DESPERATION PERSONIFIED!
By: Olanrewaju Ojuoluwa

"If former and/or serving governors, senators, congressmen, public office holders, established politicians, etc are said to be desperate for power, then, we youths are not only desperate, we are DESPERATION PERSONIFIED!"

Sometimes ago I had a conversation with an elder statesman, one of few who are in agreement with the fact that their generation has failed woefully hence, the need for a generational power shift to the youths.

In the course of our discussion, he was so passionate about the subject matter that he couldn't hide his emotions. To him, our ideology of a paradigm shift is a good development and, the way out of Nigeria's present woes but, it is 'unrealistic'. His point of view was understandable. For a man who had served in various capacities politically, he knows the strength of the present structures. He knows how much they have incapacitated the youths to a fault and the limitations the 'powers that be' have created to ensure no one outside their camp gets to power. However, what he failed to realize was that, as great Roman Empire was, it still fell down flat!

At a point he looked at me eye ball to eye ball and said, "son, your ideas are good and as a matter of fact, they are what can rescue us as a people, but I am afraid, these politicians are too DESPERATE! You know what I mean, don't you?"

Of course, I knew what he meant. That, they could do even the most unimaginable? That, they would do everything they could to get rid of anything/anybody that stands on their way to achieving their ambitions? That they could employ blasphemy? That, they could eliminate and/or assassinate? The list could go on and on, but, I was not impressed, and I couldn't help but smile.

Surprised at my reaction to what he had just said, which should have caused me to tremble and perhaps be scared, he asked, "Or is there something I'm missing? Anything you are not telling me?" Sure, there were.

My response was a shocker that caused him to adjust his chair. I said, "if former and/or serving governors, senators, congressmen, public office holders, established politicians, etc are too desperate to remain in power, then, we youths craving to unseat them are not only desperate, we are desperation personified!" He stared on.

I went further by asking, to what end politicians are desperate for? A former/serving governor but to add to his CV that, he served twice? A former/serving Senator that, he broke records? An established politician that, he is popular and man of the people? These aforementioned are not sustainable enough for desperation as against we youths who must take over power to save: our lives, our generation, our fatherland, secure the future for generations yet unborn, cleanse our land of mediocrity and poverty, reposition Nigeria in the league of countries as a model, etc. The list can go on and on.

Our situation could be likened to that of a man abandoned in the desert by a friend he trusted. He has not had water nor food for days but strives to reach the nearest town and finds a stream of water. As he approaches the stream, he finds the same betrayer who abandoned him by the stream. The same has had enough water to the point he was wasting some. Seeing him (the thirsty man), he attempts to stop him from getting some water to quench his thirst that he may live, his (the betrayer) mission being to ensure the other dies.

He was desperate to stop the thirsty man, but the thirsty man was, desperation personified as he seized him and ruthlessly dragged him along on the ground till he got to the stream and drank enough. By then, Mr. Stopper was no more his former self, he has been rid of power, table had turned.

It is true that Nigerian politicians are renowned for their desperation, however, it is more true that, this time around, the youths won't be just desperate, rather, they are the living version of desperation; that talk, eat, bath, sleep and walk - DESPERATION PERSONIFIED!

I am Olanrewaju Ojuoluwa, Youth Advocate, Social Reformer and an arrowhead in the ongoing YOUTH sociopolitical Revolution in Nigeria.

Desperation isn't really lacking in our hearts, what we're desperate for is the problem?