Editor’s note: Today, the future of many Nigerian youth is believed to be blinking as the present could not guarantee what they should look up to in their dream about tomorrow. Joblessness has become an order of the day in this present day Nigeria. This is because; the rate of unemployment among young graduates is not only alarming but also appalling.
In an article sent to NAIJ.com, a social commentator, Ken Seye, explains how the legacies left by Nigerian past leaders have been eroded by the present day politicians.
Darkness full everywhere as if there was no existence of light, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth is the chorus of the music. They wish they could have put up with the Almighty than partaking in this horrible experience, the future looks gloomy and the fear of the unknown is the undeniable fact. The fire of hopelessness is plus 1000 degree Fahrenheit.
This is just the painted picture an average Nigerian youth sees glaringly on the wall everyday and the question that keeps running in their thinking abode is, was it like this from the inception? If at all is not, then what happened along the line? They once heard that one dollar was an equal measure to a naira.
Even recently, Nigeria ex-President, Olusegun Obasanjo gave an account of how he was offered jobs by different companies after his secondary school education; an opportunity that seems impossible for a University graduate in the present day Nigeria. What happened?
Even one of my role models, Reuben Abati, a former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan narrates how he was given scholarship in the course of his education, what a juicy time!
READ ALSO: BREAKING: President Buhari meets with APC governors and leaders in London (photos)
History also has it how a cattle dealer, Umoru Altine left Sokoto state for Enugu to join mainstream politics and later became the first mayor of the coal city with the backing of Nnamdi Azikiwe.
Sir Ahmadu Bello as the Premier of Northern region named a non-Hausa man, George Ohikere in his cabinet as minister of works. Can this still happen in our so called modern Nigeria? Only God knows.
We continue talking about the adroitness and the legacies of Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe and many other great mannish because we lack their kind of person in our leadership today.
All we have now are set of leaders that are tribalized, unpatriotic, egocentric (money-centric), selfish and have kept struggling by all means to occupy very prominent and juicy positions so as to enrich their private pockets.
There was a time when agriculture was the mainstay of the economy and it contributed about 65 percent to the GDP and represented almost 70 percent of total export, the same agriculture provides the foreign exchange which was used in importation of raw materials.
Many capital project was completed from accrued earnings from this same ancient profession. For instance, free primary education for all, free health care for children and first television service in Africa in 1959. All these were financed from the highly cocoa industry.
Apart from cocoa in the old western region there were groundnuts pyramids in the North and all these formed the bedrock of an economy that was growing then. All these were made possible as a result of good leadership.
Nigeria is presently at the cross road with no qualified mentor to lead through. Even though we have some we called elder statesmen, political gladiators and fortunate social elite, but what have been their track records?
Let me gist you, these ones are our former or present governors, ministers, senators, special advisers, personal assistants and even spiritual advisers, but in their various capacities they have remained catalyst to Nigeria doom.
Just recently, an alarm was raised by SERAP about former governors now ministers and senators who have continued to be on their various states payroll, they collect pensions and enjoy so many other fringe benefits and allowances with their family even after they might have emptied the government coffer during their administration/tenure and left gross indebtedness behind for the generations yet unborn.
I wonder how they still have loyalists after making citizens shareholders in poverty and aggravating the prevalence of hunger in the land. Ah! There is a great hunger in the land!
If at all our heroes past are of the same calibre with all these greedy and carnivorous politicians who called themselves leaders and godfathers, probably there won’t be an entity called Nigeria again.
Sometimes, I try to fathom the level of decay in our society but I have discovered it's immeasurable. Even though they preach peace and hope, we all know it's a cosmetic endeavour.
How can we enjoy peace when there is absence of justice? As a country, Nigeria is in her perilous time, when there are balanced agitations from different fractions and quarters which are caused by cumulative atrocities of years past.
People keep agonizing about the satanic acts of cattle rustlers, clueless Nnamdi Kanu is gradually becoming god in the south east while 'Badoo Boys' and Evans, the kidnapper are now notorious celebrity.
Innocent school children have turned prey to kidnappers; a sign of no security. All they sweat on is about who to be confirmed and who is not wearing uniform, you all know what I mean.
Even though Nigeria is always referred to as a blessed nation, it seems it's not so because her burghers do not look such. A nation with dead infrastructure, low level of literacy, crippled economy, unhappy citizens, and the count is endless.
Now tell me, are these attributes of being blessed? Definitely no! Although God opened the eyes of our heroes past to see richness in our diversity and potentials but generation of "Kaaki" turned "Agbada" leadership has definitely plagued the nation with infirmities of tribal discrimination, marginalization, cultural revenge, religious intolerance and so on.
It is a pity the kind future that will be delivered to us by these “chunk feeded leaders”. I can’t imagine a Yoruba man using Visa to enter Anambra or vice visa, God forbid bad thing, but frankly speaking this is the future that stirs us in the face.
I remember growing up in the 1990s; I used to enjoy a musician named Funmi Adams. This woman in her prime gave this country a great musical album, an asset, a recipe for national unity. She sang in more than three local dialects just to give hope to children like me that the future is promising, her song "Nigeria My Beloved Country" gave people like me sense of belonging in this country called Nigeria.
The lyrics of the song go thus:
"I know a lot about my country, I know a lot because I care. I know a lot about the people, I know a lot because I’m here. Nigeria, my beloved country, working together is the key. Nigeria, my beloved country, our future is you and me. Land of iron, land of coal Agriculture, oil and coal. They are assets that we own. Around the world, our name is known. I know we have a great potential. To do more than just survive, let’s build up our strength and pride. Trust in God to be our God"
This Nigeria hero did not only give evolving children hope, but she also promoted undiluted patriotism through her song. May God bless her! However, I hope she won't be crying of what has become the nation she dedicated her whole craft for because her prophecy has been nullified by political scavengers and agents of doom who have perforated the destiny of the unborn foetus.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app
It’s no more news that the future doesn't belong to the Nigeria youth but instead some group of looters who will do anything to remain relevant including proposing to sponsor a bill to give amnesty to looters, but their end is very near, a cotton is about to be drawn.
People must refuse to be cajoled, because the present stink and future will definitely smell malodorous if we continue to see possibilities in these ordinary ruthless opportunistic leaders, all they love is our gullibility.
It is unfortunate that the labour of our heroes past is gradually going down the drain and if the necessity is delayed their sweat may be in vain too. Imagine, after 57 years of independence, secession still remains a topic of discuss, "haba" shame on every single person that has led us here. Nigerians can never be proud of you.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that the federal government of Nigeria announced the registration of unemployed Nigerians in order to give them jobs.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of NAIJ.com.
Your own opinion articles are welcome at info@corp.naij.com — drop an email telling us what you want to write about and why. More details in Naij.com’s step-by-step guide for guest contributors.
We’re ready to trade your news for our money: submit news and photo reports from your area using our Citizen Journalism App.
Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Naij.com Opinion page!
In the video below, NAIJ.com TV asked some Nigerians what they have to say about President Buhari’s absence away from the country for so long: