AN OPEN LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, ELITES, POLITICIANS AND THE YOUTHS ON INTERNATIONAL YOUTH DAY SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST, 2017.

 

Title: Sustaining Peace, Logic and Reason without GUNS!

 

First of all I give God the honour for granting us this day and the hope for a brighter future.

I write this open letter, with a profound wish, that our country Nigeria shall uphold her greatness and sustain the pride of the black race.

 Today, many of our youths' have lost hope; patriotism has declined in our daily lives, due to hardship and the failure of Government to provide some of the basic amenities.

 I bring a message of peace, fulfillment and progress to all Nigerians, as I appeal for national sacrifice.

I feel obliged to kindly request, that all Nigerians should take it upon themselves to act and make selfless sacrifices. The burden upon the federal government of Nigeria is so demanding, with the increased agitations across all regions. But I firmly believe that we shall wade through these moments, better and stronger.

To solve these problems, Government should advance its commitment to make life more meaningful to her citizens’; this is the first priority towards restructuring the Nation and solving the immediate agitations.

Every day, different groups and individuals keep seeking the line of division, which has kept us stagnant and retrogressive as a Nation.

 Although the amnesty program in the Niger delta has been a temporary success, there is a great need to develop a more comprehensive plan that will guarantee the growth and self resourcefulness of all the youths across Nigeria.

We cannot continue to expand the responsibilities on our military because of internal problems, considering the achievement recorded by the military in recent time, in the fight against terrorism which is highly commendable.  For how long shall the youths be the ones fighting themselves through different Mediums, either as militants or insurgents fighting’ against the military, an institution that is also filled with youths who have pledged under oath to defend our sovereignty as a Nation.

All the youths in this country are one, by virtue of the hardship they face and they should not allow themselves to be used as instruments of violence.

I want to use this medium to suggest the following issues, which has been in the heart of most Nigerians:

First of all, the power issue should be addressed, without power nothing can be achieved. The cost of doing business in Nigeria is expensive and small scale business is grossly affected by low electricity output. It is on record that majority Of Nigerians provide electricity by themselves, when you consider the eighteen thousand naira minimum wage and the cost effect, by buying just four liters of fuel on a daily basis, you will discover that nothing is left for them. The tendency of acquiring more to meet their domestic needs will be nurtured, a burden that leads to corruption. Everything humanly possible should be done to provide energy and expand its supply, which has forced many small scale and multinational firms to neighbouring countries, which would have created employment for our youths.

 

The Federal government should invest on the human resources in each region, most especially the south east and north east, which are facing the highest conflicts of interest at the moment.

 They should be reoriented and empowered, while the people in Niger Delta should also be educated to invest in other areas and see beyond oil. We fight over crude oil and forget a simple reality that four litres of palm oil is presently  been sold at three thousand naira while four litres of fuel is sold at five hundred and eighty naira, which is almost six times lower than the value of palm oil. So the people of Niger delta who are also blessed with palm oil should be informed that a time will come when crude will not be needed in larger proportions because of advancement in technology.

 Federal government must advocate that every state and region in this country should produce one agricultural product in large quantity within its domain. We cannot be experiencing high cost of food items when we have fertile lands for farming.

 The level of investment must be directed to the real farmers, while youths should be encouraged into farming by granting incentives and soft loans to aid mechanized farming. This will guarantee internal supply of food items, create job opportunities for the youths across the nation and subsequently lead to export of products.

Once there is food sufficiency, the life expectancy will be improved. Government must taking adequate steps to protect our growing population, this issue must be addressed.

 

I write today, on the part of patriotism, acknowledging the fact that I have walked through the bitterness of both lives, after experiencing the 1999, Ijaw and Itsekiri crises, which I lost three of my close friends’ to that ugly incident, such memories teaches one the need to promote peace at all times.

The fact remains that the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Ijaw and Igbo man or any other ethnic tribe is not our problem. Nigeria is a blessed country; our fundamental problem is instigated on us by our various leaders across the six geopolitical zones, whose actions are responsible for our present situation, who often promote hate speeches, tribalism, secession interest, terrorism, militancy and all forms of anti social vices against the Nigeria state. When these forms of negativity is allowed, one objective is achieved, we end up seeing ourselves as enemies, destroying one another while the instigators of these conflicts do not have their children involved in any form, their children are abroad schooling while they fuel these crisis. At the end of every conflict after killing ourselves, their children will come back to explore our children through the same devastating course. 

