Nigeria as we know it is a country on the brink of disaster – that is if the disaster isn’t happening right now as we speak – and there comes a time in the life of any country when the concerned citizens, regardless of their tribe, religion and cultural beliefs, must stand and say enough is enough! We have tried at different times to speak, deliberate and reason with the government. We have prayed but it seems like the prayers don’t even leave the room where they’re said. We have even tried taking to the streets in peaceful protest to say we want a change in the way that this country is run and what did we get? The government rolled out the guns and after many political maneuverings and dealings, before anyone could say occupy Nigeria, the protests were quelled.
So you ask yourself; what is the way forward? What do we have to do to make sure that government does what they are supposed to be doing? How do we become the change that we seek seeing as trying to persuade these guys to do anything is like trying to use an egg to crack a rock? Do we just resign to fate and sit and watch while Nigeria gets looted and robbed? Do we sit and do nothing while this mediocrity continues? How exactly do we go about making the change that we want? These questions and many more fill the heart and mouth of many a Nigerian.
But I am glad to announce to you, the youthful Nigerian dissatisfied with mediocrity and poverty, I am glad to present to you the latest road-map to taking this country back from the cabal that has looted it. I am glad to present to you the master plan as to how Nigeria can be removed from this quagmire and placed in her right standing in the comity of nations. This movement is tagged the #20MillionYouthsFor2015 movement. If u do not have a copy of the road-map, please download it here.
There have been concerns as to the viability and sustainability of such a large and complex movement as this. Some people even say that it won’t work. Personally, I had a chat with one of my bosses about the feasibility of this movement. He was of the opinion that given the political realities of Nigeria, this kind of movement cannot survive. He also said that our generation wasn’t ready for this kind of thing. In response to his submissions, I asked him to please tell me why he thinks our generation isn’t ready; he replied by saying that we simply will not care as long as ‘the get rich quick syndrome’ exists within our ranks. I asked him to tell me his thoughts as to how we came about that mindset; whose generation does he think we modeled ourselves after in terms of doing whatever it takes to get money and giving no thought to honor, hard work, diligence and other virtues; he answered by admitting that sadly, his generation had failed in showing us the right way to follow. I then asked him what the people in his generation did to right the wrong when they observed that things were going or had gone wrong; he had no answer. So I said to him that sir, with all due respect, your generation has failed us..
So I explained to him that I am part of the #20MillionYouthsFor2015 movement because I am tired of the way that government is run in Nigeria. I am tired of complaining and living a life devoid of even the most basic need of life like fresh air. I am tired of complaining and being an armchair critic. I am tired of people camouflaging as “activists” who are really just waiting for their chance to take from the loot. I am tired of an unworthy Nigeria. I am tired of it all. TIRED! So I decided, after going through the plans of the movement, to join. And I have one consolation. That is that even if this movement doesn’t work out as planned, I will not be ashamed to face my children and tell them that we tried. I shall show them pictures and videos showing the efforts that we made to ensure that they didn’t meet a dysfunctional Nigeria. I shall tell them stories about how we marched arm in arm, regardless of tribe, culture, religious affiliations and other barriers to try and force a change. I shall tell them stories of the victories that we won, the successes that we recorded and the failures that we encountered along the way.
I shall inspire my children by my own actions to stand up for their beliefs, their hope, aspirations, wishes, rights etc. I shall hold my head high and be proud that we tried. I shall be glad that we set a framework for the emancipation of Nigeria. I shall be proud of the fact that we didn’t resign to fate and think it couldn’t be done. I shall be proud that we dared to hope; that we dared to act; that we dared to challenge the evil forces in this country. History shall record it that a generation came and armed with mobile phones, computers and internet connections, we hit the streets and dared to inspire the common man to fight for his right through the ballot box. I shall be glad that we left the comforts of our homes and paid our dues for the development of Nigeria. And before you make up your mind and decide it’s not worth it, ask yourself; what exactly do I stand to lose? Will Nigeria be better if we sit and do nothing? Will anything change? That conversation I had with my boss isn’t one I would love to have with my children. I wouldn’t want to hang my head in shame when my children tell me to my face that I have failed them. I wouldn’t want my children to be fighting for me for the liberation of the Nigeria that I played a part in making worse by refusing to act.
So this is it people; this is how you make sure you’re part of the generation that dared to act. This is how you make sure your name is written in the history books. This is how you make sure you don’t end up like our parent’s generation. This is how you turn all your complaints and anger into productive action. Will you let this chance pass you by? Will you sit around and refuse to heed Nigeria’s call for help? Like my father says to me, “History will forgive the man that tried and failed but history will never forgive the man that folded his arms and did nothing”. A word they say, is enough for the wise.
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