MY RESPONSE TO PROF. WOLE SOYINKA BY EKWEGBALU NNAMDI

A CASE FOR THE NIGERIAN YOUTHS

In a later publication Prof. Wole Soyinka asked, "

WHERE DID WE GO WRONG???

 WAKE UP NIGERIAN YOUTHS!!!"

"Awolowo was 37 years, Akintola 36, Ahmadu Bello 36, Balewa 34, Okotie-Eboh 27 and Enahoro 27 and they led the struggle for Nigeria Independence after the death of
Macaulay. Only Zik was 42 at that time!

In 1966, the first military coup was led by K Nzeogwu who was 29 years and countered by M. Mohammed 28, T. Danjuma 28, I. Babangida 25, J. Garba 23, Sani Abacha 23, and M. Yar'adua 23, and brought into power Y. Gowon 32, Ojukwu 33, Obasanjo 29, and Buhari 24!

Most of the military governors who governed the states under the successive military regimes were under 30 years. Also, the brief democratic dispensation which interjected
the military interregnums also saw some Senators and members of the House of Representatives, in particular, populated by persons under 30!

Under 30's were also not in short supply with appointments - we have examples of MT Mbu who became Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister at 23 and Pat Utomi who became a Federal Adviser at 27 and so on and so forth! 

NOW: Why is it that almost all this age bracket is today still sleeping in 3-seater chairs in their parents’ homes? Why is it that this age bracket is today still collecting pocket money from their parents? Why is it that this age bracket is today still writing JAMB?
Why is it that this age bracket today still 'sagg' their trousers?
Why is it that this age bracket is today still searching for jobs and not yet married?
Why is it that this age bracket is today no longer qualified to even be leaders of youth wings of political parties?
Why is it that this age bracket is today so docile?
Why is this age bracket today incapable of feeding itself?
Why is it that this age bracket is today barred from even aspiring to certain political offices?
Why is it that this age bracket is today incapacitated, unwilling, unable and incapable of asking questions?
GOD BLESS NIGERIA!

SOME NOTABLE LIFE FACTS OF PROF. WOLE SOYINKA

Prof. Wole Soyinka in 1954 relocated to London to continue his studies in English Literature at the age of 20 having spent just two years in University College Ibadan,where he had studied English Literature, Greek and Western History, at that same age of 20,created a short radio play for Nigerian Broadcasting Service that was broadcast in July of that year{1954}.

At that same year he and six others founded the first confraternity in Nigeria {Pyrates Confraternity} an anti-corruption and justice-seeking student organisation.

Also Prof. Wole Soyinka in 1958 at age 24 published his first major play "The Swamp Dwellers" and a year after at 25 "The Lion and the Jewel" which ofcourse attracted interest from several members of London's Royal Court Theatre, following which he worked as a play reader for the Royal Court Theatre and at this period both of his plays were performed in Ibadan.At age 23 his play "The Invention" was produced at the Royal Court Theatre London.

At the age of 26,upon Nigeria's Independence in October 1960,his play won the contest to become the official play for Nigeria's Independence Day.At that age also he had equally received a Rockefeller Research Fellowship from University College in Ibadan his alma mater, for research on African Theatre.

At the age of 31 in 1965, he seized the Western Nigerian Broadcasting Service studio and broadcast a demand for the cancellation of the Western Nigerian Regional Elections, which amongst others led to his arrest at the age of 33 and following solitary confinement for 2 years.
Amongst many other notable accomplishment he went further to be awarded the Noble prize in Literature {The first African to be awarded same} in 1986 at the age of 52.

MY CASE
I would humbly submit that Nigeria's Youths are the way they are because, that is the way the system has made them. A system which continuously tell these young ones that they are the Leaders of Tomorrow {Tomorrow;which ofcourse is always a day away and never fully comes} a system where those who wielded power long before they were born and who equally they were taught,as part of Nigeria's history,and the reason for Nigeria's downward movement in her developmental progression {I cannot forget one who I was taught,introduced the Structural Adjustment Policy {SAP}in Nigeria, a policy which greatly devalued the Nigerian currency, I remember being embittered by mere thought of him then, today in 2016 he is our President in Nigeria again} the mere thought of that can drive any Nigerian youth crazy.A system which also continuously tell the the Nigerian youth both directly and by inference,that they are incapable of assuming the responsibility of her leadership, just because the drivers of this system are yet to satisfy their insatiable desire to maintain status quo.

A system that confines most of our young person's to a stagnant state of habitual JAMB customers, this ofcourse isn't necessarily because they are not smart or do not study enough, but a result of a system who just because it is incapable of cartering for the number of these young ones,continuously invent means to confine them to a point {either through the instrumentality of JAMB, Post UTME, NYSC or any other excuse they choose to invent} till they decide what to do with this ones or till they are naturally rid of them.At this point ofcourse few of these ones,who belong to the higher wrung of the social ladder, whose family can afford to bundle them off to some foreign country, or send them overseas in a voyage of Western Education or better still,confine them to a "Money Making Educational Set-up" otherwise called Private University would choose to do so.The majority who ofcourse are not Lucky enough to afford these lesser ways of escape, are relinquished to the state of "Trouser Saggers"which to me is only indicative of ones frustration with life.

Secondly, with respect to the issue of searching for job at a given age bracket, that is a luxury for the lucky, which is what they are, those who have graduated from the university by the age of 25 or 26, that could only mean that they were lucky enough to have writen JAMB Examination just for a couple of times, if not at that age many are still buying JAMB forms and sitting for JAMB Examination,having ofcourse attempted unsuccessfully several times already, jinxed by either JAMB or POST-JAMB or both, most would desperately pray and involve themselves in "working of their admission" using money, if only they can get any course at all,even if It is a non-existent discipline by the name of "Science Education of Idleness"
Let us not raise the Issue of being marriageable at that age, because graduating does not automatically end the struggle,they graduate to join the teeming army of unemployed youths in the country.

As to the question "Why is the age bracket today nolonger qualified to even be leaders of youth wings of political parties?" My answer to that is, "yes they are!" I would certainly not deny the system that, for they have fully,actively, and profitably engaged this ones,to head the youth wings of political thuggery,rigging and other forms of election malpractice,for ofcourse like one would expect this young ones have yielded easy instrument for the perpetuation of this ends, as long as it provides daily bread.

"Why are these ones so docile?"That is ultimately the end product of this system, a system which has an unmitigated right or discretion to frustrate those who question it or are discovered not to be malleable or yielding to it's unjustifiable control or management, thereby producing soft-minded young men and women who are incapable of driving the needed change or cause a positive revolution.In the words of Martin Luther King jnr "a nation or civilisation that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases it's own spiritual death on the installment planm" Thomas Jefferson is quoted to have rightly said that "when a people fear their government, there is tyranny, but when the government fears the people, there is liberty" you can yourself be the judge on Nigeria's experience.Nigeria should consciously include as part of it's millennium development goals, the development or training of her youths and the acknowledgment of their place in her ultimate development, if truly like they say,they are the Leaders of tomorrow.

Finally, let me briefly mention one which directly affects me, the situation in my dear University where aspirants for the uncertain Union Election are so scared even of their own shadows,following what has transpired in her recent future, indeed the man has died in us all.I fear for the leaders this system would churn out in the future, I fear that this system would yet produce incompetent leaders who may further worsen the situation of things in this country.

The most revered, Prof. Wole Soyinka, let me not delve further into the unpalatable dish of the experience of the Nigerian youths, for it is indeed regrettably lugubrious!!!
GOD SAVE NIGERIA, ESPECIALLY HER YOUNG PEOPLE!!!