Fellow Nigerians,
As a writer, it will be a shame on my side if I didn’t push a piece of write In this auspicious occasion of our democracy day, As we felicitate today, it is high time for all and sundry of this great nation to pause and meditate at how far we have come as a Nation. While it may be easy to sit and criticize, I think that our higher calling is to stand up and serve.
Inspite of the several challenges in governance and leadership, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and especially energy; we should realize that these challenges though peculiar to our country, are not exclusive to us as an African country, and an emerging mega socioeconomic power.
But perhaps the greatest challenge we face now as a country is lack of patriotism, that noble belief, faith, and hope that all citizens have in their country, and by extension, the country leadership to do right for its citizens.
This is especially felt and borne by the Nigerian youth.
Justifiably, we have felt disappointed,dismay, disenchanted, and at some time, outrightly failed by our country.
But I must say to we the Nigerian youths, that this is not the time to slack, to lose hope, to lay back, lag behind and remain nonchalant. Rather, this is a time for us to summon courage, devise strategies, and get active, to make our voice heard, and our efforts felt.
Strive Masiyiwa world known business tycoon once said.
The true wealth of Nigeria is not in oil, but the true wealth of Nigeria is its extraordinary human capital and passion to education.
On this democracy day, I beseech all Nigerian youths to pause and have a rethink: to know that Nigeria is attractive to the rest of the world today because of its potentials; and that this potentials is simply the number of young people in it.
Sadly, the Nigerian youth remain busy fighting each other while our future is being decided without our input, our voice, our ideas, our creativity, our resilience and our world acclaimed unmatchable spirit of excellence.
It’s a time we resuscitate, derail from negativity and change the status Quo to become true and real participants in this democracy. Instead of being used as agents of destruction of fellow youths.
France just had a 39 years old President, it’s not Big deal if we have that too here And we can start this by getting and supporting more young people to contest for elections; by getting more young people to vote, and getting more young people to be more active in governance.
But since all of us cannot be in governance, let us also harness our ideas to see how we can provide solutions to the basic challenges of clean water, quality education, and affordable healthcare for a greater number, if not all of our citizens.
Nigeria can be better if me and you add our own impact.
Happy Democracy day!
GOD BLESS ME
GOD BLESS YOU
GOD BLESS NIGERIA
Ahmed Ogunbiyi writes from the Department of Marketing, MAPOLY