Editors Note: In this article, Kikelomo Taiwo muses on the situation faced by youth in Nigeria and throws a challenge to her peers on how to deal with it
For too long, the voices of a certain group of people have been silenced. They have little or no hope for the future. There future seems rather bleak to them. They can’t demand justice when their rights are violated. They don’t even know what the law says about their rights. They have no education, no access to health care, no jobs, nothing. Not even an environment that can motivate innovation and entrepreneurship.
It’s quite unfortunate that the youth population is grossly affected by these social issues. There is a high level of poverty in Nigeria where economy growth is progressive. My heart breaks when I hear of how young women are dying from child birth or the large number of students failing their entrance examinations into the university yearly. It also pains me when I see young girls who out of desperation to survive have become commercial sex worker. No one ever grows up with the aspiration of becoming a commercial sex worker. The harsh condition for survival in this nation has led so many people especially the youths into several unlawful acts.
Laws in Nigeria are for the poor. The rich and wealthy embezzle public funds and they go unpunished or get a slap on the wrist punishment, but as for the poor- go to the Nigerian prisons, you will understand better.
Only the rich can afford quality education and good health care services. Aren’t we all equal? Education, Health Care, Security, Food, Water and Light are like the basic. Shouldn’t we all be getting equal access?
I have realized one thing, I can sit and lament all day about all the issues we face in Nigeria but I have learnt to communize the issue and take action. These thoughts have led me to start thinking about what I can do to change these things. Although, to a large extent when I think about what I can do to change my country, I often time feel inadequate. I feel like I really do not have the capacity to do what our minds think.
Have you ever sat down and wished you could just change the whole world? Or have you seen yourself in your mind’s eye becoming the President, reaching out to the poor or being in a position to influence government policies for the betterment of the marginalized population in Nigeria? I have! I see myself all the time and sometimes, I go into my bathroom and rehearse giving a Presidential speech. You may call me a dreamer but guess what, it is possible.
For how long are we going to keep folding our arms waiting for God to bring change from heaven? It won’t happen. We are the change makers! We cannot afford to keep feeling inadequate because we are the generation of transformation. We have what it takes. Yes! It might be a potential that we are still unraveling but we must be challenged and motivated to unravel with speed because that potential, when utilized to its full capacity will go a long way in filling up the missing links.
When I consider men like Dayo Isreal, Esther Agbarakwe, Tope Fashola, Gabriel Adeyemo, Okechukwu Effoduh and Myself, loool; these are people who out of their inadequacy chose to change the status quo. These people didn’t grow up in the best cities or went to the best schools, they are regular people like you and I.
The future of Nigeria is in our hands and we must fight to save this nation from total destruction. Power, they say is not served but fought for. Our power as young people has to be fought for. Enough of saying things like, “the government don’t carry us along”, “they only know how to use us during elections”, “they don’t even give youth a voice”. It’s high time we gave ourselves a voice and be the change we seek.
It is important that as young people in Nigeria, we must speak with one voice. We must uphold the core principle of leadership, which is “Lead to SERVE, ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY”. We can turn the tide in Nigeria and determine what future we want to see.
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Kikelomo Taiwo
Kikelomo Taiwo, 25year-old Nigerian, is a final year Sociology student at the University of Abuja. Since 2008, Kike has been a volunteer member of the Youth Advocates Group, hosted by Education as a Vaccine (EVA), in collaboration with Advocates for Youth (AFY). Kike serves as a council member where she actively advocates to change policies and programs to support young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights. As a member of the group, she has gained expertise on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights issues, policies, advocacy, videography and new media. Kike maintains a blog here
