PROBING THE YOUTHS PASSION FOR CHANGE

PROBING THE YOUTHS PASSION FOR CHANGE

I was at the symposium organized for young and emerging leaders by The Future Project in March 2012. The event was tagged: “The Challenge of Responsible Governance: How Can This Generation Do Better?” – Headline speech delivered by Mrs. Obi Ezekwesili. Also in attendance were Governor Kayode Feyemi, Governor Rotimi Amechi, Prof. Pat. Utomi, Mr. Dele Momodu among others.

While addressing the audience, Governor Rotitmi Amechi said “you think you are the goods ones and we the elders are the bad ones; some of you feel the old people in public offices should be removed and substituted with the youths. You think you can do it better. The problem of the nation is in the economic system and until that is fixed, we will be waiting for you to come and join us in the evil world”.

After an encounter with a recent book titled WHY NATIONS FAIL, I am more of the opinion that the major problem we are confronted with in the system of Nigeria is the political system/ institution. It is the political institution that has power to influence the economic system of a nation and not otherwise.

The truth is that we youths are angry. This may be connected to the fact that we are the victims of the ills of the nation: social disorder, poor standard of education, poverty, corruption, greed, poor health system, high rate of unemployment, decay in public infrastructure and dark future in view of the status quo. It is more annoying when we reconcile these to the fact that we are over 55% of the population of the nation with an estimate of 167 million people.

In view of the above and our fury at it, we desire change. Therefore, some of us are creating platforms or joining platforms to speak and stand against the system and the disciples. Some are engaging in activities to promote and influence a reversal of what we are victims of. A good number of us are displaying admirable passion for change even in our current individual units and positions. We have been referred to as the turning point generation. In fact, there is almost no need to ask if we are the messiah or another should be expected.

However, we must inquire what our passion is actually on. Some of us who have displayed passion and a high level of competence or people who have identified with us have been invited into public leadership but have fallen by the way side. When some are being entertained with money, they run out of passion for change. For some, the taste of power is it; it burns out all the passion. Because they are now involved in government, pride derived from money or power sets them apart from the passion and they become avoidably absent from fellow comrades in the struggle for change. So the story changes.

It may be necessary to cite examples. Though I was taught in law that hearsay evidence (somebody told me) is not admissible in court. I am not also oblivious of the fact that it is not in all cases that judges completely shut their ears to such. It may help in arriving at justice in some cases albeit it may not be formally relied on.

During the Occupy Nigeria for protest against the removal of fuel subsidy, it was posted on facebook by some of us that while one of the current public officers was in tertiary institution and was in Student Union Government, there was a proposal for the removal of fuel subsidy which he vehemently opposed declaring it as an evil against the people of Nigeria. But in 2012 being in public office, he said the removal of fuel subsidy is long overdue. One is compelled to ask that what went wrong. Or better still, when he was in school, was he just angry that he was not the one in public leadership to have a share in the “national cake”.

Another is campaign manager to one of the candidates of the 2011 elections who is also a youth. After the elections where his principal lost, he was invited into another political party. Earlier in the year, probably after being entertained, he was also said to have stated that there is no political party like the one he is now.

Having a flashback, people like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Alh. Tafawa Balewa, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, Rtd. Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alh. Sheu Sagari to mention a few could not have lost focus because of money or power. They could not have been distracted by logistical needs, ignoring the ultimate. People with genuine passion for change appreciate the place of money and power but more importantly, they understand the purpose of money and power.

To be hypnotized by money or power will be living the words of Margaret Thatcher- These days, we are governed by people who care more about feelings than thoughts and ideas. We currently have people in public leadership who are more consumed with the euphoria of office and not the essence of the office they occupy. For some of them they might have had good intention and genuine passion, but the force of money and power coupled with some constituted principalities, they were lost in the crowd.

One can keep mentioning the inexhaustible factors that may threaten our passion for social change, but beyond our passion, we owe it a duty to our individual and collective cause to guard our passion with all our strength such that money or power will only serve as instruments for us to influence and achieve positive change in our nation.

What really is the change that we desire in our nation? A nation of peace; a nation of religious tolerance, a nation with ethnic groups mutual respect and understanding; a nation with food security; a nation of commerce and industry; a nation of adequate health facilities for all; a nation with empowered women; a nation of better life for everyone; a nation with a secured future for the younger generation; a nation where rule of law prevails; a nation of justice for all; a nation of equality and fairness; a nation where politics is played with strict compliance with national interest…

To achieve these, we must keep our faith alive, our passion strong and our integrity unfainting! We must live up to our dreams and the tag on us as the turning point generation. The destiny of this nation lies in our hands. The hope of a better Nigeria hangs around us. We have the opportunity to re-write the history of our nation and we must work hard to re-write it.

Olusola Akinyemi Esq.

The President

The Joseph Initiative, Lagos.