Guest Column

NigerianNews

Sesan Bello
Journalist/Social Critic/Volunteer-Watchdog
London, GB

However, if we're truly serious about making a change, and are intending to see the ‘wasted generation’ supplanted by a strong one for the rest of our life, the price of the change is not really so high. Imagine all of us doing things the right way and getting a great result of orderly, progressive society that we all cherish, devoid of corruption, violence, poverty and hunger.

Good talk Danjuma! Allah ‘kiya he. 

The 'wasted generation' syndrome
by Sesan Bello

---

A mere weepy-mushy statement, some will say, but the truth, it is. A very bitter pill to shove down the throat, by those concerned and of course, one that takes only the fearless to swallow. This is how I view Danjuma’s recent proclamation that the generation to which he belongs had failed and ‘should quit the stage for the younger generation.’ Danjuma, being a very prominent and active family member of the supposedly doomed generations, his remark is total and final in bringing about the much needed and long awaited endorsement to Wole Soyinka’s controversial remark that his generation was a wasted one. Much as Soyinka’s did, Danjuma’s statement will surely not fail to raise a dust of debates and arguments at different quarters and levels of the nation in days ahead, particularly within the ‘wasted generation’ core family members. Accusations, counter-accusations and recriminations are to bound to be rife. However, there are many who feel that this observation isn't very factual, and that we should rather focus on gradual reform processes than thinking of the unachievable chucking away of a whole political generation whose influence and affluence are great and simply interminable with ease. I believe that both are significantly right, if we are to make a truly impressive progress and move in the direction of national success, development and prosperity for which we have been striving since 1960 that we became independent as a nation. In contradistinction to the past, the fidelity of the leadership of our striving efforts should be zero corruption tolerant, founded on the ethics of a corruption free, egalitarian society, which is by no means an easy task in Nigeria. Yet, both Wole Soyinka and Danjuma or any other person with the same conviction cannot be more realistic in our dire quest to divest ourselves of the failed past of tired faces of utter disappointment and let down in finding workable solutions to Nigeria’s problem. The questions are how do we do it, and how much longer do we still have to wait, and on who, to achieve the very needful severance from the contagious attachment we have with our past and which continues to plunge us, generation after generation into all sorts of mess? Read me right, I do not mean that to be corruption-free is not feasible. In fact, to have a corruption-free society is exceedingly important. For without it, good justice system and excellent human rights, no matter how good our reforms are, the potential of both the reforms and the reformers can be realized only through the third eye, as proven in the last regime. Thus, it has always made sense to me that the contention here is breaking the jinx of what seems unavoidable in all democracies of the world - the fact that different folk with different stroke. Different society tackles its problem according to its particular understanding of what the problem is and how the problem affects its people. If we look at those great democracies today, each has its own strong character as dictated by its cultural background. Regardless of these subtle differences, all democratic societies still operate on the same principles, with the depth of understanding the differential derived from the degree to which the experience of the leadership itself spans and of course, the overall credibility rating of the people that constitute the leadership. Perhaps it is right to say here that Danjuma is correct with his observation and proclamation of his ‘wasted generation,’ since he is also a chip from the old block. However, that these past generations were a waste or not, no patriotic character or effort can be more naïve, rebuffing what fundamental paradigm shift that had been firmly rooted in polity right before the demise of the last regime regardless of its failures. This fact supports the proponents of continual reforms, and proves them, including me, correct in postulating that indices from the last regime proved we can, and we will eventually stumble on the path to our destination out of popular convention whence, for political correctness, we shall reconcile our ways. Perhaps the language is odd but the underlying meaning isn’t, and, time will tell. In the early years of democracy, some truly extraordinary efforts, made then by today’s great democracies did not just succeed. They too went through string of reformatory furnaces. To provide ourselves with such esteem requires more than just the ability to criticize. It requires our good cooperation, patriotism, commitment, education, dedication and transparency, as citizens. Many times, I have witnessed and read of the non-readiness of Nigerians to offer free allegiance as well as the financial recklessness of some of those charged with the responsibility of governance. Many indomitable minds have been contaminated, using government resources while seeking political loyalty in the guise of government support and stability. Therefore, there are a very limited number of us remaining undefiled. It's beyond the scope of this article to extend its content up to this point. Nevertheless, I just find it interesting to continue to share my experience with my reader. However, if we're truly serious about making a change, and are intending to see the ‘wasted generation’ supplanted by a strong one for the rest of our life, the price of the change is not really so high. Imagine all of us doing things the right way and getting a great result of orderly, progressive society that we all cherish, devoid of corruption, violence, poverty and hunger. Good talk Danjuma! Allah ‘kiya he.    Watch the latest videos on YouTube.com