I am not one of you. I am one of those who enjoyed everything good in this country and ruined it. I am one of those who believe that, like the phoenix, Nigeria can, and will rise again. But this can only happen if the younger generation wakes up now; younger generation because that’s where the strength and force of this country lie.
The Nigerian youth have been bashed and battered from different angles: a poor and unstable education system, lack of gainful employment, poverty, exclusion from politics except when they are being exploited and so on. Having experienced these for many years the youth have become lethargic rather than think and act. Consequently, many have lost confidence in themselves; in their ability to do anything. Many have turned to drugs, crime (of different kinds), or a life of idleness.
Saner societies institute gradual succession programmes through which the youth are integrated into the socio-political system. This way they will play a role in the affairs of the society and get a grooming until they are ready to take over. It seems to me that it is time this happened in Nigeria. I say this confidently because I saw a jolt out of that state of lethargy in 2020.
What happened in 2020 showed that we are not done with the youth yet. They have not been completely destroyed. After all, a few have distinguished themselves and broken out despite the stifling socio-economic conditions in the country. Armed with the internet, incensed by their experience with the corrupt SARS police unit, the youth showed that they were not the Indolent lot we thought they were. With a mutual purpose and pooling their energies, they called out SARS. The media savvy generation soon created a hashtag which quickly became the platform to call for the end of SARS—the symbol of all the rot and dysfunction that was Nigeria.
Saner societies institute gradual succession programmes through which the youth are integrated into the socio-political system. This does not mean that the youth will take over power: there is nowhere in the world that this happens. What it means is that the youth will count; that they will play a role in the affairs of the society in every facet. It seems to me that it is time this happened in Nigeria. I say this confidently because I saw a jolt out of deep slumber. The individual exploits no longer mattered as the youth are collectively harassed, extorted and maimed as a result of the stereotype forced on them. They must therefore awaken to the need to pool their collective force towards creating the desired change.
Make your decision close to elections. It may be difficult, but you must keep sentiments out of this project. Let your decision be a collective one; debate it on all possible platforms. Bear in mind that you are on a mission to save Nigeria. Find an appropriate slogan to capture this and let it be imprinted on everyone’s mind. In making the decision for a candidate, do not consider AGE, RELIGION or ETHNICITY. These are of no consequence if you think NIGERIA. All that is needed is to give your adopted candidate 75-95% of your votes and the real revolution would have started
EndSARS was a revolution in its latent and modern form. The organisers knew the system and the forces they were up against and were therefore not aiming at the pyrrhic victory of the Eastern Spring movements.
Violent revolutions, as we know now, have not helped any society as they end up being far more expensive than imagined, setting the societies several years back. Silent revolutions, which are intellectually engineered, are now the answer to societies’ social and political problems. That is what Nigeria needs. That is what we have needed these many years of wondering in the woods, and this is what the youth can give us easily. If they want. They have the capacity and the resources, but they have to be ready, mentally and physically. I thought they were when they went into action in 2020.
The EndSARS revolution of October, 2020 was a silent revolution. It had the elements of a silent revolution, even when it was hijacked in the end. It was a huge success given the forces it was up against. How it was organized and the impact it made is the reason I am writing this piece, and the reason I think it is needed now more than ever before. I believe that the youth can come to the rescue of this country by employing and deploying the method and machinery that gave them success during EndSARS to turn the politics of this country around come 2023. The resolve and resilience of the Nigerian youth was tested and proven. It was like going through the crucible.
The value of that movement was not in ending SARS. It did not even have the power to end SARS. But the way in which it attempted to dismantle that institution, that movement could, and should, do more than remove SARS. What can bring SARS and our numerous problems to an end is putting an end to bad politics and bad governance using the same ‘silent’ revolution method. They have the numerical, intellectual and physical strength to make this happen. The youth also have the capacity to mobilize and network, both on the social and other media.
Above all, they have the goodwill of a great number of Nigerians of the older generation who wish for a better Nigeria, and have the experience to share. Strength, numbers and mobilization skills need the experience component to bring about the desired change in Nigeria.
Many times when I have discussed this idea with my peers, the fear has been that the youth are like their parents; selfish, greedy, polarised along ethnic and religious lines and as corrupt, if not more corrupt than their parents. To succumb to this view is to believe that Nigeria is doomed; that there are no good people left in the country. It may be foolhardy to refuse to see Nigeria as a failed state but we will not be the first failed state that would bounce back. We have all that it takes to become a great nation, and everything that we need to become one of the richest nations of the world.
My suggestion for the youth is simple. Revive the spirit of the 2020 movement with all the organisational acumen you displayed. Expand the network and use all the social and other media at your disposal. Think Nigeria. THINK NIGERIA! You do not have a political party and you do not need to form one. Your movement was stronger than a political party and it will be even stronger this time. Mobilise yourselves, keep talking and networking as you watch the political parties jostle. Never mind the fact that there will be detractors and black sheep amongst you. This is to be expected when you are dealing with human beings, but their numbers will be few and of no serious consequences. Watch the parties carefully. Analyse and discuss what they say. Analyse their manifestoes critically. Use experts when needed, and take their advice. Advise all youth (of voting age) to register and have their voter’s cards handy.
Make your decision close to elections. It may be difficult, but you must keep sentiments out of this project. Let your decision be a collective one; debate it on all possible platforms. Bear in mind that you are on a mission to save Nigeria. Find an appropriate slogan to capture this and let it be imprinted on everyone’s mind. In making the decision for a candidate, do not consider AGE, RELIGION or ETHNICITY. These are of no consequence if you think NIGERIA.
All that is needed is to give your adopted candidate 75-95% of your votes and the real revolution would have started. Watch out for a ‘Dark Horse’ if there will be one. Whether it is at the state or national level, remember that someone has to be there. If there is no suitable dark horse, one of the numerous jostlers would definitely prove to have the intelligence and patriotic zeal to pull the country (or state) out of the woods.
To save Nigeria, you need to think Nigeria. To bring back the glorious days of Nigeria which you did not see but have heard so much of, you need to think Nigeria. And to THINK NIGERIA means to act as one; and the one force required to turn the political fortunes of the country around. I am behind you and with you. The progressives—by which I mean Nigerians who subscribe to egalitarian ideologies—are with you, and solidly behind you, and they can be found in all political parties.
* Professor Johnson is a senior lecturer in the Department of English, Bingham University, Karu Nasarawa State
