CAN IT BE ANY BETTER THAN THIS? I have been going through this - TopicsExpress

CAN IT BE ANY BETTER THAN THIS? I have been going through this for some time now and it has really been a very big concern to me. We have been praying and yearning for a better tomorrow and a brighter future as a Nation but the question is, with this crop of emerging youth leaders, student leaders, politicians and leaders in the society will Nigeria ever be anything better than this? The youths as we are told, are the leaders of tomorrow and you will agree with me that the universities is a place where this tomorrow’s leaders are groomed and nurtured. This is to say that as many that are taking part in students politics, the same will equally metamorphous into state and national politicians. But I’m afraid that with what I am seeing in the universities today, this set of politicians in Nigeria may be the best she may produce. Student leaders have lost the spirit of Aluta which could be linked with or likened to the spirit of statesmanship; they go about seeking their own interest, selling their conscience for temporal gain or financial benefit, allowing the masses (ordinary students) to suffer from victimisation, intimidation, deprivation and incrimination. Last year in University of Port Harcourt Choba, came a story we now know as Aluu 4 where 4 university students (May their innocent soul rest in peace) were gruesomely murdered for a crime that they never committed. If you take a critical look into the situation, you’d discover that the Student Union Government of that same school cares a little or nothing about the welfare and safety of her students. A school where Millions of Naira is spent just to attain the seat of the Union presidency why then should anyone who emerges care for any other thing rather than making triple of the millions he spent. Well I wouldn’t want to pick on any school but the situation as it were in Imo state University is not better neither is it better in any of the Nigeria’ university. If you dare to come close to the universities during SUG elections, you will understand what I am talking about. The environment is usually volatile at that period, you hear gunshots everywhere, you hear about opposition annihilation, killings, maiming, kidnap and thuggery; then one could only but wonder, if these students could kill just for student political seat, what will they not do for a taste of state political seat? These set of people are so corrupt that credibility does no longer count in their choice of executives, as far as you can move the cash round then you are the right person. I am not claiming to be the saint here but my involvement in student politics really taught me a lot, I served in various capacities as a student leader and that gave me the opportunity to come in contact with many politically inclined students and in my relationship with them I discover that about 92% of them are even worse than the worst politician in the secular system so I wonder what this nation will become of in the nearest future when we take over her leadership. Even you reading this, as a leader in any given level of leadership, do you stand for equity and justice? Do you discharge your constitutional duties without the fear of favour? Even when power is given to you, do you use it rightly? Have you not prevented or delayed justice? Have you not killed, maimed, intimidated or even compromised on your integrity in order to acquire or retain power? That person you are projecting, is he credible enough to go? Or, is it not because he is your brother, sister, cult member or your very close associate? At a time, I tried to contest for the office of the Chairman, Conference of Presidents (COPRES) Imo state university; I did a lot of Campaign and trust me, I was on the verge of victory but unfortunately, It was coinciding with my Industrial attachment of which I had to make a choice and what did I do? I looked for the person that was perceived to be more credible besides me and channelled my supporters to him without taking even a dime in spite of the fact that I spent some money in running my campaign but do you know what shocked me? after he emerged, somebody met me and was asking me how much he paid me then I told him that I didn’t collect a dime from him and to my surprise, someone I called my friend called me a fool, that I should have collected at least 400 thousand naira from him then I began to wonder, if I bill him such an amount, what will he be able to do with the office except to try to recover his expenses. In CONCLSION, it is really unfortunate that, if things remain the way they are, Nigeria may not produce better Leaders than what we already have now, Nigeria’ political system will only degenerate, therefore, I call on every Nigerian with the spirit of statesmanship to rise up to this great challenge of giving the student politicians a reorientation that will help them serve the nation with all their heart, to defend her unity and uphold her honour and glory, to promote good governance and best practices. Just like what John Kennedy of the United States said, “It is not about what your country can do for you but what you can do for country”. Let’s imbibe the spirit of statesmanship, let’s think about the next generation, if you are a writer, don’t write to deceive people; if you are a reporter, report only that which is true; if you are governor, govern us well; if you are a leader, lead us well; if you are in the opposition party, don’t let it becloud your sense of unbiased reasoning; let start from these then we will be on our path to better, stronger, greater nation. I believe in Nigeria, I believe in Democracy, I believe God Comr. Wesley Blaze USC 08068415708