By Obinna Osigwe |
Dele Momodu’s article ‘Do the Youths really know what they want?’ was published on 6th May 2017 anf Nigerian graduate and computer scientist Obinna Osigwe has replied him, telling him that the youths have not been given an opportunity to show themselves. Find the reply below, It’s long but insightful and deep! Please read to the end…
REPLY: DO THE YOUTHS REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY WANT BY DELE MOMODU
By Obinna Osigwe
This article was born as an answer to Chief Dele Momodu’s Pendulum on
the 6th of May, 2017 and I write with a heavy heart. I have been reading
Pendulum for 3 years non-stop and I have never seen Chief Dele Momodu, a
man I have great respect for write in that manner. Bob Dee raised many
issues in the Pendulum about the problem with what the youths really
want. I have an answer for you.
Before I go straight to the
matter that matters. It has been said and believed that the youths has
not been given the chance to prove themselves in governance. Although I
don’t know the absolute age bracket that qualifies someone to be called a
youth because I have seen people in the 40s and 50s serving as youth
leaders. Chibuike Amaechi became the speaker, Rivers State House of
Assembly in 1999 at the age of 34, Yakubu Dogara was elected to the
House of Representatives at the age of 40, Bukola Saraki became governor
of Kwara Stare at the age of 40. Aminu Tambuwal came to the House of
Representatives in 2003 at the age of 37, became Speaker in 2011 at the
age of 45 and the governor of Sokoto State in 2015 at the age of 49.
Peter Obi won the Anambra State governorship election at 42, and was
sworn in at the age of 45. When people say the youths are not given a
chance to participate in governance, maybe they want teenagers and
undergraduates without experience to enter the green and red chamber or
fill in the vacant seat for the Secretary to the Government of the
federation (SGF).
What does the youths really want want?
Pius
Adesanmi in his recent piece, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave talked about
cave prisoners in chains physically and mentally that needed to be
saved. I am going to juxtapose Dele Momodu’s Do Our Youths Really Know
What They Want and Pius Adesanmi’s Plato’s Allegory of the Cave.
1. Quality Education
The youths want the right kind of education. The kind of education we
have in Nigeria is a disaster. Nigeria doesn’t have a future with her
current educational system. Any education that can’t make you to harness
and create your world is no education. No matter that slogan of any
government – vison 2010, vision 2020, vision 2030, Heart of Africa, 7
Point Agenda, Transformation Agenda, Change, Economic Recovery Growth
Plan (ERGP), it will bear no fruit without fixing the educational
system. Education is meant to liberate, but our educational system
chains one’s mind. We learn outdated courses and current courses with
outdated contents in Nigeria educational system. I know why our elite
send their children to study abroad and go for medical treatment abroad.
Almost all the Nigerian elite, governors and pastors inclusive, send
their children to study abroad. Recently a picture went viral in social
media showing the picture of Gov Rochas Okorocha’s son graduating with a
Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Imperial College
London. I wonder why he didn’t send Ahamefula to Imo State University
(IMSU).
Our educational system has been used to disarm us. We
want to harness the opportunities around us but we can’t. It is only
when we graduate from university we realize we went to school to learn
beautiful nonsense with no commercial value. It pains me when people
call Nigerian youths lazy, that you see some lazy dudes around your
neighbourhood doesn’t qualifies the Nigeria youths as lazy
This
is why the nation cannot produce anything: we don’t have the knowledge
to harness our resources. After the Russians built Ajaokuta Steel
Complex, nothing else happened because we don’t have the capacity to run
the huge investment. The solid minerals sector is lying fallow because
we are still waiting for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to run the
sector. From technology to toothpick we import everything.
Plato says education is the only superior force that can free them – Pius Adesanmi
2. Quality Representation
This is where the society has failed us. Uncle Dele blamed the youths
for their woes and prayed that they can set themselves free from the
bondage of the aged and the past. But how can people in shackles set
themselves free. Knowledge is light but our educational system is
darkness because it makes someone blind and incapacitated harness the
opportunities around him. Thank God for God and his pastors that has
been using messages of hope for a glorious future to keep the angry and
frustrated youths in check.
