By Lexzy Ochibejivwie
Elsewhere in the world, especially in countries popularly known as ‘first- world’, age is so important. What’s ‘age’ here? I mean a stage of life, not a period in history. I should be understood early enough. Unfortunately, we in Nigeria – a country of so much intrigue – hardly take an issue like age seriously. However, our precipitous culture sometimes makes us trivialize age when it ought to be taken seriously, and at other times, take age seriously in instances where it ought to be trivialized. I am sure by now you know about the deliberate age stipulation for job applicants in advert placement, right? You may be familiar with the very irritating but popular line that goes: “applicant must not be more than twenty four, blah blah blah, and must have at least ten years working experience blah blah blah”. I know this sounds vacuous, if not funny to you. But the practice of age falsification among government employees and state officials, which have for many years delayed or even deprived qualified and able-bodied youths from government openings in Nigeria, may not really be vacuous to you, especially if you yourself have not engaged in it. There appears to be a kind of regularization of the misnomer in this country – which is partly why citizens’ patriotism is shamefully low. As I know, the efforts of successive Nigerian federal governments in fishing out many public workers who have committed and continue to commit age fraud have been tangential, and this seem to have taken and still takes a disastrous toll on youths in ways that are yet to be understood. Anyway, let me hold my peace, since I can do no jack, at least for now, about this arrant duplicity – poor me, a homo politicus with no political power.
The line between one age of human development and another in Nigeria has been seriously blurred. Age means everything in some instances, and means nothing in others. Does this come to you like an ‘unsound’ argument? In serious climes, the age of persons is vital for national planning – and for this reason, the various age categories are well recorded. Always statistics are taken. Data is analyzed and subsequently used for planning. So, there are those classed as toddlers, of course, between 1 and 4. There are others called teenagers, which are between 11 and 14. Some are respectfully tagged senior citizens, that is to say, those well above 60 or 65. Nigeria recognizes the latter category in name only. The country’s social welfare policies appear to be wishy-washy in accommodating their needs. Does Nigeria even have a social welfare policy for senior citizens? See me talking, as if any Nigerian government has had any sustained social welfare scheme for young people, let alone senior citizens. Has Nigeria figured out a way to pay pension allowances, without putting pensioners through torture? Let me not derail. I am trying to make a point on how the youth population occupies a vital part of nation building in saner climes. There is an age grade known as the millennial, especially common in the United States of America, especially for generation of children born between 1977 and 1994. This is not necessarily youths, but it may be part of them. In the U.S., this category is most prominent during elections, especially contributing in determining how votes swing in key states. Does INEC consider this important? Anyway, this is hardly the interest here. In Nigeria, the whole understanding of youth has a false start, and this is really causing a lot of troubles for government, parents and institutions of state.
It was accepted at the International Youth Year in 1985, and endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly, that anyone between the ages of 15 and 24 is a youth. The Western world seems to have kept faith with this conclusion. They have even gone far ahead to provide the necessary springboard that would aid the recognition and survival of people of such age. It has been largely observed that within this age, basic attributes are associated with youth – exuberance, excitement, pleasure-seeking, adventure and discovery. At this time, people of this age demonstrate assertiveness and independence of mind. They equally have a kind of lure to brave and brace through life by whatever means necessary – a kind of Caesar’s ambition. Not oblivious of this, their institutions make provisions for them. There are institutions designed to complements their age and their efforts. In very many cases, the institutions help youths to discover hidden talents, and in few cases, turn their flaws to strengths. Hard work is rewarded, and so is innovation. The various institutions of state consider young people as equal partners in the business of national sustenance and progress. As a result, welfare policies are carefully planned and executed, such that they click with the tempers and, perhaps, visions of youths. Opportunities are yielded to the young as well. They are not short-changed. They are not discouraged. They are not intimidated by the age reach of older persons. They are not pushed to feel that theirs is only to listen and comply. Certainly, youths in climes like these are not slapped in the face with terrible invectives – like being lazy, violent, and naive. The institutions do not defer their dreams; they encourage speedy integration and patriotism. Situations like these have proven to be positive in many respects. Youths have high sense of esteem and feel sufficiently fired up. Most believe in their ability and undertake personal measures that strengthen national unity. Hopes of such countries are anchored on what becomes of young people. Agreed, man will always be malevolent. But the perpetuation of crimes in many cases in Western world comes with some sort of finesse. Youths in those places would rather engage in sophisticated crimes – crimes that will make them globally famous – than petty crimes that will merely be useful for feeding their stomachs. Ask Eric Hainstock, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold, Jeff Weise, just to name only four, to tell you why they mass-shooted, why they became suddenly pernicious, and they would blame it on bullying. I need to be clear here: It is not my intention to glamourize crime; I do not encourage it in the least, no matter how justified it may seem.
There is a considerable youth population in Nigeria. We are one out of the 195 countries in the world today that does not have a clear-cut age bracket for youths. Yet there is the claim among some busy-bodied politicians that the future of Nigeria is in her youths. I still don’t understand the rationale behind this claim. Young people have been severely underrated in Nigeria. They have been so infantilize. Even those with all the potentials and zeal to do well are not excluded. Positions designed to take care of their welfare have been hijacked by older people. Nigeria’s current Minister in charge of youth affairs is in his mid-fifties. Youth leaders of major political parties in Nigeria are adults. There are many men in their thirties who still live with their parents. A majority are still considered as nitwits, as totally lacking in knowledge, even after passing subjecting themselves to procedures established by the Nigerian system. Yet still, there are some youths who still seen as only good enough to serve, not to be served. Gerontocratic attributes like these are very unwelcomed. They should be discouraged. This is really unfortunate, not just for youths, but for the Nigerian system that supposedly seek to improve national cohesion and establish relative peace. Some youths now see themselves as failures, while many now fight against depression. As a way out, many have decided to assert themselves and have now resorted to rebel against a system and a generation they consider as having failed them. Some who cannot tolerate the humiliation have turned to quick fix, to different means to make instant wealth, so as to secure some measure of recognition and economic survival. There are others who have earlier chosen to bid their time, but the hostile environment in which they find themselves has forced them to consider other options. After all, patience is a consumable. Arrogance and uncanny disrespect among youths have now increased. Some take this as a way of revolting against a people and a system that have failed them. And the very few who have decided to remain cool-headed and have fixed their eyes on the ball have not been encouraged, such that the majority of unruly ones who see this tend to think it is best to stay arrogant and be vilified, than to be cool-headed and be humiliated. In situations like these, we cannot afford to throw away the baby with the bath water. Empathy is needed. Wisdom needs to be continuously impressed. And above all, the love of God needs to reign amongst men. We put ourselves and our society at grave danger if we think we can ignore our youths, if we think they will have to sort themselves out.