A show of inexhaustible talents

I would have written this article earlier to celebrate and encourage the nation’s over 100 million youths. I had to write on more pressing issues that could undermine the liberty and freedom of our people in a democracy. Those articles took the wind off my sail. But as the saying goes, “it is better late than never.” I congratulate all youths globally and most importantly; Nigerian youths are hereby celebrated.

I am celebrating Nigerian youths for their fortitude and determination to succeed in their chosen endeavors despite local environmental challenges.

What are the consequences of our choice as a country? Brain drain and we have a country where numerous talented professionals are left to struggle for themselves while foreign quacks are romanced and brought into the country often as “experts

The International Youth Day is an annual event celebrated by the United Nations (UN) on 12 August each year. The theme for the year 2020 was “Youth Engagement for Global Action.” This year’s event, according to the UN, “seeks to highlight the ways in which the engagement of young people at the local, national and global levels is enriching national and multilateral institutions and processes, as well as draw lessons on how their representation and engagement in formal institutional politics can be significantly enhanced.” What a magnificent theme? But our talented youths must not be apolitical.

There is no doubt in my mind that most Nigerian youths are contributing their quota to developmental activities at home and abroad and they are enriching national and multilateral institutions by displaying their talents. Nigeria is blessed with a lot of talents. The list is endless and beyond what this column can contain. Indeed, what I read and observe these days convinces me that we have an inexhaustible pool of talents.

When I read about the outstanding contributions of Onyema Ogbuagu, a University of Calabar (UNICAL) graduate leading COVID-19 vaccine research in the USA, I remember other Nigerians at home and abroad who are displaying their talents in all fields of endeavor. I raise my hat in acknowledgment of the performance of our young Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in different fields of endeavor. I hereby acknowledge Ade Ogundeyin, the Nigerian trained chemical engineer, CEO of Proforce Armored Vehicle who builds MRAPs for the Army.

You will recall those talented Nigerians who established the Pay Stack payment platform with more than 60,000 customers. I salute the founders of the startup- Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi for their drive, creativity and determination as entrepreneurs. The startup was recently acquired by a foreign firm known as Stripes.

There are many youths out there in our country who in their modest way are innovating. Their innovative capacity is not necessarily a result of formal education but sometimes the product of inspiration, determination, intense curiosity, quick wits, clever fingers, luck, capital or employment and a backer to enable them survive and succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors.

While I doff my hat for Umar Dagana from Yobe State who won an international chemistry award of US$400,000 in a global contest. Dagana is a brilliant example that can be presented to anyone who wants to know if “Something good can come from Nigeria.” Come and see, something good can come from Yobe State and other parts of the country. In fact, I am convinced beyond doubt that something spectacular can equally come from Kaura Namoda which is a local government area in Zamfara State.

I must also mention the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, a world class facility conceptualized, designed and developed by Nigerian consultants- architects, engineers, project developers and others. If many Nigerian young men and women are displaying their talents, what else does Nigeria need, an associate once asked? I don’t know, but I am convinced that we have talents in quality and quantity, I replied.

It is the Nigerian environment that stifles many of our talented youths. An environment operated by those in the government – appointed and elected- which does not constantly spot talents and provide opportunities for them irrespective of tribe, gender and religion to showcase their gifts. An environment standing for years on nepotism, corruption, impunity, rent-seeking and patronage.

What are the consequences of our choice as a country? Brain drain and we have a country where numerous talented professionals are left to struggle for themselves while foreign quacks are romanced and brought into the country often as “experts.” These are a few of the reasons why unemployment and underemployment figures are rising.

“The door of opportunity is always open in a civilized environment, but one needs to find the door to enter.” When doors of opportunities remain closed, many youths cannot cope easily with finding a chance to open other doors because they lack support. Many of our youths cannot go beyond primary and secondary school levels. What we see is that many Nigerian youths who are talented end up on the streets hawking cheap goods from industrialized nations.

This year’s International Youth Day shows that the world is on the side of the youths. The country needs to prepare our youths for the future. The Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) plans to spend N150 billion youth development program and to create four million jobs in five years, according to reports.

What this suggests is that the program will support various efforts of the federal government (FG) in job creation and also, provide the opportunity for private sector participation in helping most of our youths off the streets and to be meaningfully engaged. But it must not be left in the hands of politicians alone if we expected positive and measurable results. Why, you may ask? With most politicians and their collaborators, anything can happen.

The social intervention program of the FG is below par. Some of the programs such as the N-Power Program, Trader Moni, Market Moni, MSME Survival Fund, the N75 billion National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) among others have been poorly implemented. Every plan needs good implementation. But implementation of most programs of the FG and most state governments is a problem. Most times the plans are poorly articulated without addressing the problems. Perhaps, that is the reason why the FG has disclosed plans to repackage its social intervention programs for the benefit of more people from the grassroots.

I agree that our youths need to be meaningfully engaged. What stifles the creativity impulse in our youths is policy somersault of governments at state and federal levels? Poorly articulated and implemented policies. The state and federal governments must open doors of opportunities for young entrepreneurs so that they are not in doubt that the governments are supporting them. This can only be achieved by making the environment comfortable for business.

It is good to have infrastructure but the welfare of the people matters. So, the government must be able to support young talents. It is good to borrow for development, but not for consumption. What do we see? The nation’s borrowings have not impacted positively on development. “There is still high level of unemployment, bad or non-existent infrastructure, and high unemployment.” So, public intellectuals are asking: “Why is the government borrowing to keep the nation in debt without significant development?” Your guess is as good as mine. Thank you.