Immediately after the end of 1983 general election, Shehu Shagari was declared the winner of the presidential election. Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was one of the presidential contestants, described Shagari’s re-election as an ‘inglorious victory’. Chuba Okadigbo, who happened to be Shagari’s special adviser on political matters, passed the late sage’s comment as “the ranting of an ant”. Zik in his characteristic manner cursed, My son, since you have decided to mock the wisdom of old age, you shall get to the apex of Nigerian politics but you will fall and die unsung. Whenever I remember the fulfillment of that curse in the life of the master of political arithmetic, Okadigbo, I am always cautious on how I reply the comments of old people. Especially, grey-haired wise old sages like Prof. Wole Soyinka who quipped that my generation is dead on arrival.

To be candid, I do not have the facts of the whole story, I mean what happened that made Prof to make such a terse statement. I know my generation may nay not have lived up to the expectation, I know we are busy going to clubs, watching Indian and Nollywood films, I know we might be indifferent about politics but devoutly interested in European leagues. I know we are preoccupied with the latest songs or the latest episode of Keeping up with the Kardashians. I know we are more concerned about acquiring the latest Blackberry or Samsung phones, the latest Brazilian, Peruvian and even Arabian hair. I know my generation may not really care about morality. However, I also know this; roses do not grow on concrete floor. If my generation is flawed in their psyche, maybe something made them to be, if my generation is dead on arrival, maybe someone has abbreviated their dreams and rendered them impotent. Or maybe someone has mis-educated them. (more…)