Letter to Nigerian Youths

Dear Nigerian Youths,

I sincerely appreciate all our efforts towards nation building. It’s no longer a news that the 2019 election is 80 days ahead of us. Nigerians with over 200 million population capacity are going to be exercising their franchise by electing the leader that will saddle the affairs of our great nation for the next four years. But permit me to just draw our attention to something that will build and reshape the destiny of our giant country.

In Nigeria today, there are over 118 million people under the age of 25 years. This depicts that the youth of Nigeria constitute a greater part of the nation’s population hence powerful, influential and can be considered as one of the main factors of nation-building. If we should form a country, the country will be the 12th largest in the world; smaller than Japan, but larger than Mexico or the Philippines. The future of our dear country, therefore, rests on us.

But In time past and now, we have sadly been the tool used by political actors to achieve their selfish interests. Whenever it’s time for election they usually come to us with vain and unachievable promises to entice us to get power. Traditionally, some of us are used as thugs or bandits to ambush the opponents of the oppressor occasional basis.

However, as the story goes, our fate is dashed once they assume power. We become rejected, dejected, frustrated and cast away. We begin to bleat about underdevelopment, unemployment, insecurity and other social vices and maladies that pervade the society. They totally forget that we made them who they are.

Permit me to say this, the problem of Nigeria is not corruption, bad governance, insecurity etc. endless as the list seems. The problem is our youth. We have failed to realize and understand how powerful we are In a country of over 200 million people with more than 70% of its population as youths.

As a result of their failed promises and maladministration, some people have suggested that we lead a subversive radical revolution that will return power to us and bring about a definite change but I think it won’t work because if the oppressors are evicted, there is an heir to take the baton.

The solution to our problem is not a radical revolution but the revolution of the mind. Which must first be decolonised.

The mind is a great tool and seat of power and change.vSome many youths out there needs to be orientated and reorientated to identify their left from right. The revolution being clamoured for will not take effect from the top but grassroots.

The grass root’s revolution has to start with all youths individually in their mind possessing a strong sense of responsibility and the I-can-do mentality.

The development of this nation lies in how well we are able to use the power of the mind to our advantage technologically, politically, economically and socially.

If we are going to change anything in this country, it must start with our mind. The tower of Babel that was being built in the beginning to reach the pinnacle of heaven was first conceived in the mind before it was put into work. The people embarked on achieving this through one mind which included one voice and language. God had to intervene in their midst by changing their language to create confusion when he knew these people will succeed in carrying out the task.

The greatest weapon of revolution is engaging the mind in all.

Division, tribalism, ethnicity, religious bigotries and other sort are so prominent amongst us and it won’t solve our problem. Forgetting that a house that is divided against itself cannot stand is quite dangerous. If we truly want to lead a revolution then we must engage actively the power of the mind. We all must possess one mind which includes one voice and one language. It’s a great asset for our personal development and Nigeria at large.

It’s our togetherness of mind that will birth the desired positive change we are yearning.

In conclusion, let us engage the power of one mind and go to the polling unit united and stronger to elect those that will represent us in government. If we can do this nothing can stop us from being a conqueror. Just 1 million vote from us is enough to achieve this. Let us be involved in nation building and become the real influencers of power. We are not lazy Nigerian youths but active youths. Together we can make Nigeria a better place.