Some 30 years ago, a military president told the country that it needed to make investments and sacrifices that would benefit the coming generation. And he said it in such a quaint, catchy and colourful phrase that it resonated with the rank and file in the country. 'For their tomorrow, we gave our today' were more or less, the unforgettable words he used. Unfortunately, they are now words that will haunt him—because he is still alive, his generation and indeed, the rest of the country.
In order to understand the context in which the statement was made, let us go back in time. Nigeria had just survived the profligate government of President Shehu Shagari and the stifling regime of Generals Buhari/Idiagbon. Then came in the gap-toothed General who tried to liberalise the economy by making us take the IMF pill.
It was a bitter pill that required a lot of sacrifices from both the government and the governed because it threatened to change the way we knew how to do business and make us more disciplined and competitive. But it meant companies and institutions would have to adapt or collapse. More importantly, it meant we had to be prepared to go the long haul. There were not supposed to be quick fixes.
But General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida—that's his name—didn't have the will or the discipline to do that. So we ingested the pill without digesting it. We threw the rest of the pills in the toilet bowl and continued with our old ways of patronage. As doctors would always advise, you need to complete your prescribed dosage if you want to be cured of an ailment. We didn't.
It is important to know that as at the time we took the IMF pill, the naira was four to a dollar. Our doctors found employment easily abroad and our graduates could easily fit into post graduate studies in the best universities around the world. The hospitals might have become consulting clinics but the consultants were good, as good as any in the world. The multi-nationals had not gone to the neighbouring countries so our graduates still found some form of employment—maybe not in large numbers because the decline had started. It was this decline, occasioned by distortions in the system that the General's structural adjustment programme was supposed to address.
Today, the tomorrow we thought would never come— the naira now exchanges for 400 plus to a dollar; the hospitals have become undertakers because the good consultants have gone to be replaced by poorly trained ones; the universities spend more time on non-academic issues and their products reflect this; the multi-nationals have all but given up on Nigeria.
The people for whom we were supposed to have given our today, are on the streets unemployed and largely unemployable. What we bequeathed to them is not the virtue of hard work, industry and scholarship. What we handed down were corruption, impunity and a get-rich quick syndrome. What they inherited is not the sound economy we promised, but a sick one. The generals of 30 years ago are far richer today than what their retirement benefits would suggest. Ditto the Perm-Secs and all those who led the 'sacrifice train'.
As a public commentator, I have to read comments online from time to time and I am astounded at the level of ignorance, anger and divisiveness among the young ones. Many take sides purely on tribal grounds and their language can best be described as uncouth and uninformed. But the saddest part of the legacy we left them is the confusion and the loss of confidence among these youths whose tomorrow has finally arrived.
I listened in dismay, as our unemployed graduates first told me they wanted to work in the banks or the oil and gas industry. Then as jobs disappeared and desperation increased, they wanted 'any kind of job'. My advice had always been the same; 'look inwards and follow your passion. Start small but start something. Take whatever help you get as a bonus but don't rely on anybody, least the government'. And to those who studied abroad, 'come home; learn about the world's best practices and bring them home. Africa is the next frontier. Besides, there always will be a glass ceiling anywhere else but home'.
Now, our young ones are gradually holding their own —no thanks to the elders. I am proud of what they have achieved with Nollywood which has not only offered employment to thousands of Nigerians but has projected the country to the outside world. In fact, I am proud of what they have done with the whole gamut of the entertainment industry, from event planning to comedy and music.
The more I hear of their strides in the virtual world, the more impressed I am. So many apps, so many blogs, so many innovations are giving employment to several youths. The garment and fashion industry is another area where they have made giant strides and not only in Nigeria alone but all over the world. There are also many excellent motivational speakers and comperes among them who have given hope to other youths that it can be done.
But it is in the area of the sciences that I would want them to re-direct their considerable energy and zeal. The inventions and ideas that come from their alma mater or from their university mates can be developed into world beaters. We should have better ways of doing simple day to day chores in the rural areas. We should look into mechanised ways of harvesting and processing our produce.
If Nigeria is going to seriously diversify its economy, it should not be from oil and gas to solid minerals alone. Nigeria must add value. It must go big on a knowledge based economy. That is the way we can truly generate employment. That is the way to build a solid economy. And that's the way we would earn respect from the rest of the world. These young ones can do it.
Their tomorrow is now here. The elders have reneged on their promise and have left polity worse than they met it. But our youths can and will make it. One way of doing that is to avoid the route their erstwhile leaders had taken. They need to add value to whatever they do and make the country great again. Success is not defined by wealth however it is made. It is defined by the positive impact you make and the legacy you leave. Let them seize the moment and make the tomorrow of their own children better.
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