Give me back my youth and I will pay anything for it – Late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.
The true wealth of Nigeria resides in the youth
“Whenever the economic importance of Nigeria is recounted, oil, gas, abundant solid minerals are presented as signifying Nigeriaâ€
s wealth. Yet, the true wealth of Nigeria resides elsewhere. It is the youth of Nigeria that abundantly puts it at a strategic resource advantage. If this resource is carefully nourished and developed, in a globalized world, where knowledge and skills determine the competitive edge, then Nigeria would achieve a quantum leap into modernity � – Hagher Iyorwuese.
As thoroughly exposited by Hagher, Nigeria has thrown priority to the wind, of forgetfulness and chasing around ordinary breeze which could throw her into an irredeemable tempest. This nation knows where to get hives but found struggling with bean cake in its hands. It must not be sheepishly neglected that; despising the source of a stream could make one suffer thirst till death, without mercy.
The youth of this nation though long neglected, have begun polishing themselves away from mediocrity and now seen making waves, entrepreneurial wise especially. If I wonâ€t divulge away from the truth, this has a lot to expose how RESOURCEFUL these Resources (youth) are.
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Nigeria is on the race for doom
As energetic and pivotal as we youth may be, lack of a strategic policy plan for nourishment and development which could translate into rapt uplifting for the nation, will continue to dampen its hopes for survival. This is because the helmsmen of this country have taken joy in greed wherein they care-less for those below their status.
Little wonder why almajiris, area boys, garage touts, domestic house helps, criminals, loafers, miscreants and others who are uneducated, mis-educated, disenfranchised, abused and humiliated by the system which has no thought for us and our future are the large percentage that has made up we youth.
Some of us have become tools for political vendetta in the eliteâ€s hands while other countries celebrates their youth as a demographic gift being wielded; reason why they keep soaring higher in all sectors.
Alas! This nation will get ruined the more then, result in shards if our leaders fail to cast from their eyes and mind gates, the mist of corruption which has decorated it, making them jilt the pride of this nation.
Isnâ€t it hypocritical, when the President signed into law, a bill meant to allow youth also partake of the kingâ€s meat in leadership, then shamelessly with immediate effect, declared his mind not wanting us to contest in this 2019 coming general election? Who else should have showed the sign of patriotism, by stepping down to ensure a youth is nominated from the political party he belongs to, which will really establish the youth stand in politics, if not him?
Youth faced with problem of queues in Political parties
African Union (AU), the brainbox consensus of the African continent recognized the need for the cordiality between leadership and youth development in Africa when it argued thus: “Clearly, a new emergent and integrated Africa can be fully realized only if its demographic advantage (large population of youth) is mobilized and equipped to help drive Africaâ€s integration, peace and development agenda.
This vision emanates from the belief and conviction that a strong and accountable leadership and successful integration needs to be anchored in participation, the investment in youth; and mainstream the great potential of the population of which the youth are an essential pillar (2011:vii).
As many as Nigerian youth are, it can be clearly seen that the 3 major tribes has found solace in each other, as youth, thereby ready to bank on that oneness to re-build the walls of this nation, just like Nehemiah did to Jerusalem.
The participation of youth in the thinking process of the polity and even the political parties, have been sabotaged by “political queues�, whereby youth and youth leaders are being excused from being the flagbearers of the much acclaimed holy parties because of the wealthy, influential and godfathers.
A saying goes thus: “Leadership is not true leadership until you can proudly commit your tasks without fear, to those under youâ€�. This is far from what is happening in Nigeria. Mentorship is not a baptism enjoyed by plethora of us. We hereby, demand that Primary Elections be based on debate and be opened for everyone to contest, so we could know what everyoneâ€s got.
No encouragement of youth from the Government.
Consequently, in my nation, youth investment is a far cry, why? Innumerable raw talents waste away without being invested on. Several best students have found solace on the street, talented lads goes out of their way to make ends meet as artisans even when the government has failed in their social contract. Our creative abilities cannot be quantified. Yet, what has been our paycheck from the government?
Using thousands of Dollars to design the Nigerian Air logo outside the shores of this country, of which a young guy/lady of only 19 years could have done so much better.  The encouragement is not there for us, no wonder; many of the youth defy death itself to cross the Mediterranean Sea in search for green pastures where their gifts and talents can be well appreciated. Some of our females have become women of easy virtues, all to the credit of the government!
I may want to keep this to myself so as not to diminish the prestige of my nation on paper but, why on earth will Football crew/agents be full of miscreants, demanding a ransom of sexual intercourse from a player with the hope of getting a call into the national team? Iâ€d leave the rest ringing in your heads.
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Youth the answer for the rescue mission.
Tunji Olaopa, a public policy driven man shared with youths at the Youth Governance Dialogue organized by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL which I was a part of, that; “The African demographics are worse in terms of the relationship between youth empowerment and national development.�
However, he left us with the breath of hope when he confirmed that the high number of youths in Africa, Nigeria especially, makes it the most prepared to make a developmental leap based on the assumption that the youth constitutes a veritable platform for policy advocacy that would ensure that our energies are translated into productive objectives.
May it be well with Grubble (2010) who pointed out that there is a large opportunity to find a creative way of utilizing the productive energies of the over 1.2 billion World population, aged between 15 and 24 which constitute almost half of the world population.
According to him, the mandate of policy makers, therefore, is to invest in youth friendly policies which, in the first instance, make available fundamental knowledge that helps the youth make choices that support the pursuit of educational goals and the development of life skills necessary for national and local leadership positions.
As we celebrate Nigeria at 58, let's not forget that the leadership impasse in Nigeria needs to be rescued. I can assure you that none can do that perfectly, save we Nigerian youth. So, itâ€s either you despise we youth and forget Nigeria ever becoming a giant amongst developed nations or quickly embrace us, holistically, to enjoy all weâ€ve got to offer.
I remain Adekunle Adewunmi (Adekunle Writes), the lad that wonâ€t keep mum regarding radical paradigm shift in the Nigerian Polity.
Written by Adekunle Adewunmi
Adekunle Adewunmi is a Writer and Correspondent at Church Times Nigeria Newspaper. A Poet, he recently completed a literary project on IG: #31daysofpoesy. He is YDC-OOPL State Ambassador. A Pulse Blogger, catch him up on Fb @ Adekunle Israel Adewunmi, Twitter and IG @adekunlewrites. You can also visit his blog on http://bit.ly/2C2PFOu
Pulse Blogger: Despise youth, forget Nigeria
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