Below is an extract of the remarks made by President Buhari made recently in London (CHOGM) in answer to a question at the end of his keynote address at the Commonwealth Business Forum: “We have ah, a very young population. Our population is estimated conservatively to be ah, a hundred and eighty million. Ah, this is a conservative one. More than 60 percent of the population is below the age of (sic) thirty. Ah, a lot of them haven’t been to school. They are claiming ah, ah, you know, that Nigeria has been an oil producing country, therefore ah, they should sit and do nothing and get housing, healthcare, ah, education free.” (Culled from Dele Momodu’s PENDULUM column on ThisDay Newspaper)
In my personal opinion and I believe many other Nigerians will support this fact that the President was speaking the truth. And I am not taking brief for the President, but this is the current picture and attitude of many our emerging youths of today.
The Bible says in Proverbs 27:5-6 NKJV…..that:
“Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
By the above scriptural reference, it is because President Buhari loves the youth of this country, that he was saying and expressing this statement, that is unfortunately, have generated unnecessary controversies, escalated in the Social Media, by especially, those enemies of Nigeria and the Nigerian youths, whom the youths should have centered their grievances upon.
Listen, the truth is very scarce, and it is said, that truth is bitter and the youths should have swallowed this statement as a bitter pill for a better transformation.
The Bible says further in the same Proverbs 23:23 (NKJV), that: “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.” And the MESSAGE version succinctly put it further like this: “Buy truth—don’t sell it for love or money; buy wisdom, buy education, buy insight.”
The President was speaking out the today’s picture of some our bugging youthful population. Though not all of them as it was wrongly misquoted and twisted by those people who are dodging the truth from our youths.
During my growing years as a teenager, and especially, during the electioneering campaigns of the second republic in the hay days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo Of blessed memories. I remembered that the late sage went to the heart of Igboland / Eastern parts of Nigeria. And the Chief Awolowo, told his audience on campaign grounds that, when he is elected as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in 1979, that he will band Stockfish and Second Hand Clothes (Tokunbo Clothes) from coming into Nigeria, and that were demeaning for us as a developing nation etc. And we all know that these itemized products are the thriving businesses of the people from that region. Chief Awolowo was blunt, he said the truth, (though he got many enemies from this statement – just like PMB of today) he never hid it and that is why, Chief Awolowo was loved, and he’s still been celebrated today.
To further appreciate the President’s truthful message and challenge to the teeming youths especially those who are always looking for freebies. The President did not from the extracted statement above that he was referring to all the youths of Nigeria. He said, a lot of them, which means some of them. And we all know that Nigeria youths are resilient; hardworking; creative (only God knows where they will be today if they have an enabling environment by their creativity); intelligent; resourceful and never giving up.
But unfortunately, some of them, these are the ones, who are bad ambassadors of the youths, the President was referring to and not those who are resilient; creative and goal achievers, who are breaking records.
Let us take a look at today’s discourse of on the Social Media and other platforms, what you hear or read from them are uninformed and unintelligent discussions, that will not improve the economy, social and political space of Nigeria.
For example, the 2019 general elections are fast approaching, about 10 months to go, and they (youth support) are not forming platforms, genuinely coming together, as formidable force to be reckoned with, to wrestle power peacefully from recycled leaders, by engaging these recycled leaders, with educative discourse and discussions on the failing policies of the government at both the states and Federal levels.
And as a Pastor, of over 25 years standing, I have been privileged, to deal with some of our youths, and I found some them, very responsible, resourceful, intelligent, enterprising and who are going places, but I am sorry to say, we still have many mix multitudes among them who are not going anywhere, and they portrayed negative pictures and attitudes of mentally lazy young adults who are also not ready to take responsibilities. These are the set of our young adults the President was referring to in my personal and candid opinion as I stated at the beginning of this write up. And they need to change take their place in the destiny of Nigeria.
Finally, I believe, all hopes are not lost, what our young adults needs to do is for them, to grow, increase their learning bases and curves and take up responsibilities in various spheres of lives and I close with this scriptural reference to buttress my challenge to our teeming youths population in Proverbs 9:9-10 and which interalia says:
“Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
*Segun Idahor is a pastor at Agape Christian Assembly, Ibadan
