It is so painful and surprising why the past and present leaders do not think youths are positive force in the leadership of this great nation rather they feel using them as thugs ,fighters, ballot box snatchers, bouncers to facilitate their own interest against national growth is their known duty.
Several of our present and past leaders came into the
leadership line while they were youthful and contributed positively then
compared with their adulthood. They explored their youthful vigour and strength
coupled with their vision of Nigeria to put the nation on the wheel of success.
Overtime, after so many youthful persons have served, they
denounced the young by preventing the growth both in mind, psycho, virtue and placement,
so as to give a view that a nation with these crops of youths cannot be allowed
to lead, hence the new trend of the recycling of aged leaders who are not
innovative, lack vision, self-centred, greedy, weaklings, killers, betrayals,
unforgiving, anti-Nigerian, crisis and war sponsors, anti-peace people, ritualistic,
pets and preys.
If this country called Nigeria should be critically
looked and analysed, our leaders will if they are sincere tell that it is very sick
and need treatment. And we know that the basic treatment is to “invest in the
youths, polish the young, and put them in strategic offices to enhance their
growth”. This should not be done on parental basis financially or power bond. A
level ground should be created for the new Nigerian leaders to usher in a leader ready to sacrifice, people’s voice, policy
oriented, development oriented and stable trends economically.
The medicine or
drug to cure Nigeria is to fall back to the youthful leadership styles that
brought the likes of Shehu Shagari, Gen Yakubu Gowon, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Gani
Fahwemi, Bola Ige and host of others.
The money politics of this country is a big problem
militating against the unity of Nigeria since it is built on the old. The elderly
dish out arms to the young to fight opponents by paying them peanuts to sacrifice
their life owing to the loots they have and the less privileged position of
these youths makes it a do or die for the young ‘hustling to survive’. These
arms In turn are used for robbery, kidnapping, electoral fraud, intimidation
and shedding of innocent blood in our society even the inhuman act ‘rape’.
The possession of arms can be traced to the era of money
politics most especially the 1998 through 1999 general election which ushered
us into democratic dispensation.Till now, the country meander in the midst of
plenty due to the money politics first
introduced in 1993 in the pattern of commodity politics. The young one then
grew with that mentality where anything can go and today exhibit it. Oh what a
bad way to learn! Little wonder, they
feel that the best way to cling to appointment is to contest an election.
West on their own have failed to integrate the youths
effectively into fighting for their rights since they connive with the
serving government to suppress, rip off and maim any youthful group with vision
that tends to oppose the government they support. The young are strong and full
of innovative ideas. They are capable of any challenge and aggression within
and outside the country. They are good negotiators. They are loving and ever
learning.
When will they take the wheel if the elders say they
are not experienced? What is the impact of the elders in our present day
Nigeria? What are the years of innovative thoughts and reasoning?
I know the Young Open United Team Heart (YOUTH) can
bring us back to our lost glory. Let a minister of youth be a respectable youth
and not old brained people. Youth officers must be youthful to understand the
youths.
God bless youths!
God bless Nigeria!
God bless Africa!
Emekume Vincent
30/7/2014
