Dear Nigerian child, today, the country would pause to ponder the issues that concern you. The news would be filled with discussions around your welfare, your challenges, your future, name it. I am joining my voice by way of this letter, imploring you to take your destiny in your hand and build the Nigeria of your dreams through a counter culture. I am advocating that we (including you, children) look at things dispassionately, challenge the status quo when it is not working, create an alternative and come up with creative way to get other to do the right thing, to produce a better society.
For the purpose of this communication, my definition of the Nigerian child would start from the child who is able to read and understand this article and stretch to secondary school students. I would also encourage our youth to read it as I believe they would pick up a thing or two.
The magic mantra of politics in recent times has been one word – ‘change’ and it did not begin with Nigerian politicians. It was actually Barak Obama who made the slogan powerful and popular, when he ran for President of the United States in 2008. Today, let us talk about CHANGE through a COUNTERCULTURE.
What does this change mean to you as a Nigerian child? Where would this change we are all waiting for come from? Don’t look up, it is not coming from heaven, don’t look down, hell cannot help you, don’t look around, the society run by adults has disappointed you. Look inwards for the solution. You can be the change Nigeria is looking for. Begin by signing up for a COUNTERCULTURE.
America’s 35th President, JF Kennedy, said ‘ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country’.
As you grow up in a Nigeria of failed institutions, unsafe neighbourhoods, virtually non-existent welfare, confused educational systems, warped values, chaos, mediocrity, etc. it may sound ludicrous to be expected to ask what you can do for a country that does not seem to have done much for you. Yet I would encourage you to join this revolution. I would invite you to pay attention to 7 key areas:
- EXAM MALPRACTICE
I begin here because I know that as Nigerians, you take education seriously. Paradoxically, it is the reason exam malpractice is so rife in our society. Invigilators, who are supposed to ensure the integrity of the exams, actually facilitate cheating. Some of you hire people to sit exams for you or some bright ones amongst you sit exams for others for a fee. Refuse to comply when such practice is taking place, refuse to be used and above all, work hard to earn your grades.
- DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Many of you brilliant and promising children have derailed because you got involved in the use of illicit drugs and in alcohol consumption. Some of you in secondary and even primary schools are practising these dangerous habits. If you are in, you need to quit because this practice would steal your dream. If you are not yet in, don’t just stay out, take on a crusade to highlight the harmful effects of this lifestyle and make your peers realise that using drugs and alcohol is not cool.
- CULTISM
Once only encountered in universities, cultism now has a growing followership amongst secondary school students. You may have been sold the idea of such affiliations as a pathway to power when you leave school. What you may not know is that it also comes with a life of fear and clandestine activities that may actually result in death. Stay away from such groups to save yourselves from this destructive path. Look for a positive cause and begin a group to work towards it.
- INAPPROPRIATE DRESSING
This is not an area we are paying much attention to. But, if truth be told, what you wear does matter. The way you dress creates an impression about you. When you dress take a good look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself: ‘what message is my dressing passing to others?’ If it is a message that would bring you respect and honour then step out. But if your dressing would bring you anything less, then ‘change’. Don’t just stop there, spread this news to others.
- SEX
Statistics point to a disturbing growth in the level of sexual activity amongst children, teens, youth. And one of the major causes is exposure to pornographic material. Sex is meant to be practiced within the confines of marriage. Marriage protects sex and love. The far reaching consequences of irresponsible sex include Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD), sexual promiscuity, sexual perversion, dysfunctional individuals, broken homes, broken hearts, lack of trust. Avoid pornography, flee fornication, help those who are trapped in this practice.
- BULLYING
Bullying has become a source of concern for many of you and even your parents because of its dire consequences on the victim and the bully alike. If you have been a victim then you know the fear of meeting the bully in the neighbourhood, school, etc. If you are the one doing the bullying then you know you actually need help. Resist the urge to bully anyone and if you have been the victim shirk off the cloak of the prey and stand up to the bully, whom you soon find out is actually a coward.
- PEER PRESSURE
Peer pressure can be a good thing but sadly, it is associated with more harm than good because the activities into which you are often pressured are harmful. As children, teens and youth there is the tendency to give into vices just to belong. Beyond resisting the urge to conform, you must learn to stand alone and go a step further by countering negative pressure with positive ones. Come up with creative ways to lure your friends to the winning side, the path for those who do the right thing.
I know you are growing up in a very difficult world. The demons you have to fight are fiercer and more resistant than the ones we fought as children. Literarily at your fingertips is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. At the click of a mouse (or the press of a button) you are exposed to a world luring you in every direction imaginable. Though you may not be able to control what comes to you, you can certainly control how you respond. Deep in all of us is that still small voice that cautions us before we do the wrong thing. We can either ignore or obey the voice. But we must bear in mind that there are consequences to our choices. And our choices represent change for the better or for the worse.
