RE: A NATION’S IDENTITY CRISIS

Dr. Reuben Abati’s “A Nation’s Identity Crisis” published June 21st in the Guardian caused quite brouhaha and some youths are still sulking over the way he dissed this generation. I read the article and was appalled by how glaring it was that Dr. Abati does not know what it means to be in this generation. Although his article was underpinned by extensive research, not void of error as Banky W clearly pointed out, his level of detachment from this generation could not be ignored.

“You may not have noticed it: Nigeria is suffering from an identity crisis imposed on its part by an emergent generation of irreverent and creative young Nigerians who are revising old norms and patterns…” wrote Dr. Abati. And I ask, is time not supposed to change yesterday? He went further to analyze how this generation of youths have bastardized the image of Nigeria that Prof Dora Akunyuli is working so tirelessly to rebrand.

I am equally pissed by the name naija as much as I am browned off with the trend of the Nigerian hip hop that lack the sense, shape and skills found in good music. But I wonder why the politicians and businessmen in the older generation spend millions to have them mime in their events if these artistes are so empty.

Dr. Abati pointed out that “the older generation of Nigerians were brought up on a culture of correctedness and completeness…” Has it occurred to anyone yet that the older generation is denying the younger generations the privilege of being brought up in that tune of correct culture? The yawning gap that exist between the two generations is created by the lack of commitment and detachment of the older generations who are more concern with acquiring more titles than nurturing the younger generation.

We do not know Flora Shaw and Lord Luggard but we know him- Dr. Reuben Abati and a handful of other prominent adults in our society. But what role are they playing to ensure that the history they do not want us to forget is properly communicated? How are they mentoring this generation that lack discipline, patience and the ability to think through a subject to its logical end from utter ruin?

I understand the issues Dr. Reuben Abati seek to address and I respect his concern. In this age of the so called identity crisis, should this generation be so quickly endorsed? We will appreciate everyone's sincere commitment in turning the tide for good. After all, the bad leadership of the older generation is what has culturally refined us. We might be on the internet and sign up to twitter but we are not twits, the name Nigeria means something to us!

HE IS YOUNG AND NIGERIAN

What does it mean to be young and Nigerian? Does it mean putting one’s energy into internet fraud a.k.a yahooyahoo and dancing all day to Olu Maintain's "Yahoozee" or Kelly Handsome's "Maga don pay" to validate our efforts or relevance? Does it mean gaining admission into the University and as a result of peer pressure succumb to the bandwagon of aristocracy by becoming an assorted prostitute under the daring umbrella of "aristo"? Does it mean doing drugs and engaging in other unprintable acts?

Tolu Ogunlesi defiles that norm to redefine what it means to be young and Nigerian. As described by Kola Oshinowo, He has got passion, he is driven by purpose, and he is making progress, thus embraced by a world of possibilities. Being young and Nigerian is what Tolu represents and is celebrated for globally and locally. Well, ignore the fact that he just quit his day-job in the middle of an economic recession, while many are clinging on to theirs so religiously no matter how unsatisfactory, to focus on the talent life has handed him.

Although he studied Pharmacy at the University of Ibadan , today he is a writer, not just a writer but a celebrated achiever. He was a guest fellow, Nordic Africa Institute, Cadbury Visiting fellow and a finalist- 2009 CNN African Journalist of the year! How did he do it? "Hard work" said Tolu. Well, his hard work sure paid off. In the words of his Mentor , Toni Kan, "Tolu is the most published Nigerian on the internet". Talking about mentor, what is the importance of mentorship in achieving one's dream? Tolu says "The best way to see far is to stand on the shoulder of giants...there is no way you can be successful without learning from those who have gone ahead of you." So being young and Nigerian also means learning from mentors, their mistakes and their success.

On his advice to young people out there, struggling with the veracity of being Nigerian, Tolu says "This is the best time to be young and African. There are many opportunities out there, we need to keep our eyes and ears open...Sometimes I see a kind of a small mindedness in young people...we should aspire to compete on global level and stop being ghetto kings."

Tolu Ogunlesi is no ghetto King, he is respected and admired. It is no wonder the Future Award's Redstrat triplet (Emilia, Debola and Chude) on Wednesday organized a Red Reception for him at Swe Bar, to showcase an outstanding peer Role Model for this generation. The young man who breathes passion, purpose, progress and possibilities is now an icon in the Journalism profession (more than he is in the medical field?) and he is committed to keep blazing the trail.

THE DIFFICULT PILL TO TAKE

I love the University of Lagos (UNILAG) for all the most obvious reasons so many people love her- its academic and social vibrancy, as well as its ability to always be the first to break new ground. The rave of the moment is the exciting 1st Nigerian campus marathon, taking place June 24th, organized by the HKHE UNILAG students’ sports forum in conjunction with African Youth initiative on Crime prevention.

