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Full Text Of Benjamin Kalu's Speech At 2018 UN Int. Youths Day Celebration

Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a celebrated philanthropist, lawyer and business man in Nigeria who’s career has repeatedly set bars for excellence. Read Law in the university of Calabar, Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the Milpark Business School of the Oxford Brookes University UK, LLM in Petroleum Law and Policy (University of Dundee – Scotland) International Commercial Arbitration from the Jesus College of the university of Oxford, UK.

Current student of the University of Standford’s SEED program,
California , USA. Worked with the Australia for United Nations High Commission for Refugees .
At 23 he was a student representative in the University of Calabar. At 29 he was the National chapter Chairman of PDP in diaspora with six provincial branches under his office. A platform he used to both unite Nigerians in diaspora and to showcase our new democracy to the international community.

At 31 he was the youngest LGA chairman of Bende LGA, the
oldest and largest undivided LGA in Nigeria with 99 autonomous
communities. At 34 he was a member of the Abia Executive cabinet as the Senior Special adviser to the Executive Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs; and at 35, the Senior Special adviser to the Executive Governor on Millennium development goals and international relations. A commissioner nominee and the Party candidate for Bende Federal House of Representative.

He is the Founder/ Principal Partner at Silk Partners LLP, a successful law practice in Lekki – Lagos and owns several thriving businesses home and abroad. His NGO, Benjamin Kalu Foundation(www.benjaminkalufoundation.org) is founded on the mission to “build the communities that build the nation “ and has executed several projects to help indigents and the less privileged ones in rural Nigeria.

Benjamin Okezie Kalu is a Christian, who continues to passionately devote his life to actualizing his vision for the development of the African rural communities and is determined to see that these communities are not left behind in the development effort of the continent. Married to Dr (Mrs) Ezinne Benjamin Kalu with four kids.

Introduction

It is a pleasure to address this gathering of some of the most brilliant minds of Nigerian youth today. I would like to thank the organizers of this event for their initiative and for giving me this opportunity to share my thoughts on the Role of the Nigerian Youth in Nation Building.

What is nation building?

Granted, there are many definitions of nation building; may I humbly align myself with Market Business News’ description of nation building as creating a country that functions out of a non-functioning one—either because the old one has been destroyed in a war, or has fallen
apart, or never really worked properly. It aims to make a country viable, stable and prosperous. This, in practical terms, could include creating a credible currency, encouraging a strong sense of national identity, creating effective social institutions, etc.

Nation building refers to the people’s sense of national identity, belief in their nation, pride in their nation and their determination to collectively sacrifice for the betterment of their nation.

Notice that I mentioned pride in a nation before sacrifice. Idowu Koyenikan, author of the book, Wealth for All Africans said, “Your pride for your country should not come after your country becomes great; your country becomes great because of your pride in it.”

You cannot build a nation without being patriotic about it.

Challenges to nation building in Nigeria

As we celebrate the UN International Youth Day 2018, highlighting the challenges to nation building and the vital role of the government will help our understanding of the topic today.

A critical aspect of nation building is creating a convergence of the interests and loyalties of various ethnic or cultural groups into one national entity. Our inability to see this convergence occur in our country has been the single greatest cause of our failure at nation
building. The last vestiges of a tragic civil war have left mutual feelings of distrust embedded in the hearts and minds of the different Nigerian ethnicities. Religion and the divergence of opinions has affected this
convergence.

To build a nation, reconciliation is an effective tool. This was used by Nelson Mandela who abandoned revenge and retribution and embraced the vital role of reconciliation in rebuilding the South African nation.

According to him, “The message of reconciliation, of nation-building, of granting amnesty indemnity, has struck a powerful, favourite chord. And people can understand that we are not here for purposes of retribution but to forget the past and build our country.”

Nation building takes many forms, including major infrastructure development or propaganda to encourage social harmony, trigger economic growth, sustain security and our national identity. To achieve this, the National Orientation Agency has a lot of role to play through various advocacy programs like promotion of our national values found in peace, unity, loyalty, honesty, tolerance, discipline and transparency among others.

The question of nation building usually arises immediately following a nation’s independence or a significant crisis of national proportions such as a civil war.

It is how a nation of diverse people collectively decide their common identity, purpose and goals and then proceed to put in the work to achieve them. Nigeria has been independent since 1960 and her civil war ended in 1970. So, this begs the question, “Why are we still
talking about nation building in 2018?”Nigeria should be out of the woods by now and well on her way to achieving her national goals.

Unfortunately, the several coups and decades of unstable polity have resulted in failed chances at nation building and actualizing the dreams of our founding fathers who made impact while they were youths. Though the military rule ended in 1999 with the restoration of democracy, certain questions are yet to be answered:

· Who are we as a nation?
· What do we stand for?
· What are our economic goals and how well are we
achieving them?
· Are we making any real progress as a nation?
· Why are we still divided as a nation?
· What should we be doing differently?

The Nigerian Youth

Nigeria recognizes her youth as people aged between 18 and 35 years while the UN considers youth to be persons between 15 and 24 years. This set of people make up a staggering 70% of Nigeria’s population. The influence of this majority is even boosted by the amount of potential power they wield in a democratic process. Not restricted in their dreams, ideals and actions, young people are full of revolutionary ideas that go on to shape the course of a nation and even change the world.

Youths execute. They are the actors in progress or regression. While the older population make the policies and programs, the youth are the work force who execute them. They can keep the peace or upend it. They can act as either positive agents or negative agents.According to statistics from UNESCO, people under 30 make up 50.5% of the world population. In many countries, Nigeria included, youth make up over 60% of the population.

