The conference, which is an annual event of the church, aimed at re-awakening, strengthening and repositioning Nigerians to be able to withstand and surmount challenges facing the end-time church.

    Highlights of the programme included award of prizes to representatives of the church from different states of the federation.