What the Nigerian youth displayed to the world is that the future is bright. We are blessed with talented, dedicated, patriots who love their fellow beings and want what is best for their beloved country. 

In a mere two-week period, they organized a decentralized mass movement focused on holding those in power accountable. They achieved all this in a non-violent, well-articulated, well planned and executed fashion. 

In this effort, they displayed the best of Nigerian brains, passion, spirit, hope and most especially, love and consideration for their fellow citizen.

The Nigerian youth eschewed laziness, greed, dishonesty, incompetence, tribalism and whatever other “isms” that have marred progress in the country in favor of a first-class command of the issues, messaging, resource management and distribution and nationwide collaboration.

Despite the challenges, these youth leaders were able to deploy financial resources, legal and health care services, food and water to those in need without scandal. In the benevolence and consistent with their love of their fellow beings, they extended such grace to the agents of the state that they were protesting to hold accountable.

All this was achieved by their own efforts despite the dilapidated state of infrastructure, despite all the unique Nigerian challenges that plague the daily conduct of business.

Unfortunately, it was the decision of a number of septa and octogenarians that mobilized the powers of the state and unleashed unthinkable violence against peacefully protesting youth. It is a wonder how septa and octogenarians encourage disaffected youth to take up arms in violence against their fellow citizens.  One has to wonder, what else does one need in life, after 70 – 80 years on the planet, that would motivate them to instigate violence and death on people their grandchildren’s age?

Photos abound of palliatives, meant for Nigerians in support of COVID, being carted out of warehouses filled to the point of bursting all over the country. The question is “Why are the warehouses still filled with palliatives?” Instead of being distributed to the people of Nigeria, the political and powerful elite would rather horde them until elections and distribute in a vote buying scheme. Even more insidious, they might rebrand and package for sale at the expense of their constituents.

For the better part of 60 years, we have witnessed and borne the pain of the results of such thinking from this crop of leaders and their cronies.  These people have done their best and operated to the limits of their ability. We shall not ascribe their failure to intentional evil but rather focus on a lack of vision, capacity and ability.  They probably meant to do better, unfortunately, they are limited in their ability.

In contrast, the youth have displayed to all that they are in fact leaders. They have what it takes to move Nigeria forward. They are patriots and they represent the best of us. I implore a deliberate and constant engagement between the intellectual center of this youth movement and the vast majority of the masses such that the disaffected youth begin to identify that this movement is for their benefit. A better more accountable government only serves to benefit them and all other Nigerians and limits opportunities for the political elite to manipulate them for their selfish interests.

By working together, they can be assured better opportunities, better jobs, better schools, better infrastructure and greater security and respect of their civil liberties and property rights.

THERE IS HOPE FOR NIGERIA. OUR YOUTH HAVE SHOWN IT FOR ALL TO SEE.

Let’s rally behind them in bringing about positive change.

Ikenga, Texas