I feel a high sense of responsibility to suggest a path deserving collective action from Nigerian youths towards what fate have for us as Nigerians. You would agree with me that we are the architect of our present circumstance and blaming anyone for our actions or inactions would amount to self-delusion. It is also important to point out that voting the change we desire will surely turn out as a blessing for everyone. Nigeria is our fatherland and so shall it remain. The struggles of our heroes shall not be in vain and that is why we keep advocating for positive change and not just change. The much talked about change can’t be taken by face value; it has to resonate with our culture as citizens. And this requires great sacrifices. In essence, President Muhammadu Buhari’s effort in the last 100 days in office cannot be said to have failed the youth constituency.
I would be right to say that President Buhari was elected because we got tired with the lies and looting in the past government. The country desperately needed an honest leader at that period. As God would have it we got one and our criticism of him should be to avoid the repeat of Jonathan’s days. We can’t afford another wasted administration. Change is not just a mantra; it takes collective action to realise it. I would not join the bandwagon of those that assume that criticising Buhari’s shortcoming as an expression of regret for ever supporting him. Of course, we must do evaluate the leadership we have but what our government needs for now is criticism that is founded on intellectualism; one that is devoid of bigotry, hatred or ethnic sentiments. Nigerian youths will make meaningful contributions to national development if only it is driven by intellectualism. The insinuations of President Buhari’s failure in his first 100 days in office are perspectives that are clearly out of sync with the realities and interests of the youth constituency.
PMB, in his manifesto prior to the election, said made bold propositions and promises to the youths. One of these pledges was that he would harness and develop our potentials to the fullest so as to facilitate the emergence of the new generation of Nigerians. He said further that he would put in place measures to identify talents and promote Nollywood to fully develop into a world class movie industry. But it is shameful that most of us are already having heated arguments on whether he has made any attempt to bring these promises to fruition or not in his 100 days in office. It is also painful that most youth movements are not driven towards a defined goal and with clear constructive objectives. Individual youth and youth leaders have s personal goal and objectives perhaps but a movement must be unified with a vision and commitment stimulated by some mutually beneficial objectives. My own understanding of the problems is clear and has been stated on many occasions.
On our part, we have sacrificed sense and sound judgement on the altar of selfish, mundane interests. Our quest for material acquisition has numbed our sense of judgement to such extent that many of us are willing to do shady things just to get money. The phones, games, electronic gadgets, cars, clothes, shoes and jewellery that drive us crazy are made by our mates in Singapore, China, Brazil, India, Korea, and even South Africa. Therefore what youths in Nigeria need is not to be handed leadership. We rather need a development programme comprehensive enough to provide for ideal value-orientation, standard education and training, entrepreneurial development, and funding mechanisms that will enable us to stand shoulder high with our counterparts anywhere in the world.
Think about it. An average actor in India writes films that promote national interests, revamp failing value system, or depicts India’s strength over Pakistan and Kashmir or express the values of Indian culture in comparison with Western culture. Indians won’t kiss in films nor have raw sex but play love within the parameters of their culture. Where are we? What do our Nollywood actors do?
They outsmart themselves by imitating the unethical excesses of the West all in the guise of civilisation. Nollywood and our music industry, a youth driven sector, only contributes to the bastardisation of our future leaders. To that extent, there is need for serious reformation and paradigm shift before our government pumps funds into the sector, as promised by PMB.
A youth that will make meaningful contribution to national development must have trained and developed his or her mind by way of patriotism, constructive contribution and a sense of pride in our collective greatness as a people. A deluge of warring cult groups and rising cases of internet scams clearly do not reflect the expected values of a true Nigerian youth. Some of these youths inadvertently clamour for inclusion in governance. But we have seen youth given top leadership positions in the dark days of our nascent democracy. Many of them were doing the dirty jobs for their do-gooder bosses. But I am confident that PMB’s entry into the fray will not tolerate such ugly shenanigans. His time at the helm would usher a new lease of life for the youth constituency. How is he going to achieve that? I don’t know. But his leadership style in these 100 days suggested to some of us that he understands the implication of a nation with over 70 million youths; mostly uncultured, largely half-baked by our ivory towers and with zero sense of pride in their nation.
I want to urge Nigerian youths to support the ongoing reforms currently going on in the country. We need to join the war against corruption and promote good governance. Without doubt, I am confident to say that PMB has not failed the Nigerian youth constituency. He is already setting the pace for us to be handed a good leadership platform. My reasons are simple: for every sector he had touched, the youths seem to benefit the most. Civil service has over 60% youth population. So, his interventions that have put smiles on the faces of workers benefit youths the most.
When the agricultural sector reform takes off, the youths stand to enjoy more of the goodies. If the treasury management reform saves us a fortune in national revenue hitherto unremitted to treasury, Nigerian youths will benefits the most. When road accidents reduce, when avoidable deaths reduce in our hospitals, when Boko Haram killings stop, when security of lives reaches an appreciable level, the youths stand to benefit from these changes. There are youths in every sector of the economy and every aspect of our national life affect youths. So, there is no gainsaying that PMB has touched the lives of youths in his 100 days in office.
Our universities centre on youths. So, reforming education is a youth centred project.
The problem is that we have so many self-seeking individuals parading themselves as youth leaders. Sometimes, we have come to see such youths as the real, patriotic Nigerian youths. It is a crooked thinking and Baba himself is aware of this. Our constituency holds the key to the greatness of this country. We must assume the position to help and not be helped. We must reform ourselves before we seek to be reformed.
- Habeeb is a Corps member, NYSC Abuja
![President Muhammadu Buhari [center] in a Group Photograph with the Youths during the International Youth Day by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development at the Banquet Hall, State House Abuja yesterday.](http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/YOUTH-DAY-1A.jpg)