On a personal note, my interest in this event is stemmed in its significant role in closing the yawning gap between the students and staff of the institution. “Most lecturers and students have this master-slave relationship,” said Chris Ibe, the pioneer of the event. Thus, the programme is aimed at fostering a community where students will be able to relate freely with their lecturers on the positive light of Mentor-Mentee relationship. Dr. Adeyemi Awopetu, the staff adviser to the programme, said that the event would also create an avenue for new talents to be unleashed for the world of marathon that is currently being dominated by athletes from Kenya and Plateau state. “Exercise is a difficult pill to take…but we have to exercise to increase our fitness level and live longer.” In his view, the programme will achieve so much if embraced and sustained.

Meanwhile, Dr. Grace Otinwa is a keen advocate for youths to be engaged positively, thus her support for the event. “We encourage youth participation in active lifestyle as a means to meaningfully engage them.” She defined an active lifestyle as a lifestyle that is engaged in physical activity at least 30minutes to one hour everyday. “Our body is designed for movement, thus you have to move by way of walking, jogging, or running in order to alleviate diseases.” Fitness is a requirement for productivity and longevity. She also hopes that the students will be challenged to eschew cultism and other social vices and embrace activities that will contribute to their social, spiritual and mental growth and development.

Prof HOD Longe, the dean of student affairs, who threw his weight behind the concept did not hide his enthusiasm about being the first school to hold such event, “It is a noble initiative, and within the context of University, we have never had such an event in Nigeria.” He said. “Everything is not work, work, work! Fitness is very important because you are healthy when you are fit.” Now you have one more reason not to loathe UNILAG- she is a good at being the first to do credible stuff!

DANCE FOR LIFE!

If you were not at the National Theatre Iganmu Lagos last week then you missed a lot! Yeah, you missed the Crown Troupe of Africa’s live concert- the great music, the acrobatic dance, the thrilling cultural choreography, and the rib cracking jokes- all powered by a group of talented young people!

Five years ago was the last time I visited the National Theatre (shame on me right?), thus I was shocked by how intact the whole place is (well, the toilet was a little bit out of shape), and impressed by how so many fans turned up at the Cinema Hall 1 to watch Segun Adefila’s dance-theatre group at their best.

You know, a famous quote by Plato says “to sing well and to dance well is to be well educated.” And this group testifies to it with their commitment towards projecting our culture through the art of dance and music. Segun Adefila, the group leader once said “Some say art is for Art’s sake but I say art if for life sake.” Thus they make it a duty to pass a message about life through all their dance performance and songs, last week was no exception.

The star studded event, which was organized to celebrate Crown Troupe of Africa’s 13th anniversary and give a sneak preview of their anticipated/soon-to-be released album, brought together the likes of Sound Sultan, W4, Yinka Davies, Tosyn Bucknor a.k.a Contradiction, Princess, Modella, Tunde Kelani, Marian Travis, Yemi Sodimu, Beautiful Nubia and a host of other artistes.

The group set the stage ablaze with their first performance “Ere ti ya”, even those that didn’t understand the Yoruba language couldn’t help but dance to the rhythm and heavy beats displayed by their rich talent. Adunni and her Nerfititi vocals, all clad in white attire and armed with shekere, sang their own song with a passion that sent jitters down my spine.

“Mi o ni choice” another music-dance performance by the Crown troupe also deeply rooted in satirical lines and afro centrism cheered the audience up before sharing the stage with other artistes. Beautiful Nubia left us all with something to think about in his poetry performance titled “Can’t you see?”. Some performances were dipped low while some reeled to high heaven. For Segun Adefila and his group- The Crown Troupe of Africa, I am optimistic that the days will be good to them as long as they stay true to the course.

LEARNING FROM KIDS...

Children are important. Every society that wants to secure its future must invest in the children…the foundation must set right! Bad home training and bad influence from peers are some of the factors that contribute to the increase in juvenile delinquency…The CATE Green Africa trip to Badagry is not one I will forget in a hurry. Not because it gave me an opportunity to associate with people who are keen about greening the environment, or the significant experience of visiting the renowned Badagry Heritage Museum and the First Storey building in Nigeria but also because it gave me the opportunity to hangout with some brilliant kids who revamped my perspective on some critical issues. Yes, you can never underestimate how much you will learn from children by listening to them and taking note of every thing they say. That was exactly what I did…here are excerpts of our conversation:

So guys, did you have fun today?

All: Yes!

What is the significance of this trip to you?

Immanuel Oke: Well, the significance of this trip is to celebrate the Bicentenary of Bishop Ajayi Crowther and learn about the values that distinct him.

Sometimes we overlook the importance of history, did you learn anything at all from the tour?

Daranyo Omotunde: History has a role to play in the development of every child because it helps them learn where we are coming from and understand why things are the way they are.

Oluchi Amakoh: Learning about Bishop Ajayi Crowther really inspires me to aspire to become great too. The Nigerian children today are terrified because of the kind of environment they are exposed to- fighting, quarrelling etc as a result; they tend to define Nigeria based on such exposure, without knowing there is more. My visit to Badagry today has really challenged me to appreciate Nigeria better, despite the present challenges, because our forefathers faced worse situation. Imagine being in the generation where slavery thrived! We should endure and believe that Nigeria can change anytime just as it changed in the days of our forefathers. But we all have a role to play to change Nigeria .

