July 9, 2010
This essay was triggered by the column of my erudite friend and mentor, Pius Adesanmi. In his piece, “Senior Even If The Rain Rain Fire,” Oga mi (Pius) highlighted the discipline and honesty that characterized the formation and training of his generation. For the benefit of the reader who is unfamiliar with Pius’s essay, the generation that Pius refers to covers those within the 35-50 age bracket.
This essay was triggered by the column of my erudite friend and mentor, Pius Adesanmi. In his piece, “Senior Even If The Rain Rain Fire,” Oga mi (Pius) highlighted the discipline and honesty that characterized the formation and training of his generation. For the benefit of the reader who is unfamiliar with Pius’s essay, the generation that Pius refers to covers those within the 35-50 age bracket.
In Pius’s considered opinion, this generation was privileged to be taught by teachers and formators who were passionate about their job. For these teachers that Pius described, their rewards lie in heaven while their earthly commitment was to their students who they consider as the hope of the future.
But Pius did not stop there. He laments the “colossal generational tragedy” of his contemporaries and how that is inconsistent with the formation they were privileged to receive at the hands of those dutiful teachers and formators. Of course, Pius provides the readers with the examples of Speaker Bankole and other idiots who have desecrated the flag of that generation. Pius ends the essay by asking if the younger generation will continue the reign of profligacy of his generation or if they will halt the tide. This essayistic intervention is therefore a reflection of a member of the facebook generation that Pius addresses.
In discussing Pius’s essay with my dear friend, Eve Famutimi, she had asked me if I think that the youth of today are capable of stopping the ongoing bazaar in Nigeria. This question forms the background to my commentary on the issue raised by Pius. So, will the youth of my generation (in their 20s) continue the primitive accumulative tendencies of robber Bankole’s generation or will they herald the paradigm shift that we envisage?
In his reflection, Pius celebrated the solid training that his generation benefitted from. Unfortunately, such training has not stopped Bankole, Orji Uzor kalu, James Ibori, and other criminals of that generation from milking us dry. Instead, these morons, as Pius describes them, represent the tempest to our collective quest for greatness as a nation. In contrast, I must note that my generation does not share the same privilege of the good training that Pius and his contemporaries enjoyed. For majority of us, schools have turned into citadels of mediocrity where some teachers’ preoccupation is self aggrandizement.
The overall standard of education has also fallen and as such, several youths have turned to cultism, examination malpractice, prostitution, etc. If Bankole’s generation cannot make a difference despite the excellent training they received, can my generation then be the beacon of hope for a drifting nation? I am afraid I cannot bet my money.
For the lucky youths of my generation who are privileged to graduate from a 4 year program in 7 years, due to ASUU strike, there are no jobs. Such youths have to rely on their resilience and creativity to succeed. Unfortunately, my generation has countless “creative” elders to learn from. Professor Ibori has taught my generation how to loot a state and still be a member of the cabal in the presidency. On his own path, legislooter Bankole has set an example of how to steal and remain undaunted. The list of these mentors is endless but I will stop here. So, with these crop of mentors, I am afraid that my generation is equipped but with the wrong tools.
Similarly, while corruption in public life was at low ebb during the earlier days of Pius’s generation, the current magnitude of the scourge is alarming. I will not devote much space to corruption since it was the focus of my previous article. Instead, I will note that my generation is noting the criminal tendencies of their parents and older siblings. At least, the activities of internet fraudsters show that some of my contemporaries are not doing badly. They have decided to grab their daily bread since the government has refused to provide them with one. So, can they stem this tide? I am still afraid.
However, I must note that the situation is not altogether hopeless. There are members of both generations that continue to make one proud of being a Nigerian. The likes of Governor Babatunde Fashola, one of the few Nigerian politicians that I pray for, is worthy of note. He has continued to serve Lagosians with diligence and several youths continue to be inspired by his vision. In the academia, Professor Isidore Diala comes to mind as an epitome of excellence in the Nigerian university system. There are other people but sadly, the list is a very short one. Similarly, it is difficult to estimate the number of youths who represent change and progress, but I can bet that such youths are in the minority.
