This is a wake-up call to all Nigerian youths: these old school players have lost moral authority in this country. They are paralysing the youths with fear, the fear of terror. These old school players need to be reminded that it is not good to sow the seed of catastrophe as no one knows tomorrow. There is time for everything, a time to keep silent, a time to speak, a time to be inactive and a time to be active. What went wrong? Where did we go wrong? What is happening in this country? Must we constantly follow the same cabals who are misleading us and making life unbearable for us? Does this means the potentiality of this great nation has been arrested and taken away from us forever? I think there is a need for Nigerian youths to reflect on these questions.
Professor Wole Soyinka said it all. He established that Chief Obafemi Awolowo was in office at 37 years, Akintola 36 years, Ahmadu Bello 36 years, Tafawa Balewa 34
years, Okotie-Eboh 27 yearrs and Anthony Enahoro 27 years. These distinguished personalities led the struggle for Nigeria Independence after the death of Macaulay. Among the list enumerated by Soyinka, only Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe Zik was 42 years at that time. Admittedly, in 1966, the first military coup was led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu who was 29 years and countered by Murtala Mohammed 28 years, Theophilus Danjuma (28 years), I. Babangida 25 years, J. Garba (23 years) and brought into power Yakubu Gowon (32 years), Odimegwu Ojukwu (33 years), Olusegun Obasanjo (29 years) and Muhammadu Buhari (24 years). Ironically, today we have Buhari (75 years), Yemi Osinbajo (61 years), Atiku Abubakar (71 years) and Obasanjo (81 years) to mention a few.
Most of the military governors who governed the states under the successive military regimes were under 30 years as documented by our noble laureate. Apparently, the brief democratic dispensation which interjected the military interregnums also saw some senators and members of the House of Representatives, in particular, populated by persons less than 30 years. Under 30’s were also not in short supply with appointments like MT Mbu who became Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister at 23 years and Pat Utomi who became a Federal Adviser at 27 years and many more. What remains a million dollar question is why almost all this age bracket today is still sleeping in their parent’s homes. Why is it that this age bracket is roaming the streets? Why is it that this age bracket is today still searching for job to infinity? Why is it that this age bracket is not occupying political offices? Why is it that this age bracket is being sidelined to political matters of this Nation? These questions and many more will remain a thorn in everyone’s flesh.
I think the youths are too docile. They are keeping quiet and people are mistaking them for fools. This is the time to spring into action; this is the time to end this game of recycling the recycled. The 2019 general election is by the corner: we should say no to the Nigerian system of democracy where salt and rice are used to lure the electorate into voting for candidates. Nigerian youths must do everything within their capacity to make sure that under 30’s are given the mandate to rule this nation come 2019. Nigerian youths need to be reminded that a lizard that ignores a tree, finds itself in the stomach of a snake. This is the time to stop this game of recycling the recycled.
- Msughter is a writer and a political analyst.
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