A popular story tells of a man who walked along the bank of a river, throwing back into the water, fish that had been washed ashore. A little boy had been observing the man who, to him, had embarked on a futile task. He asked the old man ‘sir, there are so many fish on the shore and they are dying off fast. What difference would your action make to the whole?’ The man answered ‘son, my action may not seem to make a difference to the whole but it would make a difference to the one fish that gets thrown back.’
Each one of us can actually make a difference to the whole. Be the change Nigeria needs today. COUNTERCULTURE says ‘Change begins with me’.
13 Responses
My belief has always be that if we, as an individual can be change positively we shall have a better country. Come think of it, the leaders we are looking up to for change because of there promises are not Saviours. They need to desire positive change as person. Most of them are corrupt people and we are expecting change from them. Moreover the type of change we want wasn’t mention. All we cried for is change. Positive or negative, change is change. The one we desire for is in our hand and can only manifest to the world through us.
Maybe there’ll be some hope for our country if indeed the youths all change their mentality towards development. But we still have a long way to go if the positive change must depend more on the civilian than the polity.
We should be the change we want to see. It’s great that we teach our children to aspire for greatness & positive change at an early age; especially considering the current situation of things in our society. That way our children would be active in the making of a beautiful future for them.
Change starts with individuals…we make up this Nigeria…we have to wake up this Nigeria…with words,actions,passion,love,unity and peace….God bless Nigeria,God bless me
I see all this keys as the mean problem youth of Nigerian face. Because drug abuse is now the mean problem teenagers go into which is not helping at all. Another thing is this aspect of cultism I see it as an individual problem in universities. Peer group is an individual issues people should work on individually. I pray God help the country but he will start from our mind.
The change Nigeria need starts with us all, as a matter of fact we are the ones to change this beau country of ours, and I pray God help us to fight corruption.
The issue of this change really get at me when I think of everything that is going on in this country of ours, corruption and insecurity everywhere. No one knows what will happen next because things are getting even worst than I taught, the one that pisses me off the most is that of petroleum and food. And yet we still need change because “change is the only constant thing in life”. May God help us all!
Change change change. We all want change. Added to developing and maintaining good character and integrity, I believe we, young people, also need patience. The country’s so hard, it’s frustrating. I’m sure people in some other countries can’t cope with all that we do here. Nigerians are resilient, and have enduring power. However, a lot of excesses have to be checked, especially with the entertainment industry. Music has much influence on youths and the crooners of today’s music only propagate flashy lives enormous wealth gotten easily. Young people’s dream these days range from being an artiste to a model, fashion enthusiast and the likes, only very few wants to develop
This change appears easier said than done. The world keeps taking a turn for the worse. All manner of atrocities now and then and Nigeria is not left out. Adults need to pay more attention to how they are destroying the future of their children. They shouldn’t forget that they’ll get old, weak and wiry. If they keep commiting all manner of wickedness thinking they are insuring their future, they should think again…before nemesis catches up with them. It’s so annoying that our parents grew up with good economy in the 50s and 60s and now they are ruining it for their children when it’s only supposed to get better with the way the world keep advancing every day.
Change begins with me !..All i need do is get in With the 7key points and make changes *smile*…
We are the CHANGE this country desires and needs …
Its a gradual process that will take little time but willingness and knowing the reason for the change is what our hint should be…of cus,its not for our personal interest ….
CHANGES BEGIN WITH ME#
Yes CHANGE begins with us, with me, with individual but there are lots of distractions out there that makes the youth of our time compromise. All the points listed in this write up are absolutely correct especially the aspect of peer pressure and sex and many teenagers and youth have fallen victims. It is easier said that done but I pray that God empower us and grant us the grace to be the change we want out there.
It begins with me, it begins with you, it begins with all of us.
CHANGE is a gradual process. It does not happen in a day but it will surely happen if we all come together as one and stand for the truth, peace, love and unity of our nation.
God bless Nigeria, God bless me, God bless everybody and Nigeria we be great ijn.AMEN
I’m surely sharing this. Now, who wants to be the odd one out? That is the question i believe runs through a lot of minds and alas going with the trend becomes the end product. I will like to really pin point number seven which is peer pressure. If you don’t want to be the odd one out, please choose peers that think alike that is where our power of choice counts. Parents won’t be there forever so it all boils down to our choices and how these choices can influence others positively. Like the writer rightly said, change begins with me, that is a choice on its own. May God help us.
We have to practice what we preach,our children (the next generation) rely on us to lay a good foundation.so in everything we do we should remember to be the positive change we all expecting.