Dear Fellow Nigerians,
It’s time to check ourselves.
Many decades after Nigeria became an independent nation, it has yet, unable to find its footing. There’s stagnancy and rut in virtually every sector of this economy. It’s so bad. The scope and nature of poverty and strife are unprecedented. Every system that makes up an economy, including the educational system, has, hitherto, proved to be a mere talking point among university professors, scholars, stakeholders and the citizenry. Public or family discourse about the state of the nation has become but nothingness.
For most youths, when asked about the problem that’s wrong with this nation, they proudly argue “Bad Leadership”- rightly so. But the bad leadership is not going to be a history anytime soon. In fact, we might just begin to see the start of a new era of the “bad leadership” (Have you seen the news lately?).
The leadership of this country has come to an irreparably roaring rot! My friends, forget it. The talk of leadership as the bane of Nigeria’s problem has become a cliché. The idea now cloys. I hate to hear it. But we can stop the bad guys who have “these magnificent houses in where billions of naira are stashed”.
I have strong convictions about personal responsibilities. It’s time the youths commence taking personal responsibilities for their own lives. Why should we take pride in blaming somebody for what’s happened to us? What’s the pride in waiting for handouts, for assistance when I can do it myself with my God-given abilities and with His joy. Well, we should be too proud to ask for help or to wait for somebody to rescue us when, when you look the heck around, there’s so much work to be done. But the youths would rather the government to butt-kick us or to assist us to get things done than taking initiatives and exploiting opportunities.
And ashamedly, we have youths who, after 4/5 years of tertiary education, cannot translate their knowledge into something practical or useful for the good of themselves and the society. We are too lazy, too fat to do it. We have a poor reading culture ’cause the literature is so long, hard and boring. It’s just too a hard work to pick up a book and read. We cannot form healthy, deep-rooted relationships. We are too blind to see the worth or value of people and things. With a personal culture of disrespect and arrogance, we are so spoilt and undisciplined that we think we deserve success without actually making sacrifices and working for it. We have youths who are too poor, too dull, too lazy to leave home and start an independent life. There’s so much more, I’m starting to feel a tad bit sick.
Our attitude must change. Our culture must. Our mindset must. On top of all, our relationship with our Creator must take a newer dimension. We have got to take fresher, more challenging undertakings. I don’t know a segment of the population that’s more vigorous, more dynamic, more vibrant and more brilliant as the youth.
But I also agree with you, my friends, that with just a slight change in government priorities, the leadership can institute an enabling environment where everyone can succeed. Nevertheless, I continue to be adamant that the future of this nation is going to be determined by the capacity of us young people, who make up over half of the population of this nation, to get off our comfort zones, deal with a little momentary distress, and harness our incredible inner energy and vigor in advancing the trajectory of this great nation that we all love.
Now, ‘want to know more of your uniqueness? If you had to be born anytime in the course of human history, not knowing ahead of time what your gender was going to be, or your economic status, or nationality, my friends, you would choose this moment, this time in history. This is an unprecedented era- look around at the glory and the breathtaking innovations that surround us today- the technology, the discoveries, the environment, the opportunities, the foods, the breathtaking faces and ingenuity of young men and women, the sprawling ideas, including everything there’s, and all there ever is soon to going to be, in this generation.
Youths, let’s seek this moment. My friends, I challenge you to begin taking personal responsibilities for your own lives.
God bless you all, and may God bless this nation so abundantly.
About the Author
My name is Raji Ade Oba. I have gone through many years of experiences, the likes that no one’s seen. Lol I do not mean to brag.
My philosophy is grounded on the belief that everyone has immense worth and capabilities, and in that light, we should be using our gifts and talents to change the lives of others, to giving back to the community. This is because that’s how we also find ourselves, and become much better persons, over time.
Apart from being a scholarly writer, I’m also privileged to write liberally on leadership, communication, and personal development.
I like to help people to realize their full potentials, so together we could make our world a better place.
Thank you.
Raji