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The youths are the leaders of tomorrow is a popular saying that has been found to be true every where else, except in Nigeria. Many years ago while growing up, this saying is not too far from the lips of those will see then as adults. Usually when you are told as a youth, that you are the leader of tomorrow, what it connotes is that you are to behave well and comports yourself, in the like and manner of a potential leader.
Some of the elders back then will even tongue-lash you like this: “Are you the people we will be handing over the future unto, behaving in this manner?” So when we hear this as teenagers and youngsters, back then, many of us would behave, telling ourselves that we are the leaders of tomorrow and so, we would put up the best of behaviors almost immediately. So, politicians would tell you, ‘you are the leaders of tomorrow’, teachers would also say theirs as well, parents as usual are not left behind in this rhetorics, while correcting you.
But fast forward into the future, many Nigerian youths, especially of my generation; have not come to see the truth in this statement. The Nigerian youths of today have been promised a future in the past, especially within the political space; which is yet to materialize. The same set of political leaders we have in the country today were the ones that promised us (back then as teenagers) that we are the leaders of tomorrow (today). Many of us are in our thirties and fourties, and yet; it appears the tomorrow has not yet come.
Let’s get this straight using Emmanuel Macron as a good example, fifteen years ago, he was an intern with the French Embassy here in Nigeria. He was I think, 25 years of age at the time, when you remove 15 years from his current age. But today, he is the President of France, and he is in Nigeria to visit our 75 years old President Muhammadu Buhari, who recently signed into law the “Not Too Young To Run Bill”, but would not step aside in 2019 for young Nigerians to take the political stage. Isn’t it funny?
If Buhari eventually wins the forthcoming General elections, he will be 80 years by the time he would be leaving Aso Rock in 2022. When exactly are Nigerian youths supposed to take over the affairs of the nation? I want every Nigerian youths to ponder on this! These crop of politicians are not going to vacate these positions, at least not in the forceable future. We must all rise up now, and rescue power from these old political class. This is a wake-up call. Nigerian Youths, Stand Up And Act Right Now!