The youths in Nigeria should also understand that when they pose as threats to development by their negative speeches, attacking investors in their region. The companies will leave their domain and that has increased the level of unemployment in Nigeria.

As regards to the restiveness in most part of the country, the youths and leaders in the North east should also understand that it will take a long time to rebuild what have been destroyed since the insurgence started, we must take all steps to protect all properties and lives across the nation

 

Most importantly as we celebrate youths today, the Federal government should consider youths development as a major issue, once a nation's active population is under- productive than that nation cannot develop.

Today, many of our youths are still leaving the country, considering the fact, that Nigeria youths are included among the highest stranded citizens across many international borders, that reflects the desperation to survive against all odds and the low employment opportunities in Nigeria.

 This situation calls for concern, because majority of these youths left their father land just to get credible means to work, that reflects the risk and sacrifices that the youths are undertaking just to live and survive within their personal resolutions because of governments’ failure.

 

I recommend that for us to reduce and solve the unemployment, militancy, insurgency, and guarantee peace in this nation, certain steps must be taken.

Each State in Nigeria must develop its own wealth. Idea rules a nation; State governments should engage consultants, Human resource experts and content developers to provide them with the right Initiatives to address youth restiveness and unemployment.

The average youth and citizens of this nation, have a wrong perception about the Federal government. Even when their State governors refused to function effectively, bulk of the blame still goes to Federal government. This is not supposed to be.

The federal government must adequately inform Nigerians on the various plans, projects and give insight on the financial commitment provided to each state government. The onus of fact on who is responsible for the failed projects across the nation must be established, so that the tension and resolve to take up agitations of neglect against the federal government and its properties should reduce.

 The information and budget allocated for specific projects must be made public; the ministry of information and National orientation must breakdown this information to the simple understanding of all Nigerians. So when these projects are not observed, then the people in that environment can now question the non compliance.

 Honestly, the reputation of the Federal government of Nigeria is not well protected by most state governors; this is part of the major reasons why the entity called Nigeria is attacked.

Indeed, Human and natural resources disposition are often the issue that leads to conflict, no matter the measures taken to balance the sharing formula, there will still be dissatisfaction. But if we can define as individuals or as a group of people living in any environment what we can do for our country, then half of our problems will be solved.

Today, since the Federal government has agreed to allow modular refineries to be operated, State Governors in this region must invest in this project. They                                                            should be the ones' to advance this course which will reduce militancy in Niger Delta and provide job opportunities for their youths.

I want to use this medium to advice my brothers in the Niger delta, especially the ex-militants and those that have taken charge, in the recent agitations.

 They should always put dialogue first as the best and most effective means to meet all demands. We cannot destroy our soil and hope that the consequences will not abide upon our generation. It is high time they partner with the government to secure their land and invest on the proposed modular refineries that has been granted to be operated.

This is the most laudable offer ever provided to free the burden of restiveness on the people of this region, while they are awaiting other benefits. They should approach their various State Governors and elites to build on this foundation which will provide peace and resourcefulness to the youths, securing the future of their children from abuse and neglect.

This is the best time for the ex-militants to caution and mentor the younger generation not to follow the path of militancy. They should realise that it is beyond seeking for amnesty, because naturally they will grow old and cannot be physically active to remain so relevant and control the youths, if they allow them to continue on these paths, they will rise to become a problem to even them in no distant time. So they should do everything possible to make sure militancy ends with them. They should work to maintain peace and continually live as advocates of conflict resolutions and statesmen in their respective regions.

Federal governments should re-open the different sea ports across the country, which will create more jobs for the youths in that region.       

 

At this stage of our existence, we should uphold patriotism; Federal government should meet its responsibilities because we all have taken a pledge that the labour of our hero's past shall not be in vain. It is a big problem awaiting us as a people, when our aged parents are denied their pension entitlements after giving their time in service. This issue has affected the civil service, creating a burden on the average Civil servant to acquire more, promoting corruption because many of them don't want to face the hardship experienced by the pensioners across the country.

We often learn faster from circumstance, the negative Incident facing pensioners today, and will likely pose as a great danger to our future work force.

 The youths are watching what their parents are going through as pensioners; the pride felt in selfless service has declined. Government should do everything possible to avoid this ugly trend of our statesman been reduced to ridicule.

 

The pressure on the youths of today is enormous, considering the expectations from parents. Most of who have spent their hard earned money to send them to school right from the cradle to the university.

