By Prof. Protus Nathan Uzorma
The Ghanaian satirist, Ayi Kwei Armah, once asked existential journeyers to self-actualisation: “How long would it take and how hard the work, before there would be enough food for five, and something left over for chasing after the gleam?” The gleam indeed- That pale and dull light that could lit up the gloomy afternoons of the youths. This prodding question brings out the truth that the youths as existential journeyers to self-actualisation in our modern societies are far fetched from grasping the gleam too, which confirms the age-long story that the society’s formulation and projection of the youths as future of tomorrow, is an unattainable antic for life-enslavement of the chances of youths to attain self-actualisation.
This notwithstanding, Armah (in his: The Beautiful Ones Are Not Yet Born) remarked that for youths to attain this desired goal, there is but “Only one way. There would always be only one way for the young to reach the gleam.” And this one way “has always been the way the gleam is approached. In one bold, corrupt leap that gives the leaper the power to laugh with contempt at those of us who still plod on the daily round, stupid, honest, dull, poor, despised, afraid. We shall never arrive. Unless of course, we too take the jump.”
To approach to this self-actualising gleam necessitates taking ultimate leap or jump, but not the bold one on corrupt leap-boards, and the reason why almost 87% of various youths’ groups in Imo State gathered together with one vision and formed the Coalition of Imo Youths Organisation (CIYO) as a synergised leap-board for all Imo youths in their joint determination to grasp the gleam of youths’ self-actualisation and emancipation today, being the leaders no more of tomorrow but today. Taking the leap is simple and difficult also for the youths, as it necessitates many internal and external factors to be considered before and while jumping. Certainly, these considerations imply proper planning before action and once set, to be positively focused and determined on mission’s aims.
Aesop in one of his fables thought that: “Two frogs dwelt in the same pool. The pool being dried up under the summer’s heat, they left it, and set out together to seek another home. As they went along and chanced to pass a deep well, amply supplied with water, on seeing which one of the frogs said to the other: “Let us descend and make our abode in this well, it will furnish us with shelter and food.” The other replied with greater caution: “But suppose the water should fail us, how can we get out again from so great depth?” Do nothing without regard to the consequences”
Imo youths in their constant strives toward realistic self-emancipation, are like the pair-frogs and have been in the habit of jumping into any arena where there are glimpse of light, promissory smiles of ameliorated future and wells with waters; without first considering their future in the wells and arena as the short favourable seasons pass by, before leaping into them. They are yearning for stable positive change in their lives without considering and planning for their future faced with the glittering China-gifts presented always presented to them by the age-long shrewd politicians, which in turn fade fast and rot at once.
Prof Olufemi Taiwo remembers for this category of youths that “the future is a horizon of time. It is a horizon dominated by the notion that the best is yet to come and that each new day presents new possibilities for world making; both the world of the individual and that of the group. It is the expectation that things can always be better and it is the responsibility of individuals, proud possessors of reason, capable of using reason to control and manipulate nature, so set to work and remake their world.” This admonition as it applies to Imo youths, requires that all the straying Imo youths take up the life challenge, and as Armah (who I prefer to cite today, based on his excellent admonitions on the attainment of positive existential journeying to self-actualisation in a corrupt and morally decadent society) would say; “Cowards only are afraid to drive.” And just as Prof Wole Soyinka would add, “the man dies who keeps silent in the face of tyranny.”
These notwithstanding, Ayi Kwei Armah further calls upon the youths to be careful with their loved ones and relatives that persistently poke them to try and make it at all cost. He draws the attention of the youths to the existential truth that “there are many, so many, pushing us to the edge and praying us that we jump any terrible how and also get close to the gleam, dragging them after us. The loved ones are also the first to look with longing at the prosperous leapers and everything the leap has got them.” Certainly our loved ones, friends and colleagues, our families and extended families often mount undue pressures that compel well-meant youths to tilt and stray from their ab initio foci in life and head to arenas and water-wells where they will receive short and dehumanising living conditions; only to return worse than they were before.
Why Imo youths still search for sustainable emancipation without actually attaining proper and enduring self-actualisation, is that they fail to plan the future of their actions be patient with its unfolding. They also lack durable synergised decision and mission, and the powers to ruminate on their outcomes while having proper focus on how to attain the set goals, follow it quickly without being distracted by glittering provisional monetary satisfactions or jumping any terrible how (or what the French call n’importe quoi- Any how-thing), in other to make it fast, hic et nunc (here and now). Rev Prof Jude Uwalaka was blunt on these when he remarked that “the Igbo’s political aspirations and fortunes will not improve until we stopped subjecting our dignity, respect, survival and honour to the imperative of selfish financial gains,” and like the Igbos here, the Imo youths are always lured to commercialise their lives.
Rev Prof Izu Marcel Onyeocha also reminds for this calibre of Imo youths who gallivant their precious ages in chase of vain self-emancipation, like a plantain sucker planted under a well-shaded mango tree while searching for sunlight that “planning makes time work for one rather than drag one along with it. Thus, the hour or minute or second does not wait for anyone’s bidding to strike but the wise manage their activities while and before they strike.”
Why must the youths commercialise their lives in order to emancipate themselves? What is happening today, has it not happened in the past? Is it not the same process, same manner, same pressure that the politicians devise and use on the youths and get same results, and stagnate the realisations of the youths’ projected future of tomorrow? It is for this reason that Darrell Isa said that “politics is cyclical,” it goes round and round. Frank Rich also noted that “It is kind of tedious after a while, to parse politicians doing the same thing over and over again. The facts change from week to week, but the sort of masquerade [the youth’s self-commercialisation and comprador bourgeoisie-politicians merchandising of our future] doesn’t.” They use the same material goodies, which they have denied the masses to entice them during election time, and according to Jude Uwalaka, they use these “to entrap them as a hen is caught by throwing corn and like a fire that attracts a moth in order to roast it.”
Imo youths must understand that our politicians at all levels and at all times, are like the imperial nations from Europe, who Reinhold Neibuhr (Moral Man and Immoral Society) said that “no nation make frank avowal of its real imperial motives. It always claims to be primarily concerned with the peace and prosperity of the people whom it subjects.” Let every Imo youth wise-up now or never, and say action-packed decisive NO to the commercialisation of their future as a barter trade for their State’s looted properties. Shakespeare said, “Twice beaten, always shy.” Rise, be man enough to direct your life-visions and strives towards the attainment of rewarding and lasting gleam that both satisfies your efforts for taking the leap and the joys of having attained emancipation through well determined self efforts. Join the rest at the Coalition of Imo Youths Organisation and be assured for life of proper and durable self emancipation. The Youth Mayor admonishes again!