Therefore, it becomes very obvious that the ongoing conversation does not provide much hope for those who look forward to the transformation that my generation could bring about. We can only ask for attitudinal change among our youths. But this is difficult considering the unmatched record of the thieving older generation. Babangida and others who are above 50 stole in millions, Bankole and his ilks are stealing in billions, and so far, there is no conscious attempt to make sure that my generation does not steal in trillions. So, to answer the question posed by Pius, there is nothing to signify that my generation will do things differently. But I see hope with the vision and commitment of some young people I know. If these few visionaries can take it upon themselves to seek for a change, I remain optimistic that we will not steal in trillions when we shove aside the criminals.
Cajetan is a graduate student in the United States
In Pius’s considered opinion, this generation was privileged to be taught by teachers and formators who were passionate about their job. For these teachers that Pius described, their rewards lie in heaven while their earthly commitment was to their students who they consider as the hope of the future.
But Pius did not stop there. He laments the “colossal generational tragedy” of his contemporaries and how that is inconsistent with the formation they were privileged to receive at the hands of those dutiful teachers and formators. Of course, Pius provides the readers with the examples of Speaker Bankole and other idiots who have desecrated the flag of that generation. Pius ends the essay by asking if the younger generation will continue the reign of profligacy of his generation or if they will halt the tide. This essayistic intervention is therefore a reflection of a member of the facebook generation that Pius addresses.
In discussing Pius’s essay with my dear friend, Eve Famutimi, she had asked me if I think that the youth of today are capable of stopping the ongoing bazaar in Nigeria. This question forms the background to my commentary on the issue raised by Pius. So, will the youth of my generation (in their 20s) continue the primitive accumulative tendencies of robber Bankole’s generation or will they herald the paradigm shift that we envisage?
In his reflection, Pius celebrated the solid training that his generation benefitted from. Unfortunately, such training has not stopped Bankole, Orji Uzor kalu, James Ibori, and other criminals of that generation from milking us dry. Instead, these morons, as Pius describes them, represent the tempest to our collective quest for greatness as a nation. In contrast, I must note that my generation does not share the same privilege of the good training that Pius and his contemporaries enjoyed. For majority of us, schools have turned into citadels of mediocrity where some teachers’ preoccupation is self aggrandizement.
The overall standard of education has also fallen and as such, several youths have turned to cultism, examination malpractice, prostitution, etc. If Bankole’s generation cannot make a difference despite the excellent training they received, can my generation then be the beacon of hope for a drifting nation? I am afraid I cannot bet my money.
For the lucky youths of my generation who are privileged to graduate from a 4 year program in 7 years, due to ASUU strike, there are no jobs. Such youths have to rely on their resilience and creativity to succeed. Unfortunately, my generation has countless “creative” elders to learn from. Professor Ibori has taught my generation how to loot a state and still be a member of the cabal in the presidency. On his own path, legislooter Bankole has set an example of how to steal and remain undaunted. The list of these mentors is endless but I will stop here. So, with these crop of mentors, I am afraid that my generation is equipped but with the wrong tools.
Similarly, while corruption in public life was at low ebb during the earlier days of Pius’s generation, the current magnitude of the scourge is alarming. I will not devote much space to corruption since it was the focus of my previous article. Instead, I will note that my generation is noting the criminal tendencies of their parents and older siblings. At least, the activities of internet fraudsters show that some of my contemporaries are not doing badly. They have decided to grab their daily bread since the government has refused to provide them with one. So, can they stem this tide? I am still afraid.
However, I must note that the situation is not altogether hopeless. There are members of both generations that continue to make one proud of being a Nigerian. The likes of Governor Babatunde Fashola, one of the few Nigerian politicians that I pray for, is worthy of note. He has continued to serve Lagosians with diligence and several youths continue to be inspired by his vision. In the academia, Professor Isidore Diala comes to mind as an epitome of excellence in the Nigerian university system. There are other people but sadly, the list is a very short one. Similarly, it is difficult to estimate the number of youths who represent change and progress, but I can bet that such youths are in the minority.
Therefore, it becomes very obvious that the ongoing conversation does not provide much hope for those who look forward to the transformation that my generation could bring about. We can only ask for attitudinal change among our youths. But this is difficult considering the unmatched record of the thieving older generation. Babangida and others who are above 50 stole in millions, Bankole and his ilks are stealing in billions, and so far, there is no conscious attempt to make sure that my generation does not steal in trillions. So, to answer the question posed by Pius, there is nothing to signify that my generation will do things differently. But I see hope with the vision and commitment of some young people I know. If these few visionaries can take it upon themselves to seek for a change, I remain optimistic that we will not steal in trillions when we shove aside the criminals.
Cajetan is a graduate student in the United States
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