NIGERIAN YOUTHS, AWAKE AND ARISE

I was talking with my good friend, Abubakar just this morning. And as usual, we began discussing (more like arguing about) the appropriate interpretation and implications of recent political developments in the country.

See, Abu had just returned from the Ghana after almost two weeks away and as always, his first stop is my home. Passionate Abu wants to know what he had missed. He arrived my house carrying a box containing newspapers his vendor had kept dutifully for him while he was away. Like most Nigerian youths Abu wants to be informed and seeks to be informed about happenings in his country.

For minutes running into hours, my friend and I debated issues of national importance. We examined each other’s thoughts, opinions and positions on issues. But one dominant theme that underscores our discussion is the 2015 Elections and the events leading up to the 2015 general elections. We also asked some pertinent questions. Questions like what are youths doing about the outcome of the 2015 elections? What role do we have to play in the unfolding scheme of things? More importantly, what role are we expected to play as youths? We generated more questions than I can readily identify here. But in the end we resolved to find answers to these timeless questions.

Abu and I have been friends for over a decade. And the truth be told, we hardly agree on issues. But on these agree; Nigerian youths should start providing answers to our many national questions. We agree that at this point in our national live, Nigerian youths must rally round leaders that have answers to these national questions. Nigerian youths must be more involved in the political process, not as a tool in the hands of politicians, but as a force – a political force – that will make the difference we so much desire.

Our country needs us, Nigeria needs us to wake up and rise up to expectation. There is no better time than now. Now is the time to salvage the situation, the time to deploy our creative energies in ways that contributes to making Nigeria better.

But first Abu and I agreed to start where we are with what we have – our voice – to begin making a difference by speaking against pessimism and lack of faith in Nigeria. To speak for progress and development. We resolve that wherever we are we will represent a positive movement. a movement of young Nigerians who know the facts and seek that which is the truth, speak the truth and defend the truth. We shall represent a positive movement of youths who chose to see only the good in Nigeria, we will not just shun pessimism but speak against it wherever we are.

We do not readily know how we will go about this. But first we pledge to lend our voice to the growing youth political consciousness.

Donald Ekpeyong writes from Jos