The recent remark made by the president of the Federal republic of Nigeria, president Muhammadu Buhari, about the Nigerian youths at the just concluded Commonwealth of nations meeting had resulted-in numerous contestation across sections of the youth residing in Nigeria and even some Nigerian youths in diaspora.
Reports on both local and international media have it that in his remark at the session of the meeting, president Muhammadu Buhari noted that ” Nigeria as country, is blessed with a population of approximately, 180,000000 people, out of which sixty percent of the stated population are youths aged below thirty; however, that, not all but majority of them did not go to school but they belief that Nigeria is an oil producing state and so, they should be given free money to buy cars, housing and to make them leave very comfortable “. Thus the quoted remark has been distinctively defined and interpreted by people, with others even resorting to the fact that “the president is not capable of taking Nigeria to the next level, others did claimed that the president is not serious and have no respect for the desires of the people who have in the first place, devoted time to cast vote for him and ensured that he returned elected and a lot, condemned his administration entirely for not been responsive and accountable to the host of the citizenry”
Similarly, many other Nigeria men and women including old people took to the various pages of the online platforms and commented on the issue. Some of the comments being posted on the online platforms were fragmented according to political affiliations, some were dressed with regional and ethno-religious biases whilst some of the comment have been mere reaction by the youth in trying to defend the assertion raised upon them.
Again, prominent political offices holders, institutions and organizations and groups have taken part on it differently base on certain interest been pursuit that in turn, tandem their goals. These controversies seduce my mine to take part in the conversion; interestingly, for me, Nigerians are passionate about expressing their views on issues of both national and international importance but a times, in trying to express their selves, misconception and misinterpretation do overwhelm their thought and often, make them wrongly define scenarios.
Certainly president Buhari has spoken and arguably, my take is that he might be right, looking at the Nigerian context, we can apparently state that our nation is not just blessed with the stated population but also, with pluralistic diversities and multicultural identities. These attribute however, have succeeded in creating lasting divides among the citizenry so much so that our people tend to be overlooking whatsoever that is inconsistent with their predisposition and interest. Albeit the diversities, our population instead of making us strong and unanimous, it establishes breakaway, wherever we are expected to put encouragement, we do discourage, where we are required to support, we don’t; to me, president Buhari’s remark was a recommendations to our youthful generation, those who have interpreted that Nigeria is an oil producing country and thus they should be given free oil money for housing, cars and luxuries should reshuffle their thought and those majority that have not been to school should begin quest for knowledge; this is unarguably exemplary and hence the president need to be applauded.
Eventually, I am urging my fellow country people to please be inform that critics are part of the basic features of democracy but critics in this respect shall remain functional. Instead of insulting, Nigerians should have thoroughly critique and call for reformation where things are moving wrong; politicians, institutions, organizations, groups, stakeholders, and other influential association are also urge to as a matter of urgency, put end to politicising all issues particularly, topical issues of national concern.
Chiroma is a 300 level student of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.
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