Immanuel Oke: Yes, we all have a role to play. We can’t really leave everything to the government. Growing up in a bad environment is not an excuse to become bad. We must learn not to allow our environment influence us.

Michael Daranyo: the environment children grow up in matter too. But it is just that we are too quick to criticize the government in Nigeria , forgetting that the dirty environment we live in today was not made dirty by them. For example, is it the governments that drink pure water and litter everywhere with the sachet? If we don’t help ourselves, no one else can!

Israel Joseph: I think the Nigerian children should concentrate on their education right now and not worry about money. Our government only thinks of themselves. I am sure when we become leaders, we will not be like that.

IN MY PRINCIPAL'S SHOES

“Good morning madam” greeted the JSS 2 Class of Sophia Group of schools. “Good morning students. You may have your seat.” said the young principal. “What do you have now?” she asked in impeccable English. “Business studies” the students chorused. “Good. Go and call your teacher.” And with those words, 12-years old Nellie Egun walked off to another class. As part of her responsibilities as a principal, she was making her morning rounds to the various classes to ensure that activities are going as smoothly as they should.

Twelve years old Nelli Egun was awarded the school super-hero of Sophia Academy after emerging winner of the weekly school quiz competition that was held for the term. One of her prizes included serving as the first one-day principal of the school. Asking about her experience as a student in a principal’s shoe, she says “It has been fun. This morning I made some announcements on the assembly and went round the classes to ensure that things are going smoothly.” To be an outstanding student in all ramifications, Nellie encourages her peers to be current about what is going on in the society. “Read wide and read newspapers in order to be up to date and knowledgeable about general issues.” She said.

For Mrs. Dupe Ajayi, the Principal of Sophia Group of schools, the idea of awarding super-hero to students every term is to encourage them to sit up and be competent in every field of knowledge. “We do this by engaging them in healthy competitions called who wants to be a hero. The quiz covers their curriculum as well as current affairs.”

“The first super-hero is not just an excellent student in academics but also an excellent student morally and in other areas of life. From our record, everything about Nellie stands her out, thus other students are encouraged to emulate her and conduct themselves well because leadership is something you work for and not something you steal.”

She encouraged the Nigerian students to fear God in order to walk in wisdom. On the challenges of today’s education system, Mrs. Ajayi said “The only challenge we have now is that there is no much emphasis on moral studies. In our days moral study was an important aspect of our curriculum. We need to return to our first love which is the love of God. Our curriculum is faulty because we are trying to copy others when we don’t have the right infrastructure. The government needs to start looking inward and stop talking from the two sides of their mouth when implementing new policies.”

I am not joking Mr. John.

The article “Bag a degree and an impressive work experience!” published 17th May stirred up interesting reaction from readers. While some said that the concept of Holiday Job is foreign, others argued that it does exist in Nigeria but with limited opportunities. As depicted by this text message: Holiday jobs? Where? In Nigeria ? I beg spare me. I just read your column and girl, you really must be joking- John.

I promised John that I will dedicate this week’s column to replying his text (I hope he reads this). However, this reply is based on my research to find out what other young Nigerians thought about the subject of discourse. Do they also believe holiday job does not exist in Nigeria ? Are there opportunities to engage young people? Are they embracing these opportunities?

Sandra O.: Holiday jobs do not really exist in Nigeria compared to the developed countries. I’m on holiday right now and have searched for holiday jobs but can’t find any.

Stephen Oguntoyinbo: Holiday jobs exist but the Nigerian factor is what hoards it. It is about “who knows who”, thus this makes the concept seemingly unrealistic. Most young people don’t really get the opportunity to work in an organization so they resort to doing odd jobs, such as business center, during their holidays.

Jide Jinadu: Our culture does not encourage holiday job. Moreover, there are shortages of jobs and employers only want employees on long-term basis. But if students are willing to work for the experience without salary, then employers will be motivated to employ them. I believe holiday job is a good way of keeping young people occupied. The experience they gain will expand their capacity and knowledge for life.

Adelola Osunkojo: Holiday job exist. These days lecturers even encourage students to embrace such opportunities, at least mine did. You don’t necessarily have to look for a 9am-5pm white-collar job. You can engage yourself by modeling, ushering, or other areas of art. These jobs are not regularly available so you must search for them. What else do you want to do with your youth? Youth is learning how to survive and be financially independent. Holiday jobs give youths the opportunity not only to earn a living but gain experience, build to their self-esteem, CV and add to their swagger.

Maranatha Ajir: I do holiday job to gain experience and earn money. But there are only few opportunities available and people who get these opportunities are those that have connection. So if you are not in the system or know someone who is, no holiday job for you! However, your performance while carrying out your task matters. A good performance opens more doors, but a poor performance shuts the door to future opportunities.

Need I say more? Holiday jobs exist in Nigeria . It is left for young people to search them out and engage themselves positively! And No! I am not joking Mr. John. Living in Nigeria is no limitation.