Old and Relevant

Gray hair is so desirable by many that they dye their hair. However, gray hair that comes with age communicates wealth of wisdom, experience and knowledge. If you doubt me, look at Wole Shoyinka, Nelson Mandella or Kofi Annan. The mouth of gray-haired has more to say in guilding a generation than can be imagined. A wise young man will listen to this voice of wisdom when presented with opportunity.

One of the fundamental problems of our nation is that the voice does not have listening hears to instruct. This can be observed in youths of the nation playing games of expartriates when they should be learning. Many youths still repeat the mistakes of the older generation and the whole nation, by accummulation of repeated mistakes, continues to move around the same spot. Experience, they argue, is the best teacher but I added, if it is not your own experience, it is the best. Your continuous learning through your own experience is not fun.

When the ears are available, there are no platforms where the voice can be expressed. Over the years in our nation, peoples’ voices have been suppressed. There were many men of wisdom who could have helped us out but were not allowed by the systems and the structure that we operate in. The people that parade themselves as our saviors are nothing more than thieves who decided to take advantage of our disadvantages.

However, when the platform is there, some voices lack passion in helping the next generation to grow. They are so engrossed in building a future for themselves and their children, that national development is not in their priority list. The worst way to live is to live for the evil trio: I, Me and Myself. Next to it is the evil trinity: Me, My Wife and My Children. These set of people are so self centered that now their families are settled for life but they are not convinced that their children should stay in their native country, due to insecurity they caused by their selfish acts. To this set of people, I will like to say, the fulfillment of life is in living it to impact others.

Whichever way we look at it, our nation is where it is today because good people fail to act. It is not only people that stole money through corrupt practices that destroyed us, but those who did nothing. Evil triumph when good men refuse to do anything. The last forty eight years of this great country has been without much connection between the old with their wisdom and the new generation of youth with their strength. With the right connection between these groups, our nation will witness tremendous growth due to the combination of strength and wisdom.

Many researches have concluded that the last years of most old people are spent regretting what they should have done that they didn’t do. This life of regret is expected because everyone has hidden need to contribute to humanity. Corporate social responsibility is what the corporate organizations call it while the term personal social responsibility is becoming increasingly popular.

For those who are asking where to start, in concluding, I will like to put in word of Arthur Ashe, who said, “To achieve greatness:Start where you are,Use what you have,Do what you can.” Where you are, there are aboundant opportunities to contribute to national growth. What you have is enough and you don’t need what you don’t have to contribute your quota. Change Agents Initiative Nigeria (CAINg) is saying, Nigeria is your country, It is our contry: we must make it work. Thank you.