Youth of a great nation, what legacy are we creating?

A nation’s true wealth isn’t in its oil wells or its skyscrapers; it is in the untamed potentials of its young people. When the youth learn to build rather than blame, to create rather than complain, they become the architects of the future they deserve. Nigeria’s future sits squarely on the shoulders of its young […]

A nation’s true wealth isn’t in its oil wells or its skyscrapers; it is in the untamed potentials of its young people. When the youth learn to build rather than blame, to create rather than complain, they become the architects of the future they deserve.

Nigeria’s future sits squarely on the shoulders of its young people yet those shoulders carry a strange weight. It’s like watching fire and ice in the same breath, endless talent clashing with deep frustration. Let’s be honest this generation stands at a powerful yet precarious crossroads. We are very privilege, we have the world’s knowledge in our pockets, tools our parents could only dream of and yet with all these advantages, we seem to be struggling with a deep crisis of who we are and what we stand for.

The painful irony is that while the youth make over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population, their voice in the government is barely a whisper. The Nigeria youth are daily breaking boundaries in the aspect of tech, entertainment, sport and various social paths from  the likes of Davido, wizkid and Burnaboy lightening up the world stage with their music, to Hilda Baci cooking her way into history, to Tobi Amusan, Asisat Oshoala, Victor Osimhen, Anthony Joshua flying our flag high in sport. There are also the likes of John Oseni, Sola Akinlade and Ekwutosi Cynthia Okeh Nsukka breaking grounds in the Tech world and impacting the lives of several Nigeria youth willing to take a step in the Tech field. But in the same vein, daily, youths of Nigeria are slipping into cybercrime calling it “revenge” against a country that failed them or colonialism. They walk away from school, chasing quick money that fades as fast as it comes. What they don’t see is how much brilliance we’re losing not just as individuals, but as a nation gasping for innovation and credibility.

The government must step in not just with arrest, but with opportunities. Many of these young people turn to cyber-crime out of financial depression. Those who show remorse and potentials should be reoriented and redirected into the Tech programmes towards building the nation. The entertainment industry also carries a huge responsibility. Songs that glorify fraud or fast money must be scrutinised, music shapes culture and when crime becomes catchy, morality becomes optional. As a result Nigeria’s youth must stop celebrating songs that praise criminality, they may sound appealing but they stain our nation’s image and cheapen our values.  

Then there’s the drug problem; codeine, tramadol and pills swallowed to quiet the noise in their heads. It’s not just a health crisis it’s a cry for help from a generation running out of hope. And we have to ask ourselves what kind of future can a country have when its brightest minds are trying to forget they live in it? The government must take urgent action to address the growing issue of drug abuse among the youth, which is often fueled by depression and the unbearable cost of living. For many young people, life has become more expensive than living itself. Therapy sessions and rehabilitation programmes should be made genuinely affordable not luxuries for the privileged. Every young person should be able to walk into a centre, speak with a professional, and get help without worrying about cost.

Enough has been said about what the government can do. As youth, we can’t keep chanting on social media and behind closed doors that we are the future of tomorrow’s Nigeria and daily we have youth’s trooping out of the country at any slight opportunity. The JAPA syndrome has become the order of the day, the same Nigerians being mocked at home are breaking records abroad. That’s the tragedy not just the loss of manpower, but the loss of faith. The system promised them hope, but gave them excuses. So they’re leaving, one by one, taking the country’s future with them.

The question that remains is simple: will the youth keep typing their anger, or start building something new?

Social media outrage is easy. Real change is hard, dirty, and slow but it’s the only thing that works. If young Nigerians want a better country, they’ll have to fight for it in boardrooms, communities, and ballot boxes, not just online threads. The youths in Nigeria have to come together as one and take over things and get the change they want. They cannot just stay on the sideline opposing ideas and contributions of people willing to make a change,

Nigeria’s future won’t be handed to anyone. It will be built by hands that are tired but still willing, The time for spectatorship is over.  To move forward, Nigeria youth must claim their seat at the table of policy-making. Endless criticism from the sidelines isn’t enough. We have to shed the mindset of supporting someone just because of their political party, and instead, judge them by their vision and goals. The truth is, other nations can’t accommodate all of us. Our only real option is to roll up our sleeves and turn our country into a safe and attractive place to live, work and invest.

Over the years, several policies have been put in place to encourage young Nigerians to take active role in governance. One of the most remarkable is the Not Too Young To Run Act, which opened the political space for youths to contest elective positions and have real voice in shaping the nation’s future. Beyond that there are also programmes aimed at preventing and countering violent extremism initiatives designed to engage young minds in productive and peaceful nation-building.

Dear Nigerian youth, we can’t continue to sit behind our screens, tweeting frustrations or posting complaints about insecurity and criticizing governmental initiatives. Change doesn’t happen through hash tags alone. This country is our future and we can’t keep waiting for the government, traditional rulers or community leaders to fix everything. LET’S DECIDE TODAY TO BUILD A BETTER NIGERIA.

 

Akale can be reached via [email protected]