In The Name Of Nigerian Poor Youths

By

Hakeem Babalola

foraabroad@yahoo.com

In fifty year’s time, it’s my assumption that many children born today, would still be uneducated, paving way for them to be ruled by the children of our so-called ruling class, who will have successfully acquired the best education “stolen” money could buy. Many of us who discern this, have refused to let our children be born in Nigeria, or have taken the pain to do everything in our power against the illusion that blinded our parents to have had such “hopeless” hope about our future. It is in view of this anomaly that I would advise Nigerian rulers to stop talking in vain about future, for the future rests only with the ones who tend the future. They should please steal all what they want and leave the scene. But they should know that it’s impossible to fool all the people all the time. By now it should be obvious to them that they are dancing naked in the market. And we are laughing at them. We are laughing at them because we are tired of crying. We are laughing at them because deep down somewhere in the corner of our hearts, we know that history will definitely put them where they belong: In the dustbin. We know that sooner or later they will face the calamity of their knavery.  

One Diogenes Laertius saw the unquestionable power of youths when he declared that, “the foundation of any state is the education of its youths”. It’s not that Nigerian ruling class is ignorant of Diogenes assertion, but rather not sincere about laying any foundation at all, which I suspect suits their hidden agendas. Nigerian youths in their response have lost hope in a country that refused to cater for their well-being. Some prefer to die on Spanish water trying to escape the injustice at home, while many have engaged themselves in criminal activities. Last year, a group of armed robbers in their mid-twenties, raided the house of a friend. Recounting the horrible incident, my friend was more taken aback by the way the robbers spoke Queen Elisabeth English than anything else. A realistic man, he then summed up his ordeal as the sands of time. In the 50s to even 80s, most armed robbers were not as audacious as what we are witnessing now. In those days armed robbers tried to run away when caught, but modern ones stay to engage you in fierce battle. They knock on your door, and sarcastically tell you to open the door for your visitors. “Visitors?” You wonder. “At this time of hours?” And, only the lucky ones survived to tell their horrendous stories, which could have been averted with the right kind of leadership. Idle hand is the devil’s workshop, as they rightly told us. A youth who burnt the candles at both ends for four or five years before eventually graduating, will vex his anger - in revenge - against the society that has forgotten his existence. Such a youth will rage against heaven if he could. Such a youth will be susceptible to temptations of any kind. But revenge itself is not justice but injustice to get justice. 

Gone were the days when students of higher institutions were assisted financially during the course of their studies. Today, students are being forced to engage in dubious activities to supplement their existence. For example, most female students have turned professional prostitutes in order to survive. Some who are not bold enough to engage in prostitution prefer having “sugar daddy” to support their education. It is not anymore a shame for a twenty-year old to have a married man of fifty as “boy friend”. What does it matter as long as he could finance her education and other necessities of life! Her parents, probably the same age as her “sugar daddy”, do not care as well. Why do they have to care as long as their daughter’s lover could buy mobile phone for them! Such is the pitiable situation the Abuja lords have successfully created for Nigerian youths, while their own children reside abroad for proper education. Nigerian youths have been forced not to have sense of belonging. They don’t respect the green-white-green flag anymore. Nigerian youths prefer to wear American or British shawl or logo to anything Nigerian. The maddeningly memorable lyric in our youths’ mouth now is “this fuc---- goddamn country”. And “checking out” of the country seems to be the only way to assuage our suffering or anger. Don’t blame us. Unnecessary sufferings strengthen not the mind.

