40+FAB Blog

Who got stuck?

You must have heard by now of the protests taking place in Nigeria, the most populous black nation on earth, over the recent unlawful killings of young people by a police special unit called SARS (Special Anti Robbery Squad).

Nigeria became an independent nation from colonial rule in the 1960’s, and the generation of young men and woman that were part of that effort are still unfortunately very much a part of the present government parastatals, industries and other facets of the fabric of society.

Some of these octogenarians keep on referring to the youth that are not ready to take over the reins of government. The Youth they refer to are probably in their 50’s. Years of bad governance and failing to provide an environment of possibilities for at least two generations since it’s independence has led to this outcry. The ‘youth’ and the real youth are saying, enough is enough.

It has taken this long for the youth to rise up and demand what is theirs. Why were they quiet for this long? Was it because they were viewed as not yet being ready? Did they believe the label placed on them by the older generation? Were they waiting in the wings for a handover and became passive in the process? Or was it the older generation that somehow still believed they must carry on their own heads the legacy of building (or not) a nation entrusted to them? Did they forget that a generation has its time and must pass on the baton to the next?

Who got stuck? Whoever it was, I hope this is the movement that will get this nation unstuck and moving in the right direction that the whole of Africa and indeed the world has been waiting for.