ObiDatti Movement Redefines the Concept of Youths beyond Old Assumptions.

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ObiDatti Movement Redefines the Concept of Youths beyond Old Assumptions.

ObiDatti Movement Redefines the Concept of Youths beyond Old Assumptions.

In William Shakespeare’s ”Julius Caesar,” the title character declares, ”But I am constant as the Northern Star, of whose true fixed and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament.” Since the Independence of Nigeria we have had challenges governing ourselves. Nigeria has a constant in its version of northern star fixed only in ineptitude.

“The only thing that is constant is constant itself”

What is a summary is that all attempts at resolving these contradictions have failed. But what is also central to such failures is that the bile water from the first republic has never left the broth, because it’s either lost in the preparation of the condiments or pretentiously left to simmer. And therein lies an unfortunate constant in the galaxy for Nigeria.

A constant of failure for which the narrative must change come 2023!

In 1993 during a certain constitutional conference, late Dr Alex Ekwueme reasoned that to still put Nigeria inside political laboratory and get a better result, a geopolitical 6-zone system for federal administrative purpose, may douse tensions arising from insincerity, inequality, injustice and lack of responsiveness. These words are actually the fault lines that the much talked about restructuring are, not physical readjustment.

In 1995, late General Sani Abacha agreed with Dr Ekwueme proposition and adopted it. That has held little water to fairness but has not altogether addressed the inconsistencies that give Nigeria bad traction and leadership. A nation’s development rides not just on equity and cohesion but more when those that govern the nation are from the stock of the governed. We know that the physical structure of Nigeria has no problem, afterall many countries especially in the Caribbean and Southern American, even Asia are cluster of Islands. So what’s wrong with Nigeria?

This would appear to be the depth to which Peter Obi has dived in our clefts and has found the answers to our seemingly intractable bad situation. We have been listening to him and his messages on the economy, security etc., as equally adumbrated by his running mate, albeit from different angles, but both converging at a confluence. In his many messages, he says that it’s the youth that are contesting the election because they know where the shoe pinches worst, only that himself and the running mate are the bodies through which they are contesting. I couldn’t agree less. The youth component is interesting in the 2023 general elections to further their capacity and vision.

Now let’s take two concepts of what youths mean in the context of his vision and engagement which shows that Nigeria will work again. “For statistical purpose, however, the United Nations—without prejudice to any other definitions made by member states—defines ‘youth’ as those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years”. Some people disagree and further put the age bracket at 18 – 30, while others say it’s 18 – 42 years. This may all be academic for reasons that United Nations operate. But the definition that intrigues me from and resonates with Peter Obi by Wikipedia is my purpose here. It reads: “This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure of the life of ease.”

Today we see Peter Obi’s entry into this excercise from that wider perspective amply charged by his support group movements. Youths in Nigeria are of all ages, literally speaking. He insists that they are you and I, who must take back their country.

In summation they are a multitude that are existing rather than living a good life in a country so blessed and determined to wrestle it from the structure that are in the bulging stomachs of the corrupt few and those who delegate themselves to exchange their conscience for inordinate materialism!

#LetUsTakeBackOurCountry

By Pat Uchendu

Uchendu writes for PO Express Media, POEM.