I have written about lessons from an older demographic and lessons from a younger generation for many years and how these collective lessons can be beneficial to our nation. This was further validated by my visit to the United nations institute of ageing in Malta as soon as I retired 3 years ago when I was fifty-five years old having attained my mandatory 35 years in service. It was a wonderful time to learn about intergenerational ageing. How spending time with an older person, your grandma for instance can add 7 years to your lifespan (scientifically proven) and how spending time with younger persons can re-energise you and give you a new set of skills like social media management and marketing. I have watched with great amusement how some of my older friends 65 years and above have found social media and are constantly sending me pictures and incredible posts.
I have also seen a special set of younger people whose relationship with older persons have given them uncommon wisdom and tied to their own freshness, internet savvy and smarts, they have soared beyond imagination. No one group can go it alone and no one group knows everything. We honestly need each other. And understanding on both sides of the divide is critical. We cannot say one side knows nothing, they are archaic or deadwoods or one side is a foolish generation. We all need each other. As we groan in our pain as a nation at such a time as this, let us leverage that synergy for we all have something to offer each other for a better nation.
While we are chewing on this, let me share a couple of tales that will situate some of my postulations. Last week, I was in Lagos as the week came to a close and as things had started to sizzle. As I made my way back to Abuja I encountered a really interesting scenario at the airport. Let me share.
We learn from our forebears, we engage peacefully. No advice is foolish, let us learn from each other as we go forward and engage peacefully. To be heard above the din is an imperative. To protect citizens is a collective responsibility. A new Nigeria is possible
She was mild mannered in a pair of white sweat pants and a black Tee. She glided forward on the airport security queue. You know that point where our boxes are finally screened before you seat at the airport lounge. Her left shoulder carried a tattoo but I could not see clearly what the image was. She was wearing dark glasses. It was six o’clock in the morning. I looked at her bemused. She could have been any of my young adult daughters. They wear dark glasses even at night so 6a.m is still quite sedentary. lol. Her chopped hair extensions sat on her head like a second skin. I could not tell what she was thinking but she seemed quite content to be at the airport and she was ahead of me on the queue. This is Lagos at dawn. Precisely 6a.m as we snaked our way through security to the lounge. Setting: Murtala Mohammed airport-domestic wing. I could hear the voice of the official whose job it is to check bags through a scanner screen as she attempted an unnecessary banter with the goggle wearing young lady. This bantering official I would put at 45 years of age and the young traveller maybe 25.
The official was old enough to be her mum in these climes. But she started to tell the lady how hot she looked in an inappropriate tone. The young lady did not dignify it with an answer. The official(female) giggled nervously. An off colour, off kilter remark. The millennial either felt the official had no business trying to compliment her in such a crude manner or felt that this was a pathway to soliciting. Either way, she was roundly ignored. As the millennial surged forward all hell broke loose. An official at the other end of the body scanner had asked her to come forward while the other one conducting our movement through the scanner asked her to stay put. Which of the instructions was she to take? Then a raucous unnecessary early morning quarrel broke out between the two officials to include name-calling and abuses right in front of passengers including the young damsel. It was a tragedy. Both officials were female and in uniform, all old enough to mother her.
I stepped forward to try to calm things down and one of the onlooker officials shouted at the offending officer at the end of the scanner. “And you call yourself a Pastor’s wife. Always quarrelling, what do you gain?” “Don’t talk to me,” she shouted back as they finally let the young lady through. I told the on looking official also female that I was disappointed and she told me she was ashamed as all the officials involved were quite senior. But through this bedlam, the young lady kept her cool and came out of the noise smelling like a rose. People older than her who should have conducted themselves better disgraced themselves and she acted more maturely. Another person may have lost it. And that other person may not necessarily be in her age bracket. I walked up to her and congratulated her on her conduct. She smiled and thanked me. Mark you her top was cropped and her belly button was showing and her trousers were sweatpants. This did not define her and baby boomers must understand this. She was at an airport, not an official space as such and she was not in any way indecent. Perhaps looking at her the officials may have thought Aah… one irresponsible young person. In the end they ended up looking stupid.
But there is also the flip side of social constructs, socialisation and public conduct. I have been at a hotel lobby in Lagos where a young person took off his shirt to fight a hotel security, just because he was asked to keep his voice down. He pushed and shoved and carried on to our eternal shame. Being self-entitled no matter your age and being a rabble rouser in full public glare does not earn you any stripes, no matter how brilliant you may be. Respect begets respect across the board. It is part of our cultural ethos. We cannot throw the baby away with the bath water.
We learn from our forebears, we engage peacefully. No advice is foolish, let us learn from each other as we go forward and engage peacefully. To be heard above the din is an imperative. To protect citizens is a collective responsibility. A new Nigeria is possible. No one group is wiser than the other. But we must pause… and listen to one another. I pray for peace over the Nation.
