Remembering Freeman David (Username: Freemandave), a former Nairalander, one year after he said "No More"! Rest in peace, my man. He would look at the youths of today and scuttle away in disdain.

One of the problems beleaguering this nation is that we are moved quickly by personal sentiments. Religion, ethnicity and other variables can be used as weapons to control us successfully. Sometimes I see youths who should be rational in their thoughts and decisions act irrationally because they get sentimental. We quickly assume things without properly analysing all the factors that constitute issues.

We peddle myopic thoughts and join the bandwagon. We hardly think for ourselves and analyse things critically. If Literature has taught me anything so far, it is that everything is possible and everything can be defended. This idea is present in many other disciplines and critical reasoning is one of the functions of schools and universities. It saddens me to see youths who fail to use their brains and would rather let a public figure, ethnocentrism and religious inclinations influence their reasoning faculty.

Some of us even stoop so low as to peddle cheap rumours and being brainwashed by cult-like personalities, ethnocentric and religious fanaticism, we become agents in the propagation of such. We live in a global age where information is always within reach yet we would rather rely on another person or a belief to think for us.

Some of us never accept the possibility of certain variables ever happening. We have closed our minds to possibilities and believe that anything contrary to our bigoted expectations must be antithetical and counterproductive. We are ruled by emotions rather than reason. We are governed by dogma rather than logic.

Until we start to see the bigger picture and see all sides of issues critically, we may never go beyond where we are today. We have to let go of religious fanaticism, illogical dogma, ethnocentric bigotry, tribalism and zombified followership of "cult figure personalities". This is a true representation of our current realities as Nigerians! We can never progress when we don't ask salient questions and let logic reign. We can never make way when we don't see possibilities in impossibilities. We can never get to the Nigerian Eldorado when we follow those who are dishonest to themselves and to us. We have a long way to go. I really hope we set forth at dawn and leave sentiments and ideologies behind. Logic, reason and truth must prevail! Blind sentimentalism, religious fundamentalism and bigotry must be discarded.

All men are created equal... None is beyond another. We are all susceptible to human foibles. Some handle them better than others but the human nature is there nonetheless. With a proper mindset and acute reasoning faculty, we will establish this fact, deal with its reality and lead better lives for ourselves and those around us. The world is a global village now... We have to meet up with it or else we shall forever remain a third world country, doomed to stay so by virtue of our fanaticism, bigotry, cult-followership of public figures and fundamentalism.

This is a clarion call!!! Let us all wake from our deep slumber!!! Logic must prevail over and above sentiments! That is the pathway to progress in Nigeria.

- Iroro Orhero

sometimes i dont blame the youth because hunger and unemployment has taken over.

If we continue to fight for and squander what is already in place, what will the next generation fall back on?

Best is to divide D's country..... Religion and ethnocentrism have beclouded d thinking faculty of d youths...

Lalasticlala, Seun, Mynd44, Fynestboi, Bigfrancis21, Dominique

Wantedmiller:
sometimes i dont blame the youth because hunger and unemployment has taken over.

True. But is unemployment enough reason to wallow in illogicality and sentimentalism?

If truly we get ourselves rid of the vices of our minds, we may be able to come together and demand for our rights! The Government is a function of the masses. If the youths form a higher percent of the masses, why are we not enjoying the dividends of government?

We would rather wallow in sentiments and appraise public figures who dont deserve our praises! It is well with us!

sulabu:
Best is to divide D's country..... Religion and ethnocentrism have beclouded d thinking faculty of d youths...

Even if Nigeria is broken into 250 units today, the generation of youths we are seeing will not make do with such opportunity. They have been too brainwashed already to believe anything a person of public authority or in the pulpit/muezzin tells them.

Cutehector:
If we continue to fight for and squander what is already in place, what will the next generation fall back on?

Some of today's youths think only of themselves and not of any one else. Thinking of the future generation is even far from their purview. We let ourselves become ready tools for religious and political swindlers and charlatans because we can't think for ourselves.