The Presidential Elections have come and gone. A new President has been sworn in. On the Nigerian political landscape are the aggrieved losers and the euphoric victors. Inside of this variance of emotions, one emotion rears its head from the depths of the human consciousness. HOPE.
Every single Nigerian, at home and in the diaspora, and irrespective of party or political affiliations hopes and prays fervently for CHANGE. The change promised by the new ruling party APC, headlined by its candidate and now President Muhammadu Buhari. This is because, first and
foremost, before anything else, we are Nigerians. We all crave positive change.
Now the elections are behind us, a familiar mood has returned to take over the youths of this great country. LETHARGY.
Suddenly, we do not know what to do with ourselves now that the elections are over.
The politicians have milked us of our verve, strength, spirit and a lot more. Now they have assumed their respective offices, they have no need for the rampaging youths out there who fought and virtually sacrificed their lives for them.
Ambition or mission fulfilled, the all important youth population is dismissed and left to rot, festering till the next general elections when they are resurrected like Zombies and Frankenstein’s monsters and thrown into the fray.
The teeming youth population of the Kosofe Local Government area of Lagos state is not spared this debilitating fate.
Their hands ache and itch to engage in positive activities to better their lives and their families, to escape the squalor they find themselves in.
This age long ambition and desire for a better life inspired these youths to fight for their chosen candidates, the unspoken plea ‘get into that office and better our lives.’
Prayers and hopes follow these politicians into their elected offices only to be dashed rudely to the whims of selfishness, vanity and self-centredness. The next thing you know, you see them cruising around in luxury cars, with tinted windows wound up and heavily armed, stern faced security operatives as escort. NO ACCESS. UNAPPROACHABLE. The man you fought for, the man who begged for your support and votes is suddenly afraid of you. Now he stays far away from you.
Something has to give this time round.
We have been promised change by the ruling party and the seemingly credible new President, Muhammadu Buhari.
We stand in the full splendour of the Nigerian Youth.
We await change.
