What gift can many hardworking and peaceful youths give back to Nigeria on her birthday when they are unfairly and unjustly relegated to the background while other youths that are into banditry are appeased with bundles of naira and juicy government contracts? It is a known fact that no one can give what he does not have. If I may ask again, what has the government given to the youths so far for the youths to give back in return to Nigeria at 61?
AS an African proverb says, when a farmer arrogantly beats his chest at the market square and proclaims that his son would one day build him a better hut than the one he built for himself and later on in life give him a befitting burial when he dies, then one does not need a soothsayer to tell him that he must have, over the years, harvested enough tubers and invested same towards the child’s future. Viewed from the perspective of the foregoing, one may not be wrong to think that the late American president, John F. Kennedy was very confident of the enabling environment which the then American leaders created for the American youths coupled with the investment made on their future when he said, in his inaugural speech as the 35th president of the United States, “…ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”
The foregoing quote, which has somewhat become a catch phrase for motivational speakers and rhetoricians in this part of the world, is often been misunderstood and misquoted as it obviously does not really fit into the pitiable situation of Nigerians who arguably have been misgoverned whenever it is applied to calm their frayed nerves or to pep them up.
The reasons why the inspirational quote seems to be meaningless to many Nigerian can be understood from the perspective of the fact that the Nigerian leaders, due to corruption and crass cluelessness to people-oriented governance have not created a conducive environment for Nigerians to thrive like their American counterparts. Yet they have turned the saying by JFK to a mantra of sort. Whenever any agitated and depressed citizen is told “…ask what you can do for your country”, it is logical for him or her to sharply retort, “How is it possible for me to give back to the country that has not invested anything on me?” Nigerian have every reason to be angry given the unwholesome realities that daily confronts them. For instance, there is no sector of the economy that anyone would literarily peep into without seeing prevailing crisis.
There is no denying the fact that the truth that is inherent in this piece, as bitter as it may be to many self-styled patriots of this nation, must be told. It is obvious that if the truth is not told the myriads of obstacles that are standing in the way of the people may not be adequately removed for them to live a livable life.
Without any modicum of exaggeration, Nigerian have for ages been subjected to the retrogressive factors of abject neglect by the government, exploitation by slave drivers and criminalization by politicians who are bent on winning elections at all costs in the spirit of “do-or-die.”
At this juncture, it is very obvious that Nigeria would be marking or celebrating its birthday on Friday, October 1, 2021. Put in a personified context, it is expedient to ask, “Given the level of deprivation which Nigerians have been passing through since independence since 1960, will anyone be excited enough and happy to celebrate her birthday by showering her with gifts? Or to straightforwardly put it, “Does she deserve gifts from the citizenry that are been misgoverned?”
However, in as much as the answer to the foregoing question is farfetched, facts remain that most Nigerians, particularly the youths are not happy with the leaders who have since Independence in 1960 held this country down, and literarily milking it dry. For instance, what kind of birthday gifts can the burgeoning army of unemployed youths give to a country that has rendered them famished and devalued their certificates so much that many of them have taken to “Okada” and “Keke Marwa” businesses to keep body and soul together? Even some youths who went against all odds to become entrepreneur without support from any quarter hardly have a reliable power supply to keep their businesses going not to talk of having motorable roads constructed to link with their offices. Most of these creative and entrepreneurial youths are today out of their businesses owing to paucity of funds, a situation that when accessible, was worsened by high interest rates charged by banks.
The banks themselves are operating in a non-conducive business environment. It is as bad as that! Then, what does the government want the youths to give back to Nigeria at 61?
The need to express this opinion became imperative because some leaders, motivational speakers and politicians seem to be abusing this saying made by one of the world’s visionary leaders that knew that the people, particularly the youths, needed to be equipped with skills and in turn give back to the country that gave them that much. To me, most people that are wont to mouth this inspirational saying are completely ignorant of the underlying motives of the saying. The saying is not meant for the youths that are yet to be equipped to face future challenges. It is not meant for youths that are left to jay walk the streets many years after graduation. It is equally not meant for the youths that trampled themselves to death during recruitment exercise into any Federal Government parastatal or para-military service.
In the same vein, the saying is not meant to inspire most Nigerian fathers and mothers who lost their jobs in their forties only to remain unemployed “till-thy-kingdom-come” as they are always rejected each time they get to the verge of being employed as they were always told that they have passed the age of employment, and worse still most of them are not entrepreneurially disposed or rather equipped. This, no doubt, is the nature of unemployment that those in their middle ages have been confronted with in the last few years. Are these the people that would celebrate Nigeria at 61?
To me, Nigerians can hardly give anything to the country at her birthday as long as leaders at the corridors of power continue to misgovern them. I mooted the idea of celebrating the Independence, particularly when money comes in within the period, and the person I confided in taunted me thus: “Nor go dey do pass yourself, keep your money for better thing” Against the foregoing dialogue, one does not need to think deep to realize that the collective patriotic disposition of Nigerians is fast waning as those in government are by each passing day becoming selfish and corrupt to the detriment of good governance.
What gift can many hardworking and peaceful youths give back to Nigeria on her birthday when they are unfairly and unjustly relegated to the background while other youths that are into banditry are appeased with bundles of naira and juicy government contracts? It is a known fact that no one can give what he does not have. If I may ask again, what has the government given to the youths so far for the youths to give back in return to Nigeria at 61?
Isaac Asabor