Their consumer habits steer the economic power in a nation dictating the trend, and this is expressed in youth-centered marketing plans of most Nigerian businesses. This important was described by the
Nigeria Youth National Youths Policy describes as follows:

“Youths are one of the greatest assets that any nation
can have… they are potentially and actually the
greatest investment for a country’s development.”

From revolution to stability, productivity to consumption, supporting to leadership, the youth play a vital role in the nation. Regrettably, only few realize the potency of this power.

The answer to my previous question of “What should we be doing differently?” is found in encouraging and fostering youth participation in nation building. Rudyard Kipling wrote, “I speak to youth which can
accomplish everything precisely because it accepts no past, obeys no present and fears no future”. That is the strength of the youth as used by Benjamin Franklin, published at 16, Mozart, who at 10, had published the famous sonatasin London and Paris, Mark Zuckerberg of
Facebook at 19, Sebastian Kurz as Chancellor of Austria at 31, Emanuel Macron, President of France at 39.

We are not completely left out of this too as a number of Nigerian youths have excelled in various fields, using their successes to contribute to nation building. A few months ago, Nigerian music star and ambassador Wizkid sold out the 20,000 capacity O2 Arena in London, a monumental moment of pride for the culture and for all
Nigerians worldwide. We all fondly remember the delight we felt whenever Musa scored at the last World Cup tournament. Suddenly, ethnicity did not matter anymore as we all chorused Musa for president.

In the literary community, writers like Chimamanda Adichie and Tomi
Adeyemi have made their contributions. The youth in our film industry, Nollywood, also contribute to nation building by telling our stories.

In the above list however, it is very striking that the youths have not excelled in political leadership like the likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo aged 37, Samuel Ladoke Akintola 36, Ahmadu Bello 36, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa 34, Chief Festus Okotie-eboh 27, Chief Anthony Enahoro 27
among others, who were passionate nationalists and laid the foundation of this great nation with their youthful energy. Where is your mettle, your courage, your vision,your integrity, your discipline and your patriotism?

Nigeria is in need of youths that will do better than the founding fathers.

The Nigerian youth is currently faced with hydra headed challenges, like high unemployment rates and weak government policies and programs for youth development from 1962 till date. The NYSC program of 1973 is one of such that calls for remodeling to reflect the
current needs and realities of the modern Nigerian youth, which will increase its acceptance among them. Barr.
Adeline Idike and Eme Okechuwku attributes the failure of these programs to
I. Pressure from high population growth,
ii. Unclear and uncoordinated youth policies and
programs,
iii. Resource constraints
iv. Low status given to youth.

While the previous low political status of the youth has been improved by the Not Too Young to Run Bill, a laudable initiative by some Nigerian youth, the remaining 3 challenges need to be attended to.While I agree with the section of the Nigerian youth who feel betrayed by bad governance over the last three decades, suffice it to say a favourite quote of mine goes thus – “Nothing is given, everything is for the taking”. You cannot take or be taken unless you are prepared. Majority
of the Nigerian youth are less prepared and this complacency has fueled the hijack of governance by the political elite who use them as mere tools of praise singing or violence.

The role of the youth in Nation building

The examples above show that age is not an incapacity to the youth. Rather the youth’s indifference in the affairs of the nation has given room for aliens to their experiences and realistic needs to legislate, advocate, govern and make policies for them without much regard to their interests. This is a call for the youth to rise up for us to stand a chance in the future world order.The Nigerian youth must prepare, seek for mentorship, participate, practice, be passionate:

Preparation : The qualification for leadership is not youth(age). It is preparation. Remember, “Nothing is given, everything is for the taking. You can or take or be taken if you are ready”.Seek self-development. Educate yourself beyond academics. Build your character, competence, courage and capacity.

Seek Mentorship: Living good examples still abound. Discover one around you and draw near to him. The patience for mentorship is lacking in our youth. Follow the steps of those who have done it alright and you will not go wrong. There are processes of political integration.Find them and go through them for better leadership in the future.

Participate: Observation is not enough. If you must observe, let it be participatory observation and not non-participatory observation mostly found on social media and peer chats around newspaper stands. This can never compare with the report of a participant. Participate correctly, participate from the grassroot to the national
level, remembering that all politics is local and that politics of change starts from the smallest unit. Nation building starts with you.

Support unity: National diversity found in ethnicities, cultural values, languages, religion and beliefs, should be found in strength not a weakness. Ethnic and religious bigotry have crippled our country for so long. But it should not to be so. Two can actually walk together because they agreed. Bigotry is no longer fashionable. The older generation did not realize this and they failed. The youth must demolish these barriers because the world I s becoming a global community and Nigeria
should not be left out.

Conclusion

Youths must be the agents of the change that they seek for themselves and for their children. Shying away from responsibility only prolongs and worsens the inevitable because we will deal with the repercussions in our lifetimes and leave behind a shameful inheritance of suffering and hardship for the coming generation.Even though nation building is a continuous effort, we can live to see the benefits of our sacrifice; it took the Singaporeans only 50 years or less to do so.

We MUST participate in the affairs of our great nation. Not everyone can be a politician, but everyone can make their voice heard. Actions as little as getting registered to vote is an act of nation building.We must rise up to positions of leadership in the political, social and economic sectors.

We must not be disillusioned, disheartened or apathetic towards the governance and future of this country. But must realize that a Nation is built on the dreams, discipline and sacrifice of its individual people.

Finally, add a brick today and every other day to the nation’s wall to build a nation.

Thank you

Anambra man of the year awardAnambra man of the year award
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Wisdom Nwedene studied English Language at Ebonyi State University. He is a writer, an editor and has equally interviewed many top Nigerian Politicians and celebrities. For publication of your articles, press statements, upload of biography, video content, contact him via email: nwedenewisdom@gmail.com

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