It is customary among the Igbos and Africans that when a man
dies intestate, his sons or children depending on the region, inherit his
estate. This includes his very personal belongings which he didn't share while
alive. My case was not different. When I lost my dad some years ago, though he
died intestate, he left behind him some landed properties and some of his
personal properties, I automatically became in charge of the properties and the
first son. While he was alive, I visited his wardrobe once in a while and check
out some cloths that I could put on for any special occasion. At his death I
converted most of his to mine including some of his cloths, though a lot of
them were oversized hence, they were packed in a new Ghana must go bag.
Some weeks ago, the senate put to death an old order, the death
which put to birth a new order, this new order set sail the active
participation of youths in politics. The bill reads that a young person who is
a citizen of Nigeria and is up to 25 years can contest for the seat of house of
senate and representative while 30 years and above goes for governorship and 35
for the presidency. They also passed a bill that there should be position for
independent candidates. This means that one does not have to go through the
rigours of registering or belong to a political party before contesting for a
political position.
With this epoch-making development in our Nigerian politics, a
whole lot will change and in fact has changed, for it will no longer be
business as usual. It won't be the case of the old wine littered at the party
with this touch and make up in politics, new wine, novel idea and experiential
ideas will dominate the political stage and cause a tsunamic revolution which
will birth progression in all ramification. This development will cause a blend
to correct the bend before the end.
Some days ago, the people of Uganda, elected a 23 year old john
Paul Nwigiri who is a 300 level student in the university and an independent
candidate making him the youngest in Kenya. How he did it will be story for
another day. We all are aware that new and fresh wine is sweet and could easily
make one go drunk while old wine is sour and definitely not enticing but to a
large extent medicinal. Both must complement each other in other to stay safe.
This new wine is the youths while the old wine are the vanguards and veterans
in the Nigerian politics.
What is the cup of blessing here?
St Augustine said that, a good painter brings out the best of
his work by bringing and misting both dull and bright colours of paints. Before
or during 2019 general elections, a lot of politically ambitious youths will
vie for public offices, they will do this alongside political veterans, at the end
of the election, the result would be that the political arena will be inundated
with fresh ideas and experiential ideas. The successful marriage of this duo
will hence metamorphose to a positive result.
Remember what I said at the beginning? We cannot totally
jettison the experienced politicians for new comers, the reason is not far-fetched,
this can be discovered from the Yoruba adage that says "the new broom may
know how to sweep very well but the old broom knows the corners"
In the Nigerian political system as it is about to unfold, (it
will be flooded with new and old). Thus, there is need to understand boundaries
as to the extent to which new ideas will be pushed and traditions be followed.
These two must blend to straighten the bend. They must also understand
that they belong to two worlds and must seek to understand and
respect each other’s personalities and ideas rather than disagree and disrespect
each other. They should remember to not totally throw away the adage that says “what
an elder sits down to see, a child will climb the highest mountain and will not
see it”. This is experience. On the other hand a child may have new cloths, but
he cannot have as much rags as the elder. This is wealth of experience. In as
much as experience is a veritable tool not to make the same mistake twice, Nobel
ideas will help refine, reform, rebuild and re-establish the experience and
bring it forth as a new one.
Having emphasised the above, the transfiguration of Nigeria does
not need the dominance of a particular class- experience alone cannot cause
transfiguration neither will new ideas alone. Thus, it is a two way event n
which both party needs each other. It is my candid advice that youthful
exuberance must be controlled and curtailed if we must have a different and
better result. Nigeria can be great again, her citizens can be better too and
everything can be transformed and transfigured. The old wine may taste sour,
hence it will to the extent of its sourness detract drinkers from gulping, at
the same time the new wine will be so sweet and irresistible, if taken without
caution, it may lead to an overdose. But where the duo are mixed up, the result
will be obvious and consumption should be cautious.
Conclusion
There should be no such thing as “the leaders of tomorrow”. The
future is now here, tomorrow is now today. The youths have been given the right
to rule and be ruled, they now have the opportunity to correct the ills of
their fathers past and better their future by themselves.
Governance will shift from age to mindset, from exclusive to
inclusive, the youths will no longer be a tool used and dumped after elections,
they will be a formidable force and decider of their fate, affairs and that of
others. It will no longer be the case of a child who washes his hands well will
eat with the elders but instead will be anyone who washes his hands clean will
eat at the table of men.
Finally, we shouldn't forget that a united Nigeria should be
promoted and not class, look beyond class and focused on a common front- for we
all have same enemy and that enemy is the evil facing Nigeria which we must
defeat collectively.
About the Author
Nwosu Marcus Ifeanyi
is the Program Coordinator of Standout Media TV in the South West zone
of Nigeria, he is a writer and a poet par excellence. He is quite passionate
about Teens and Youth Development.
