8.4 C
New York
Friday, March 29, 2024

Buhari, When Will Nigerian Youth Lead? – By Nwobodo Chidiebere

Published:

LATEST NEWS

- Advertisement -

buhari posters (1)

“I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday”. Abraham Lincoln

 

For months, I tried to avert commenting on Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s fourth attempt of becoming president of Nigerian under a democratic rule, but the more I dogged it, the more I became burdened and restless, until it dawned on me that conscience is an open wound; only the truth can heal it, apology to Uthman Dan Fodio. Truth, no matter how harsh or bitter it sounds, must be told because we cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by dogging it today. After listening to Gen. Buhari’s presidential declaration speech with keen interest and rapt attention, I lost my peace, not because of his ethnic affiliation and religious background, but for one most important fact—I am a Nigerian youth, who for decades now, has been buying the dummy being dashed out by the so-called leaders, that we are the leaders of tomorrow. As I was following the speech, I started mediating on this over-used phrase, “leaders of tomorrow”, I can recall vividly that I was still an unborn baby unconscious of myself when Gen. Buhari murdered Nigerian’s nascent democracy in 1983, which paved way for him to become the Head of States. While still listening to his archaic and ill-prepared speech, my mind connected to infinite intelligence, mind-illuminating and thought-provoking questions began racing through my conscious; restless mind, I fell into deep-ocean of introspection and reflection on Gen. Buhari’s ambition of emerging Nigerian president in 2015 election after over 30 consecutive years he left office as military Head of States. I started asking myself the following questions: what is Gen. Buhari’s definition of “leaders of tomorrow”? This tomorrow, is it forever? When would my tomorrow as a future leader come? How does Gen. Buhari feel whenever he sees Nigerian youths, who were born when he was holding sway as Command-in-Chief becoming fathers and mothers now, trail blazers in their different facets of life, what will be going in his mind having mortgaged the political future of these youths for more than three decades now by contesting and re-contesting for 16 years running? Does Gen. Buhari really believes in the youths of this country, if yes, what is he still doing in the market square dancing naked while his fellow big masquerades (coup plotters) had left the political stage for the young tucks? There is a saying in the local proverb that a child that does not die must live to become an adult, is Gen. Buhari a student of this school of thought? Are Nigerian youths not competent to handle the affairs of this country? Is it not yet time for old soldiers like Gen. Buhari to give way? While still reflecting, I asked my fellow youth these questions: can Gen. Buhari make a visionary and dynamic leader in a 21st century with 18th century mindset and aging body? Can the power-hungry Gen. Buhari differentiate between yahoo mail and tweeter account without resorting to Nigerian youth for help? Does he understand the nitty-gritty of power point presentation? Can he differentiate between an IPAD and Android phones? Can he condone excesses of Nigerian youths on the social media as a president, knowing his anti-media tendencies he exhibited as a military tyrant? Why can’t Gen. Buhari groom a youth amongst his followers to continue with his co-called struggle for change? If he cannot trust a younger politician to become the APC’s presidential candidate, is he not indirectly telling us that he does not believe in us? Is it not logical for Nigerian youths who constitute 60% of the nation’s voting population to reject this obsolete General having seen his anti-youth characteristics? Does he understand the difference between username and password of his facebook account, if at all he has one? Until answers are given to these mindboggling questions, Nigerian youths would continue to reject Gen. Buhari at the polls, which they commenced in 2003 general elections and are ever-ready to replicate it in 2015 elections, unless he tells us when Nigerian youths will become leaders of this great nation—while we still have our great grand fathers contesting for political offices.

READ ALSO  Is the Banking Men’s Club Dead? Female Trailblazers in Nigerian Banks – By Matthew Ma

Former United States President, John. F. Kennedy, after x-raying the dynamism of life said, “Change is a law of life; those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future”. Change by its definition, is dynamic and transitory—certainly apt in a fast evolving world. It is now obvious that the world of 21st century has become too complex for the likes of rigid Gen. Buhari to thrive politically because leaders of today’s world are elected based on their abilities to drive change using fast ideas, which the youths of those nations are always at the forefront. The trend in the developed democracies at least judging by Britain and the United States is towards national leaders who are relatively young. David Cameron is the youngest British Prime Minister in 200 years. He was 43 when he became Prime Minister. In the same vein, Barack Obama is the youngest American President alive, having being voted into the exalted office at 47. A recent study revealed that more than half of American Presidents at inauguration were between the ages of 51 and 57. The same study informs that Americans tend not to vote for presidential candidates who are over 64. There are exceptions, the most notable being that of Ronald Regan who began office a few days to his 70th birthday. But obvious, in matters like these, it is unwise to bank on the odd chance. Base on the precedent set in the developed democracies of the world where we borrowed ours, the world is drifting towards youthful leaders, and Nigeria cannot be isolated. In the light of the foregoing contest, Gen. Buhari will be 73 years next year; God willing, he has been technically knocked-out by age-factor as far as 2015 presidential election is concern, because Nigerian’s political destiny cannot be hedged on one man’s inordinate ambition! Nigerian youths have been voting for decades now, without given the chance to be voted for. Gen. Buhari’s quest for Presidency at the age of 73 is an insult on the sensibilities of Nigerian youths.

READ ALSO  Akpabio's Audacious Call For Ceasefire In Gaza – By Rt. Hon Eseme Eyiboh

 

Nwobodo Chidiebere writes from Abuja.

chidieberenwobodo@yahoo.com

Hey there! Exciting news - we've deactivated our website's comment provider to focus on more interactive channels! Join the conversation on our stories through Facebook, Twitter, and other social media pages, and let's chat, share, and connect in the best way possible!

Join our social media

For even more exclusive content!

spot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Of The Week
CARTOON

TOP STORIES

- Advertisement -

Of The Week
CARTOON

247Ureports Protects its' news articles from plagiarism as an important part of maintaining the integrity of our website.