By Juliet Isi Ikhayere
Firstly, let me begin by giving credit to the framers of this year’s International Youth Day 2022 Theme; Intergenerational solidarity; Creating a world for all ages.
This theme comes at no better time than this because of the duplicity and multiplicity of thoughts and ideas about who a youth is and what role they should ideally play in a fast-evolving global village, where globalization and modernization are the new order that every nation grapples with while fighting hard to maintain their identities.
While there seems to be a global demand for the deployment of the skill sets, intellect, and energy of the youth to the innovation and transformation our world is witnessing across its many strata, there are existential threats to the results this deployment could mean for many older generation folks who feel threatened and afraid of being retired to the backyard of history.
This threat is more pronounced in developing and underdeveloped nations; Africa most especially and other third world nations. For this singular reason, there seems to be an ongoing battle of the ages as the leaders struggle with how to utilize the skills and talent of youth who make up the larger population and contribute immensely to GDP growth, and how to place commensurate value on them thereby encouraging and unlocking more of their ingenuity for further development that will put their nations at per with their contemporaries the world over.
Despite these growing concerns, however, it is an incontestable fact that youths are the engine room of growth and development in any society. African and particularly Nigerian youths have continued to distinguish themselves by proving to the entire world that despite these various limitations, they remain undaunted and unstoppable, they continue to inspire hopes of a better future; one which cannot be deterred by any challenges, a forceful outburst of a stable, virile and egalitarian society.
Today as we celebrate our youthfulness and our strength, I congratulate myself and a hundred million others who have stepped out of the line, to take responsibility and contribute their quota to the emergence of this brand new era; an era of intergenerational solidarity, of creativity, of uniqueness and individuality for generality.
This year’s youth day celebration ought to evoke in us our purpose, power, and uniqueness in this present day and time. It is a time for introspection about how we can collectively take charge of our surroundings by showing great support to ourselves at the moment of good deeds. Not blindly, but with intentionality.
It is a very important time when youths from all over the country should begin to set laid down structures for which we can be a formidable force to repel all adversaries intended to bring us down.
A SORO SOKE (Speak up) generation where we will not promote divisions based on ethnicity, religion, or gender but team up to shun negative vices amongst ourselves. We have no choice but to have a united frontier, lest we give more chances to the enemies of youths to trample upon the few that will dare.
We should also not forget that the criteria for youth involvement in issues of politics should not be centered on how much money such a person has, as this is contrary to the principle of patience and systematic progress. Instead, let the basis for assessment be on past and present contributions to society, dexterity, creativity, empathy, flexibility to wise counsel, and more importantly, the courage to dare the impossible.
It is a reality that in the present-day youth demography, some are privileged to be wealthy, while some are not, some content with what they have but aspiring for more, yet this should not divide us or else we lose.
It is also said that some do not depend on the government to thrive, yes this is also true but that should not cause the abandonment of our collective strength. It will be unfair not to show solidarity to your fellow youths in thoughts or otherwise.
Lastly, it will be unfair and strange for ladies to single themselves out of the equation of youths. Rather, it is a call for a strong collaboration of women within the age bracket of youthfulness to embrace themselves, not be blind to the happenings of society, and be more informed as the wisdom and strength of youth are not judged by gender.
May our generation be known for a generation that SORO SOKE’D the truth, the collective dreams of us all, and the strength of our unity? Not daunted by hardship, not discouraged by the present times and reality, we will stand strong, side by side to weather the storm.
We will embrace our multicultural differences, our gender, and our religious differences to chart a good cause in history.
TOGETHER WE ARE BETTER AND WE ARE LOUDER.
