Recently, the media space was awash with news of prominent Nigerians, especially government officials who travelled abroad for their children’s graduation. Also, the gruesome murder of the reporter/corps member, Owolabi Precious is another news report that saddens the heart. May God grant the families, friends, NYSC, Channels Television, where the deceased was observing the mandatory one year service and the entire Nigerian youth the fortitude to bear the loss.
The juxtaposition of the two pieces of news must not go without a deep reflection on and dialogue of our current state and our possible future as a nation. It is very simple; the dog is very good at protecting its puppies and it is skillful at devouring the baby deer. What a pity. Our leaders that we voted for send their kids to safe countries for their education why the ordinary youth is made to suffer under an unfriendly educational system and is exposed to all sorts of insecurity.
They secure the future of their children day and night but there is no hope for the common youth; and if care is not taken, all the child of the common man has got is a bleak future staring him in the face. Incessant strike actions by teachers at all levels as a result of denied entitlements and jumbled academic calendar have rendered our education sector useless. With this same system, we keep churning out graduates en masse with no jobs in sight. For the discerning minds, nothing could be more dangerous to a country than an army of idle graduates because they are prone to crimes and other illegal activities.
The truth, for those who love it, still remains that if the government had stood up to its responsibilities in terms of providing adequate security and better living condition for its citizens, the death of Precious and many others could have been averted. How do we describe the incident at Garki Hospital where the only surgeon who could perform surgery on Precious was not around? It is a lucid evidence of our dysfunctional health system. Why should we have just one surgeon who could perform such an operation? Little wonder our leaders seek medical treatment abroad. With no critical solution in view to the several problems bedeviling our nation, it thus seems that the government is unperturbed by the number of our glorious youths that are being sent to their early graves as a result of bad leadership, insecurity, frustrations, suicide and many others.
Except we break the barrier of deceit between the leaders and the led, development will continue to elude us as a country. Until we make laws that prohibit our leaders from seeking medical treatment and sending their kids to study abroad, we will continue to wallow in imaginary development. Until accountability becomes a core component of our leadership system, our country will continue to navigate at the level of a developing nation.
Ishola Akintunde,
isholaakintundey@gmail.com
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