A paramount fact is undeniable, that as youths this is our future, individually and collectively. As Elders and Leaders in every African Country, your present commitment and contribution to our national upliftment shall largely mould the future society; this is indeed of paramount concern now. You must simply understand that by shaping the young minds today, leaders are designing the nature of our future generations and Africa. It is your sacred duty to supply the youth with vision and ethical values to save the diplomatic cultural heritage and the traditions that our forefathers stood as uncompromised trustees, and ably passed on to you, and finally to us in this generation and incarnation.
As Leaders, You ought to inspire in the youth sentiments of a life of balanced development. Leaders must therefore utilize the vessel good governance to give the content of our Cultures, traditions and systems of administration to the youth, and guide them to embrace sharing, from which they would learn to be generous. Leaders must guide them to embrace honesty and fairness, so that they can learn what truth and justice are. If Youths would know how to live with serenity, they learn to have peace of mind, which would contribute to peace in society.
If leaders want our youth to be positive, progressive and pragmatic, they must not forget that every coin has two sides. This means that they must inspire in us the knowledge that material development and spirituality must go hand in hand, as is contained in the constitutions of most African nations that the very different are the fruits obtained from decency and good governance, and that one who knows both and respect the law, and is at peace with him/herself, overcomes poverty by proactive societal engagement in the things which will better the lot of all and attains emancipation. If we are made to understand the practical reality of such constitutions, we would be able to discriminate between right and wrong, false and truth; good and bad. In this way, we would truly learn to appreciate the meaning of life.
We must be encouraged to think about who we are, and what we really enjoy doing. We should also be encouraged to study works that would inspire in us the attitudes of rising above cheap personal ambitions (selfishness) to socially beneficial endeavours.
The greatest and the most persistent problem have been the comprehension and interpretation of the insights of this constitutional providence. This is because of the language used in the interpretation of the constitution, which are coded to the ordinary citizenry. The greatest advantage is that, we recorded our insights in the form of what we have experienced and the level of adversities we have all passed through.
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| Ken Saro Wiwa |
Our Leaders greatest obligation is to study, interpret, and uncover the messages they desired to communicate. It was because of these reasons, that great minds like Ken Saro Wiwa, Chinua Achebe, Maj. Isaac Adaka Boro etc, have often time descended to show us the way, but as a people, we have been blinded by our collective negligence to see our future; yet today Achebe still echo his aged words from the darkest of his solitary. This is a great soul indeed! Achebe proclaimed that the insights and vigor found therein amongst the youths have all the potential of transforming the world into a noble place
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| Chinua Achebe |
Many have attempted to uncover the social, economic, and scientific messages embedded in the insights of Achebe's philosophies. However much still remains. A challenge was left behind by Ken Saro Wiwa that the prime duty of all Our Government is to study the Constitution not in letters, or in principles, but in practice and to teach us to follow that righteous path. Nevertheless when things fall apart, truly the centre cannot hold - (Chinua Achebe). This way, Our Leaders would capture the meaning of the insights of the Constitution and employ them for further Societal evolution everywhere in Africa. The challenge is still valid.
By Dr. Carl Ogunshola Oshodi
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