A few days ago, Adebayo Shittu, minister of communication, went on a rant rampage on radio dismissing Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, as a “minion, small boy and inconsequential” for his audacity to run for presidential office.
Sowore, a young Nigerian, is perhaps the only presidential hopeful who is all out on the stump. Big-time politicians have retreated into their trenches since President Muhammadu Buhari declared his intention to seek re-election.
At the time, I wrote that Shittu’s verbal farts showed the “class disdain” for young Nigerians. Buhari’s recent atrocious confession affirms this.
Let me put the president’s statement here.
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“About the economy, we have a very young population; our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. This is a very conservative one,” he said.
“More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria is an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free.”
It is discomfiting that this is impression Buhari has of young Nigerians. And he said the youth want to get “housing, healthcare, education free”! Perhaps, I need to remind Mr President that he and his generation fed fat on the country’s largesse.
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In the days of Mr President, children were literally conscripted into schools. In fact, parents who refused to send their kids to school were jailed. Education was free! The president said this himself in a book authored by Professor John Paden, his biographer. In the book, the president said he hated going to school, but he had no choice. Education was compulsory. But as you read these lines, there are about 12 million children roaming the streets in the north. No education, no care! Some have taken up drugs as an escape from their sombre existence.
Also, in the days of Buhari, a civil servant was entitled to decent accommodation and healthcare benefits. But in my days, it is not so. The Nigerian youth have not been given anything; they have to earn every penny, every comfort and every laurel, even in their quotidian existence.
The old generation of coupists, the corrupt and bigots bequeathed nothing to my generation but ethnic distrust, suspicion, religious intolerance and corruption. That Nigeria is still stuck in time is because of Mr President and his ilk. And that the country is one of the most hated places on the planet is because of Mr President and his generation.
Perhaps, Mr President does not know that the goodwill Nigeria seems to enjoy now is because of the excellence of young Nigerians who have excelled in all fields despite the hovel that is the country.
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The youth are the psychiatrists, who give this country a semblance of sanity, Mr President should show some respect.
Fredrick is a writer, journalist and media entrepreneur
He can be reached on Twitter: @FredrickNwabufo, Facebook: Fredrick Nwabufo
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Views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of TheCable.
4 comments
In response to Mr President statement calling the Nigerian youths lazy, I think the youth need to ask Mr President some questions. What work does his son do to be justify the flamboyant life he lives. What did he do to earn the type of money he used to by the power bike with which he had accident? If the president want Nigerian youth to work, he should start with his children that are living flamboyant lives sponsor with the Nigerian money. The prudent is not in touch with the realities of the struggles and sovereigns of Nigerian youth because of the evil that his generation has done in Nigeria. I think Mr President need to tender an unreserved apology to the Nigerian youth for his uncharitable comment about the youths.
I believe by now Mr Bill Gate would be shaking his head over the comment made by our dear President, thinking what does future holds for an average Nigerian youth in this seemingly hopeless situations we found ourselves in this country.
When Bill Gates came to Nigeria he has seen this already before he makes a strong comment about our government not investing in the youth, Buhari future is in our hands and we will determined his fate in 2019.
It’s really unfortunate dat a president of a country like Nigeria can go outside and claimed dat our able youths are lazy. Am truly happy hearing dis bcoz we d Nigerian youths are still been used like toys. We continually allow d President’s age mates to still rule over us. A country dat a minister of 1976 is still a minister today. Wat can such a person (minister) still offer d youths for God’s sake? A country where cows are becoming more sacred dan humans. A country where a defense minister values cows life more dan humans or other citizens. Well, I still have more to but may our God in heaven listen to our cry and save us.
Am so angry right now, I know how I tour round the clock to be able to put food on the table for me and my family and somebody we use our tax money and resources to feed him and his family and said am lazy. To God am short of words.