Leaders Of Tomorrow

I was privileged to speak at a seminar for youths and children during a visit to a local community. It was a perfect opportunity to interact with our future leaders. The seminar actually led me down memory lane, so I took them with  me on the journey and found their rapt attention appealing.

When we got to the question and comment segment, a teenager's comment and questions left me dazed. He boldly informed my team and I of his career choice to become a yahoo boy (a person who engages in internet scam or cyber crime). I was deeply distraught by his well thought out reasons for deciding to join the fraud syndicate later in life. My heart shattered at the painful realities that poured out of his innocent heart as he demanded answers for the governments neglect of the citizens fundamental rights especially his right as a child.

That overly active legal part of me became aroused and wanted to defend the mess we are drowning in as a nation but I held back. The boy was right. His question emphasized the harsh reality that our nation was like a truck plunging downhill at high speed with nobody behind the steering wheel. It left me demoralised and speechless. The desire to blame someone, anyone for failing us and these children consumed me.

As I met their confused gaze, it dawned on me that throwing blames at our leaders or at us “the people” will never solve the profoundly deep rot in our nation’s soul. It would not wipe away the economic blunders, mind-boggling corruption and looting, poor attention to public health, the hustle for our general resources by few individuals and their thugs who are head bent on crippling our nation, the greed, alarming rise in terrorism and bone chilling daily murder of innocent citizens while the security operatives looked on handicapped, the unruliness, the hate and thriving division being fed by our penchant for ethnic, tribal and religious affiliations, the overall failure of past and present leaders who would rather serve themselves and their immediate families. Blaming anyone would only snuff out the last flicker of hope in their young hearts.

How did we get to this dark path? How did we become a globally renowned dysfunctional society with citizens who have little or no value for basic life principles? When did our love for colossal wealth turn us blind to our vision as a nation? How did we lose our grip on the future young leaders of this nation? Who will transform this nation?

The sad truth still remains that we all have a role to play in the transformation of our Nigeria. We need to stop warming the side bench and thrust ourselves into fixing this nation at every level. Do the little you can. Play your part now. Today is ripe for us to create that brighter future for our generations to come.

Summoning my inner strength, I proceeded to do my part by mentoring them on the values we once held dear as a nation. My joy soared when I saw the desire to dream again, to be better citizens we would be proud of being reawakened in their eyes. The children I left behind that day were eager and ready to make Nigeria better.

#children #nigeria #saveournation #saveourchildren