Role of Youths In Nation Building, The Atikulated Perspective

2018-02-02


Although this is a broad topic that requires extensive elucidation for proper understanding, I will try to be concise and straightforward here. Above and beyond, a lot has been said on the role of various segments of citizens in nation’s restoration processes, liberalization and sometimes as in the case like this; nation building or development. But from whichever angle you comprehend; nations are built by exemplary men and women and sustained by institutions that promote good governance and thus socio-economic development.

According to narratives, Nation-building is a normative concept that means different things to different people. However, to properly understand this concept, one first needs to understand what a nation is. Early conceptions of nation understood it as a group or race of people who shared history, traditions, and culture, sometimes religion, and usually language. So, evidently a nation is a collection of people who have come to believe that they have been shaped by a common past and are destined to share a common future and Nigeria is not an exception.

While I still muse on how to shrink my Atikulated points not to take much of our time, let me quickly drop in this stanza that, Youth is that clay which can be moulded in either shape one wants. In my belief, this is the sole reason for both exploitation and utilization of youth in the destruction and construction of any nation respectively. It is a fact that, nation’s building is highly dependent on youths. We are that powerful resource, which can either construct or destruct the whole nation. Thus, the involvement of youth in national building or development is a must. In fact, youths play one of the most important roles in nation building.

The foundation of an entire nation, its economy and consequently its future depends on how well the youth is educated. When Alhaji Atiku Abubakar GCON remarked that his vision for Nigerian youths is for the lads to first of all be well educated he was undoubtedly talking about nation building because the youths are the future leaders and Education will empower them with the ability to think, to tell the right from the wrong and good from the bad. In a country like Nigeria where traditions and customs is sometimes bigger than humanity itself; education is not an option, it is a necessity.

In today's world, skills, industriousness, productivity, and competitiveness are the determinant factors of national greatness. Not even the possession of mineral resources is enough to make a nation great without reference to the industriousness and creativity of its citizens. In this country, however, the youths are been abandoned, successive governments has no clear policy to salvage the youth for better future, a concept that my fellow youths must rise up to correct.

Social media has managed to give us the power to speak our minds. Voicing ones opinion is no longer an opulence of the rich and/or the elite. Anyone and everyone can be heard. You do not need to have access to the best academic grooming to be able to come out and talk about what you feel about any pertinent issue.

If we are to succeed in nation-building, we must have a leadership that is committed to the rule of law and has a demonstrable sense of fairplay and democratic tolerance; a leadership with ability and integrity; above all, we must have a leadership that can see beyond the ostentatious pomp of office. We must have leaders who have a vision for a Nigeria better than the one they inherited; leaders who will lead by deeds and not by words; achievers, not deceivers. We need a leadership that will not only leave its foot-prints on the sands of time, but one, which by dint of hard-work, fairplay, dedication and commitment, will live forever in the hearts of Nigerians.

Leadership is not everything, but it is an extremely important factor. Unless we have leaders with ability, integrity, commitment, and vision, we cannot succeed at nation-building. We must not relent in the search and struggle for quality leadership as it is the key to building our nation.

The task of nation building is done by men and women with vision and resolve. As agents of change, we must not only clamour for ‘change’ but must define the type of change we want. Democracy, as an idea and as a political reality, is always contested, as youth we shall contest and also avail ourselves to the process in other to ensure reality not fiction, ensure that people with right skills and vision are encouraged to participate and eventually occupy leadership positions.

It's our responsibility to rebuild our nation, we must collectively come together and agree to standards for recruiting leaders and appraisal creteria. The performance of our individual leaders over the years have left much to be desired. We do not need leaders who see themselves as champions of only some sections of our population. We do not need leaders who do not understand the economic and political problems of the country, not to talk of finding durable solutions for them. We do not need leaders who are more interested in silencing their opponents, than in pursuing justice. We do not need leaders, who preach one thing, and do the exact opposite. We do not need leaders who place themselves above the constitution and the laws of the country, but leaders who lead by upholding and respecting the law. Nigerian youths must rise to this challenge, confront it squarely in order to rescue our destiny.

It is time for the youths to wake up to the reality and forget theories of deceit. It is time for us to act what we say. It is time for us to stand up for Nigeria. It is time for us to come together and support good Movement that would further the course of this noble country. It is time to create the real order which is ‘change’. We are the true leaders and it is through us that the true leaders can emerge. The real time for sacrifice is now, you must look into the existing problems critically and explore alternative solutions. Think wisely and be Atikulated.

By ’Is'haQue Adamu GangJidda National Youth Leader, Atikulated Movement

https://headlinetracks.wixsite.com/news/single-post/2018/02/02/Role-of-Youths-In-Nation-Building-The-Atikulated-Perspective

FTC op walahi we are well Atikuleted

Abeg, Olivier Giroud go play Chelsea next match?

Lie Lie, na so them dey start, after election, them go start the blame game rather than look for solution.