The Experience Hoax: A Case of a Failed Country (Nigeria in thorn)

It took years of advocacy and non-stop canvassing to get the eligibility age for the Presidency reduced to 35 years in Nigeria.

By implication for a very young (by population) country where 42.54% of the people are within the ages of 0 – 14 years (CIA World Factbook, 10th April 2018), there is no place in the world where the voices of young people should be at the centre of every decision making and conversation.

Imagine almost 50% of your population is under 30 years old, it should be a no-brainer for that age group to have seats on the table and not being added as after-thoughts or tools of mere activation of self-centered agenda by the ruling class.

But unfortunately, that’s not the case. Nigeria’s Leadership is built – for a long time now – upon this erroneous “You don’t have Experience” fallacy and that’s one huge reason God will NOT help us in our present mode.

The wrong side of the coin

The commonest argument against this proposition will come from folks who cite a handful of “young people” who are current Governors or Senators or those echoing instructions from the seat of power via tweets and social media posts.

To counter this, it is quite easy to tilt the head of debate to the fact that there is no basis for comparison yet. For every one Governor in Nigeria that’s is 45 years old, there are 35 other governors above that. So, what are we comparing – the misbehavior of one versus the {insert-everything-that-stinks} of the 35 others?

It’s not a time for comparison yet, but a time to work out practical steps for the adequate inclusion of the age bracket that constitute the majority of the country and best fit to tackle the challenges of today.

Huge credits to the elders

In fairness to the older folks ehn, they were better educated than us. They met a Country that worked (to a large extent) – Free Education, Strong Currency, Water, Jobs, Security, etc.

The only problem is they got lost with enjoyment and cared less about what kind of country they were bequeathing over to the coming generations.

That’s a riddle they are yet to solve, individually and collectively. They are yet to even agree that they are partly and directly RESPONSIBLE for what Nigeria is today. Professor Wọlé Ṣóyínká must have thought really deeply about this when he described his generation a “wasted generation”. In Soyinka’s words, he said – in an interview granted in 2019 –

“I compare today with dreams and aspirations we had when we all rushed home after studies abroad. We considered ourselves the renaissance people that were going to lift the continent to world standards, competitors anywhere. It hasn’t happened.”

The covered fact in Nigeria!

With due respect Sirs and Ma’s, most of your parents either partook, benefited, or watched the destruction of Nigeria. They are guilty! And they need to apologize and step aside.

Sadly some of them are still participating in the gradual and systemic destruction of the country while some of you defend them because your livelihood depends on them.

If you are supporting the whole “Experience Hoax” under the pretense of Love for Dad and Mom or because of FOREIGN religious becloudment, I’ll like to tell you that’s not love but classical nepotism and no religion supports the injustice and bad leadership.

So, you are on your own venture and it doesn’t matter under which leaking tent you’re trying to hide. To be a little bit straight with you ehn, the Selfishness and Short-sightedness of your Parents (our parents) culminated in the millions of young Nigerians now desperately finding their way out of the country – to go just ANYWHERE even if it’s… lips sealed… to do just ANYTHING.

First-class frustration

Azzin, once great Nigerians now homeless in different parts of the world. It’s first-class frustration! Damn!

The next time you have a chance to chat with Dad & Mom, ask them how the Free Education they enjoyed disappeared; Ask them what happened to the Naira; Ask them what happened to Electricity – all in their lifetime! Ask them FFS! The elderly people have messed up this country beyond recognition.

The destruction is soooo much they don’t even realize it. It’s the reason why they can’t trust Younger People with Leadership and most of them hide behind that one-finger they like to call “Experience”.

Isn’t it amazing that those who destroyed Nigeria are asking the younger generation for the experience?

Written by Emdee Tiamiyu

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