How can a nation be so insensitive to the plight of its youths, and yet expects any tangible contributions from such disillusion youths. In this period of nationalism being impart on many youths around the world, Nigerian rulers are infusing or injecting inferiority complex on our own youths. Or what do you think is the future of a nation full of uneducated youths? Instead of embarking on youth’s reorientation campaign, the Abuja lords prefer to tie us to the apron of colonial masters. It has been said by eminent Nigerians who have foresight, that the most serious problems can only be reduced by properly educating fifty million Nigerian students below the age of eighteen. Philip Emeagwali, a Nigerian super computer and Internet pioneer, was quoted as saying that “ Ghana spends 27 percent of its public expenditure on education while Nigeria , the “6th” largest petroleum producer in the world, spends a mere ten percent. As a result, Ghana has per capital income that is twice that of Nigeria . Fellow Nigerians how can we explain this? Thank God Philip Emeagwali left Nigeria . For if he had stayed, he would not have had such opportunity to fully realize his potentials. Many of our youths today who are progressing in their chosen fields would have had such progress dashed were they to remain in Nigeria . Instead of investing on our youths, the Abuja lords prefer to make unnecessary trips to the Queen land . Instead of implementing a beneficial programme that will lift the morale of Nigerian youths, the Abuja lords prefer to engage in political manoeuvring. They are more focus on political gains than doing the right things that would eventually lead to our utopia. Instead of inculcating in our youths the spirit of patriotism, the so-called Nigerian politicians are blind to the reality of the moment. Oh, the Yorubas are right when they say Omo ti a o to ni yo gbe ile ti a ko ta (a child that is not properly catered for, will eventually the one to squander the family’s property). The result of our non-charlatan attitude towards the emancipation of the youths is there for us to see. Many of our youths have lost their souls as they prowl the street like a tiger through the forest for prey. For example, high unemployment has produced a growing problem of juvenile delinquency. Even Audu Ogbeh, National Chairman of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), recently lamented the high rate of unemployment in the country, saying that it portends the most dangerous threat to the nation’s very existence (Vanguard Sunday, June 20, 2004 ). And in deed our society also has a way of killing talents. There was this story about a Nigerian who designed a car with two fronts. Did anyone care? Such a brilliant mind is always a rebel in Nigerian context. What a shame! 

In most part of the world, qualitative education is compulsory up until secondary level. In Nigeria , who cares? For if they care, whom will they use as thugs to carry out their nefarious hidden agendas? How do you expect them to care when the matter of their inordinate hearts seems to be proportionate to ambition, cunning and covetousness? How much times do you think is left for an avarice politician who is so busy buying or building mansions here and there? Do you actually expect anything better from the Abuja comedians who are wont to entertain us with a tragically monumental symphony – of Armageddon?  And I don’t mean to exaggerate here. But let them listen those who have ears. Each day is one step closer to the road to perdition where all sinister and pernicious politicians would in a way end up their jiggery-pokery. It shall happen unless Nigerian youths do not deserve to be catered for. It shall happen unless Nigerian politicians have no resources to make our youths one of the best in the whole world. It shall happen unless we are not genuinely feeling the pain in the land. In the land full of abundance! During the fifth century, Sophocles, author of The Three Theban Plays, warned men and women that “A prudent mind can see room for misgiving, least he who prospers would one day suffer reverse”. I know this wise quote does not in any way bother the Abuja lords, but we shall not keep quiet. We shall not keep quiet because I have since learnt from Plato that “the price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men”. Yes, Nigerian public officials are full of evil people who have contemptuously held us to ransom.

If a Nigerian schoolgirl drops out of school as a result of pregnancy for example, no one raises eyebrow. Her parents would even force her to get married so as to bury the shame of the family. In an era when most kids in Western world are becoming computer wizards, hardly can you see a computer in Nigerian classrooms. The mobile phone that is considered by Nigerian government as their prime of success is within the reach of nine year-old pupils in most part of the world. Sure, the incidence of violence and delinquency in Western society is increasing rapidly, but the leaders in those societies provide well-established juvenile institutions as a way of correctional method. There are stories of delinquents turned journalists, judges, doctors etc. The same cannot be said in Nigeria . A youth that passes through jail in Nigeria is likely to rust there, or graduates as a big time armed robber. I ask, what is wrong with us? What is the curse that makes our country a sadistic establishment? The educational system in Nigeria today allows only a compulsory primary school education of six years for all children under the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme. So what happens after primary education for the unfortunate children whose parents cannot afford the means to send them for further education? Or are we saying invariably that primary school education is enough for one to lead a good life? I’ll tell you what happens to these unfortunate Nigerian children. Some of them take to the street hawking or doing other menial jobs while the more desperate ones resort to stealing and other misdemeanours as a means of survival. Another problem is that many Nigerian youths see a wealthy woman or man as his or her role model and develops a compulsive urge to make money by any means necessary, according to Organization For The Development Of the Youths.

It is probably only Nigerian rulers that refused to acknowledge the fact that education is the gateway to the future. According to Plato, the direction in which education starts a man or woman will determine his or her future life. Therefore, we need to enlighten Nigerian society for the need of education. It brings knowledge to those who possess it. A society full of educated citizens breathes in fresh air that sustains such nation until eternity. I agree with one Will Durant who said, “Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance”.  Youths need proper education since they are the fountainhead of a nation without which such a nation will perish. Let start implementing serious educational programmes for the benefit of our youths. We just can’t afford to let our youths be another wasted generation hence they’ll spit over our graves, and stub ashes on our photographs.