 Upon graduation most of them cannot get a job, and they are often under pressure to survive and assist their parents who have sacrificed so much for them. This is part of the issue that is instigating them to go at any length to gain livelihood and be of assistance to their parents.

To reduce this burden, federal government should create a policy that will provide shelter and social Support for the elderly, to reduce the burden on the jobless youth. Many of whose parents are stranded, without shelter, others in hospitals ‘watch their beloved parents die because they cannot afford health care. The pressure on the youths to take care of their aged parents is so demanding.

 

Consequently, we should expand our contract implementation policy to cater for the youths. Our infrastructural development in this country should be addressed to expand the capacity of the youths to contribute. At this time of our existence as a country, our civil engineers and higher institutions should be made to work directly with each ministry in exchanging ideas, professionals and technical expertise. So that when students graduate they will just find themselves exploring their potentials towards national development.

Government should also design a policy that will harness the youths, especially those that cannot gain admission into higher institution and the ones without any coordinated training, so that they will have a secured direction in the future. The present situation that we don't have any template to protect them is part of the major reasons why they are involved in criminality. Once they feel that the society don't care about them, any option that comes their way will then be acceptable. This is why different groups creating violence can recruit members easily, because majority of them are jobless. If we must win the war against Boko haram,militancy and terrorism a means to identify and empower the youths must be established.

When you take a statistic of youths involved in anti social vices, you will discover that majority of them don't have a stable source of livelihood, hence they are easily instigated into all sorts of behaviors’ that threatens the peace and harmony of the Nation.

On the present issue of division, I suggest that instead of the present agitations for restructuring and secession, which cannot solve the real issues.

The only solution is to provide social Welfare for all the citizens, irrespective of regions’, ethnicity and political affiliations.

 Once this is achieved, the average youth will see no reason to destroy any property belonging to the Nation. This is the most reliable means to build back confidence on the ordinary citizens of these nations, who are more vulnerable.

 

Federal government through the ministry of culture, information and tourism must invest on our cultural festival across the nation. Our unity as a people can be strengthened when we collectively exchange cultural ideology, while promoting moral values and transferring our heritage to the younger generation.

In terms of social advancement, our Federal roads are in a constant deplorable condition. A policy to protect the countless lives lost on our road must be taken; it has brought agony upon many Nigerians. The bad roads promotes anger on  the mind of the  citizen against the federal government .Contractors must be made to manage the roads as part of the contract terms, since the problem has been so persistent the roads maintenance should be privatized  and managed from tool gate takings from road users.

 To advance our development, our education and health sectors need to be upgraded. It’s such a pity that some of us now send our children to neighbouring Ghana and abroad for educational pursuits, there should be more investment in our institutions to reduce the inflow of Nigerians’ seeking education abroad. I also recommend that Federal government must provide a policy that will establish and equip the general hospitals across the nation to meet world class standard and grant free medical care for the old people, pregnant women and children. There must increase the wages for health workers to motivate them and reduce the brain drain of our professionals to foreigner lands.

 

Sadly, the only social export which is sports and entertainment that serves as one of the effective means of branding and building our unity has declined. Our sports sector has completely come to a halt; there is no investment on it. Sports can motivate the youths to be actively engaged, but that means has been denied because of low funding and bad administrative policies, which should have provided jobs for many youths without other skills. One can hard find any competitive sports activity that the nation is counted amongst the best. All the opportunities that was created through the sports sector about two decades ago has been denied the youths. Our stadiums across the nation are all in a shadow of its self. Nothing is practically happening; the competitive spirit has been destroyed. State governors must engage the youths through sports, school pupils and competitive tournaments in different fields to attain fulfillment in their chosen careers. The glory on our past champions in sports must be maintained, a situation where some them die in poverty after wearing the nations colours and bringing pride to the nation must be discouraged, they should be seen as brand ambassador of the nation at all times.

While access of funding entertainment through loans and protecting intellectual property, must be created.

Conclusively, I kindly remind us that in the midst of any conflicts, the youths are the major victims; they are the first casualties, so we should not become instruments of self destruction.

I Am Proud Been a Nigerian; there are millions of others who believe in this country, wishing for our beloved nation to get better.

I appeal to the youthst across Nigeria that they are the leaders of today and the future; they have the will and power to decide who governs them.

Let’s unite and build that progressive country of our dreams.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria ��