Wake Up Nigerian Youths

By Muyiwa Olayinka

We brought this thing upon ourselves.

What have we done to deserve these?

We used our votes to remove a spineless government that could not fight corruption but was above average on economy.

We voted in a government who promised to crush boko haram and fight corruption.

It decimated boko haram no doubt but scratched the surface in fighting corruption

What do I mean by scratching the surface?

The government took on oppositon members and perceived enemies leaving its member to have a field day stealing our common patrimony.

Can we quickly forget how the Secretary of Government of the Federation (SGF) used N270 million to clear land for development?

While this was going on, the economy was left to degenerate into abysmal level making businesses and companies to go moribund.

Unfortunately the leader of this government is ill despite denials from his aides. He had to be ferried abroad to attend to his illness.

During this period, his Vice President (VP) tried to revive the economy with a gusto his boss did not possess.

We were enjoying this temporary respite when the cabal became jittery feeling that power was slipping away from their hands.

The principal had to be packaged home to maintain the balance of power and to show the doubtful minds where the power lies.

While power interplay was raging on, lull has come back to governance.

An ailing president has to slow down to manage his health while the acting President is forced to take a back seat and watch from the sidelines.

The active VP had been tamed.

The cabals are happy.

For little distractions to take our mind from our misery, the media is awashed of a leaked memo of El Rufai to Mr President, Apostle Suleiman vs Otobo, Sani Shehu vs El rufai, Dino Melaye vs Sahara reporters. The drama continues.

Economy has been left to the dictates of market forces and the spin doctors.

National budget has not being passed to law, as I’m writing this article. but the national assembly is only interested in a political appointee of the President, who refused to wear the uniform of the organisation he leads.

Nigerians are wallowing in self pity and daily struggling under the weight of debilitating recession.

Why is our situation like this, one wonders

Have we offended the gods of the land?

We were promised change but we were careless not to ask if the change is progressive or regressive.

Unfortunately knowledgeable Nigerians and the elites are defending politicians along political leaning instead of calling a spade a spade.

When are we going to wake home from our taciturn and complacent attitudes?

When are we going to realise that we have been fleeced.

When are we going to take our country from these pretenders.

Other nations have fought against the system by liberating themselves from their parasitic leaders.

We gave these leaders our sovereignty to rule on our behalf. We can take back our sovereignty peacefully within the confines of the law.

The youths of Nigeria has to wake up from their slumber. I’m aware the opportunities for youths to thrive are shrinking every day.

Youths are looking for miracles. As a result they resort to self helps. Those who are criminally minded have joined the underworld, engage in vices like kidnapping, armed robbery, cult gangs or becoming political hatchet men for dubious political leaders.

Those who still have family names to protect engage in Ponzi schemes like MMM, pool betting. Some spend quality time in endless argument on Premiership leagues, La liga or German leagues.

Don’t get me wrong football discussion is supposed to be a hobby or for past times but when it occupies rational minds, unchecked, it becomes unproductive.

There are no jobs everywhere, graduates are roaming the streets for non existent jobs. Workers are loosing jobs. There is a disconnect from the family system because once the bread winner looses his means of livelihood, the family bears the brunt.

Hard times call for sober reflections. We should start thinking of how we got into this mess and ask if our leaders have been fair to us.

I’m not agitating for Biafra but I beleive in the spirit of Biafra.

I appreciate the tenacity of purpose of Nnamdi Kanu. He’s bold assertive and committed to his cause. But he is not asking real questions. He’s agitating for the independent state of Biafra, instead of him to ask for the resources that has been collected on behalf of his people, by the political actors, if it has been judiciously spent.

Kanu is from Abia state. Abia is one of the least development in the south eastern states since 1999.

I have met many Abians who are totally miffed and sad with the situation of their dear homeland.

We should ask Orji Kalu, a former governor of Abia what he did with the resources accrued, but practically ran the state aground with the help of his mother, who had no political appointment.

His successor fought tooth and nail to extricate himself from the strangle hold of his predecessor.

Orji Uzor Kalu, Professor Charles Soludo and Pat Utomi were among those that visited Nnamdi Kanu in Kuje prison in Abuja, where he’s standing trial in court.

I expected him to ask pertinent questions why Abia state is such in a parlous state.

They say charity begins at home.

What is the spirit of Biafra?

Demanding equality within the Nigeria context.

Demanding for true federalism

Federalism entails the wealth of the people to be managed by the people.

We are tired of a quasi federalism in which all our wealth is concentrated in Abuja, where the feudal lord will in his magnanimity disburse it as it pleases him.

We are tired of the concept of “Baboon dey work, monkey they chop”

This system that engenders prebendalism and inequality is evil and must be changed

We have to look for a workable system where the bakers of the national cake will not labour in vain but be a partaker.

We must join hands together and close ranks to fashion a way out of this master-slave relationship.

This why our youths must wake up from their slumber. We have to equip ourselves, educate and empower ourselves with incontrovertible facts and figures to challenge our leaders so as to wrestle our destinies from these buccaneer lords.

This is a wake up call to all

Former President Obasanjo made one statement that created an impression on me. He said the generation before him fought for the independence of Nigeria, his generation fought for the unity of the country, what is our generation going to hold on, when we look back in future.

Are we going to fold our arms and say we were not given opportunity.

The kingdom of God suffers violence and only the violents take it by force.

This is food for thought.

Editor’s note: This article was written a year ago. It is apt and timely considering the call for Nigerian youths to be involved in politics and national rebirth.