The problem of Nigeria is the case of
the privileged and not privileged, have and have-not, strong and weak,
rich and poor. The former looks down on the latter, preys on the latter
and exploit the latter, while the latter looks unto the former and God
for salvation.
The social strata of the weak, poor, less
privileged and have-not harbours many angry and frustrated youths which
our society have no plans for. It is the job of the strong, rich,
privileged and the haves to fight for equity and justice in the society.
It takes a liberated Moses to fight for his people, a transformed David
to crush Goliath. The reason Bring Back our Girls (BBOG) gained
worldwide recognition is because Madam Oby Ezekwesili and Hadiza Bala
Usman and others entered into the struggle. They became the voice for
the voiceless. Martin Luther King Jr used his oratory and exposure to
fight racism and segregation. It is the job of those who have seen the
light to fight darkness with all zeal and fervor.
Emir Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi said “The poor people for whom you fight are voiceless by
necessity. Those of us who are fortunate to be part of the elite and who
choose not to speak for them are voiceless by choice. We want to
protect ourselves and our loved ones from the pain of being insulted and
abused on social media. We want to hold on to the small comforts of our
status. We want access to power and to be seen as friends of those in
power and members of our inner circle. We are afraid of being destroyed
by ruthless state machinery. We have a morbid fear of being isolated, of
not belonging to an exclusive club close to power.”
To The Concerned Nigerian Elite: Pick a Fight
An igbo proverb says, “obodo adighi mma bu uru ndi nze” meaning the
rottenness of the society is an advantage to the elite. In Nigeria we
have the concerned elite and the not concerned elite. The elite
benefitting from the misery of the society does not want the society to
change. When things start working, there won’t be any blood to suck
from, so anyone trying to change the status quo is an enemy.
For
many years, I have been reading Segun Adeniyi’s Verdict, Dele Momodu’s
Pendulum, Simon Kolawole’s Sunday column, Pius Adesanmi, Okey Ndibe, Azu
Ishiekwene, Kayode Komolafe, etc. Many wonderful ideas are churned out,
but dialoguing with our political leaders is a conversation with the
deaf.
My advice is to the concerned elites is to pick a fight.
The beneficiaries of our miseries doesn’t listen to intellectual
gymnastics. I did my NYSC in Ihievbe Grammar School, Ihievbe, Owan East
LGA, Edo State. The school was established in the 70’s, it was reputed
to be among the best schools then in Owan and Etsako area. Now the
school is a disaster. Their science laboratories have disappeared. Trees
with trunks whose diameters are the same as wild kolanut trees have
overgrown the classrooms and hostels. A major segment of the school has
collapsed and decayed. The senator that represented Edo North
(2007-2011) was from Ihievbe, the representative of Owan East/Owan West
in the Federal House of Representative is from the neighboring Otuo, the
representative of Owan East in the State house of Assembly is from the
neighbouring Afuze. Nothing has been done.
The story is the same
all over the country, the people that are supposed to represent us are
exploiting us, leaving the real issues and arguing about uniforms and
certificates. I picked out Ihievbe because it is the ancestral home of
Chief Dele Momodu. If he decides to fight for quality education for his
people, he will end up fighting the people feeding fat on the misery of
his people. When you’ve done this, come out and contest for any election
in Edo North, you will have a landslide.
In my opinion, anybody
that steals public funds should forfeit his entire savings and assets. A
thief ought to pay seven (7) times when caught. Any money stolen from
the public purse robs someone of his/her potential and future. To our
influential elites, use your voice and address some issues. Fight for it
and stop inciting the already dispossessed youths. Wherever you’re
found speak up. Stand to be counted. We need you!
George Sorel
said “As long as people wait for the down trodden and the hopeless to
produce a revolution, the revolution is far away. Revolutions are made,
not by the weak, the unsuccessful, or the ignorant, but by the strong
and the informed.”
By Obinna Osigwe