Nigerian youths should get involved in politics

Can we assert, that a man, by remaining in a ship, freely consents to the dominion of the captain; though he was carried on board while asleep, and must leap into the ocean and perish, the moment he leaves the ship. We can argue until cows come home about whether PDP or APC more closely approximates true and good governance, furthers Nigerians’ well-being (either individually or collectively), or realises the common good. Not only will we never reach final agreement because as human beings we will always have our sentiments to content with, but these arguments are only likely to inflame animosities.

But the question of how the past and present governments with their political arrangements have failed to live up to their duty which is to help the people to achieve happiness is not in dispute. They have failed the people; particularly the youth, more than any other stratification of the society. So instead of fighting vainly over the correct interpretation of the government which has done better to bring happiness and fulfillment to the people, we can resolve our differences and live in peace simply by conceding that these governments and their formations have failed and therefore a new political order which will drive the pursuit of peace and happiness be instituted by that most bruised group of the society- the youth.

The captain of the ship in my analogy is the Nigerian political leaders and their foreign friends who would stop at nothing to ensure that the old orders subsist; and the man carried on board while asleep is the older generation of Nigerians. Though lured on board while asleep, they have ever since remain on board by choice and therefore complicit; because to pay allegiance to an evil system by obeying its orders is to freely consent and assist its evil purposes.

The more annoying thing however is that the generation that was lured on board while asleep has ever since remain asleep and has consistently failed to run a proper self-assessment check to ascertain why they failed. It’s indeed true that it gratifies human vanity to seek fault everywhere but in himself.

Every day, they blame the younger generation whom out of no faults of theirs have found themselves in dire mess. The blame comes more in subtle ways; you only need to pay a little more attention to notice it. On slight contemplation, one would ask whether these young ones are not the offshoots of the system. Whether they are aliens from the outer space who occasionally invade the planet earth for sinister missions?

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That a man who attempts relentlessly to stifle people’s right of expression and remains silent on pressing national issues, would suddenly become eloquent and even loquacious outside the country is a source of major concern and therefore should be taken seriously. He exhibits unprecedented disdain for the plight of his people.

As for the “a lot” of Nigerian youth, away with these hues and cries for you are not lazy illiterates and freebies freak generation until you prove otherwise. Enough of these hues and cries, go and harm yourself and be ready to prove your literacy or illiteracy by either supporting a father who never provides shoes for his sons and always complains that their legs are always dirty and consent to despair and indulge in PDP and APC arguments or challenge the status quo by getting actively involved in politics. It cannot just be taken for granted. The time to build the nation is now.

Nnabuike Eze

nnabuikeeze123@gmail.com