Man’s life is independent. He is born not for the development of the society alone, but for the development of his self. Youth has a very important role to play in the development of the society. We the youth have neglected our role in the society and that is why we are not getting it right again.
We, the youths, spend a lot of time investing in things that numb us to the reality of how short life is; things like scrolling through the internet for hours, liking and commenting on Facebook, Whatsapp or watching TV to the point of restlessness and playing of gambling. How much time do we save for ourselves? How often do we set aside dedicated time for personal development where we are learning and growing in a way that defines our existence?
Those things we engage ourselves in at our youthful age can determine our future at old age.
It is our responsibility as a youth to teach both the teenagers and kids all aspects of general life. Let us show them the way so that they grow up in the right way and not the wrong way. Youths have to advise and encourage teenagers and help them to solve social, educational, psychological, emotional and various problems the teenagers encounter in life.
It is time for we the youths to rise up and face the reality of life. It is time we the youths show to the elders and the younger ones what it takes to be a youth by seeking for elders’ experience and advise, joined with our strength and talents to build a better society.
The questions are: what is your impact as youth in your society?
How have you tried to correct the mistakes of the elders that we use to complain about? What efforts have you put in place to have a better society? Believe me, it is only few youth that can provide a better answer to the above questions.
Our youths has been brainwashed, especially by politicians, who now sees youth as weapon for destruction. Youths are now offered appointments as agents of destruction against other parties. Youths are now used as a means of moving illegal items. But let me tell you that those people are only destroying your future because if they were used as a tools for destruction in their youthful age they wouldn’t have gotten to where they are today.
Don’t allow yourself to be carried away by the sweet voice of politicians. Some politicians will only value you and make you their friend when election is approaching and not because of how creative, experienced, brilliant, dedicated you are. They will value you based on how thuggish you are and your ability to cause violence to disorganize their opponents and they will also value you based on how smart you are in manipulating elections. After they have got victory, you will have nothing to write about, no state talk less of personal achievement. The funny thing is that after he has left the government you will now become a wanted person by the next government because of all the atrocities you have committed and he will not be there to save you anymore; him and his family are in Abuja enjoying our money.
We the youth are the one who use to suffer the atrocities committed by the politicians before or after election because we are the one that will carry guns and matchete to cause violence while the politician and his family will be out there enjoying themselves. If unfortunately you are caught, they will deny you to face the punishment because they don’t want you to stain their name.
I am not disputing the fact that youth should be involved in politics but play politics with mercy and we should make sure we rally around someone that has the feeling of the people at heart and have better things to deliver to transform our lives.
The problem we the youth are facing today is that we don’t realize the full potential in us. We don’t believe we can make things work out for ourselves without joining politics or engage in criminal activities. All this is as a result of laziness, lack of creativity and over dependance on government or politicians.
Our youth age has been abused that is why if some of us are given opportunity to occupy any position of trust, we abuse it too simply because we lack of experience and right moral upbringing.
The common mistakes we make as a youth that is still destroying our future is the holding down to the belief that government will give us job after graduating from school. Believe me, if you have this believe you are just wasting time. Going to school is not based on the fact that government will give you job after your graduation but it is to have knowledge, ideas and experience to be creative to build a better life for yourself and your society. But most of us after graduating from school we still lack creativity.
The truth must be told because some of the youths are creative in nature but we lack financial support, and it is the responsibility of the government to transform the lives of her citizens by giving them job, empowering them in the area of their knowledge to fulfil their dream to able them cater for themselves and others.
Some of us the environment, parental upbringing and poverty contribute to our deficiency which has led to brigandage among the youths.
The elders has a major role to play in the youth life to have a better society, because in one way or the other they contribute to our failure. They should stop telling us stories that will create hatred of others in our heart. This is very common in my own tribe, Okene, Ebira in Kogi state. This is the problem we are still facing today in Ebira land, but we don’t need such stories again. What we need now is your wisdom, skills and advice and a positive story that will best suit our profession to build a better society.
Your old age those not make you a good elderly person but it is the good words, advise from you and your positive impact in the society that make you a responsible elderly person.
Finally, we the youths are groomed from child. We are trained to become something we are not, because we are not born as a leader but we are trained to become a leaders of tomorrow. There is a lot of pressure when we are at this youthful age. What we are to do is to stand up to our feet and say no to our defeat, brace up yourself, accept challenge and never think you can’t. Always think you can and be honest, be straightforward in all your dealing. By so doing, you will start to see this world as it really is. You will start to realize that things are not as they seem to be.
To have a better developed society, we need the wisdom, skills and advise of the elders join with the strength and support of the youth to break down the barriers to society development. No youth can get it right without the support of a responsible elders. And also, we should appreciate the experiences and skills of older people and vice versa so that we foster greater understanding between groups of people in other to have a rapid development in our society.
No youths, no nation. No youths, no development. No youths, no elders. No youths, no life. We the youth, let our voice be heard. Do not be silent, do not be violent.
– Abdulmumeen Ahmed
Human Rights Activist
08062737273
