They know we are tired of them and ready for change, for progress and competitive development. They know we are very different from them and they are scared of us.
Nigeria’s youth, a demographic of over 43% of the nation’s population, have many things in common: They are the most unemployed, the most marginalized and least represented in political office, the most used as political thugs, the most socially active, and the most vocally resentful of the chronically recycled and retrogressive leadership political climate, of all groups. But in addition to these, there is something else that tags this robust population—February 14th, Valentine’s Day.
Nigeria’s active youth are sold onto the western love holiday with roots from ancient Roman sex match-up fertility festival Lupercalia, dedicated to god Lupercus. February 14th every year sees more and more Nigerian Youth exerting themselves to approach and consolidate their love to their loved ones with financial, thought and time investing tasty, ingenious and indigenous exploits.
And February 14th, 2015, a date that expectedly will have Nigeria’s anti-cabal, anti-status-quo, anti-government-magic, pro-time for dynamic and progressive change, and mobile-technologically-advanced Youth preoccupied and distracted is the date INEC (Anambra INEC) selected for next year’s crucial elections. That is a war, openly declared against Nigeria’s Youth.
We shouldn’t for a second assume these people do not have expert strategists who plot and ploy against us. They do. Somebody suggested that we Youth are so stupid, we will fail to organize and vote for our future due to our preoccupation with the festivities of valentine’s day. There may be antecedent to such thought, after all did we Youth not invest as much as $500,000 to invite another man’s pregnant, slutty wife from the US for 15 minutes to grace the love day, the other day?
Selecting February 14th 2015 was no accident. It is left to us Youth to prove our enemies wrong. We must turn this attack into an opportunity. Harvest victory from the onslaught and insult.
So February 14th this year, 2014, let those of us who celebrate Valentines, make it a double Val. Mark it extra special with your loved ones for this and next year because next year 14th our Future MUST be our one and only Valentine!
The gifts we must exchange next year on Val’s Day and Election Day, should be gifts to each other, our parents, our children and our ancestors of our standing up, our utilizing every social media tool we have at our disposal, our exhausting our ingenuity and sacrificing our crimson fluid to ensure that we and ours cast the right vote. From now, we should expect many more gimmicks from them, but be prepared.
Valentine/Election next year must be a day that we the Youth stand up for ourselves. We must not stick to popular parties or persons, but only choose the best and most morally upright candidates.
We shall not reject their bribe at the polls, please collect the Indomie noodles and N5000 they give you. It is your money they have already stolen after all, and they will not return it to the coffer if you reject it. But remember you have no trust to keep with them because they have broken their trust with you. They have poisoned you, polluted your hearts and land, discarded you, neglected you, raped, exploited and extorted you. They hate you, so it is meet you do not respect them. Collect the peanuts and vote for the right candidate you have prior prayed, measured and deemed worthy.
These people wish to be in office for ever. By making a mistake, you may not be only mortgaging the next 4 years of your life and that of your family and friends. You will likely be mortgaging the next 8+!
They know we electric, new generation Youth do not believe in zoning, and care-less, north or south, Baga or Otuoke, South-Amaechi, North-Suswam, Emeka, Shuwa, Danladi or Yomi, all we want is intelligent, non-corrupt, again, non-corrupt, modern progressive candidates. They know we know that building a bride or road is no ‘progress’ to be ‘launched’ and touted as an achievement of government. They know we are not fascinated by their ancient, retrogressive antics. They know we are eager to rise above cabal sponsored tribalism. They know we are all ready to sit together at a true SNC table and discuss Nigeria. They know we are tired of them and ready for change, for progress and competitive development. They know we are very different from them and they are scared of us.
George H. W. Bush at the 1988 Republican National Convention promised the American people: “Read my lips: no new taxes.” When he broke his oath and raised taxes, US political commentary has it that the American people voted out G. W. Bush in his 1992 re-election bid for violation of his covenant.
If PDP selects shameful thieves to contest as its candidates for presidency, assembly or governorship posts, dump them like dirty wash water!
If APC presents worthless candidates, look at the next Party, and the next and the next.
Do not betray your honor and dignity. They stole all our billions but not your thumb. We must be our captains, no listening to the brainwashing of political Big-wigs till the elections, only to streets’ tweets.
Many of us have never voted. It is better you vote for a candidate that cannot win, but you’ve carefully studied and believe in, than you do not vote, ethnically vote or vote for a candidate you are unsure of.
February 14, 2015 is right round the corner. Start building your political capital. Campaign, contest!
Let us ‘Kick out Siddon Look’ from TODAY and start organizing ourselves in community political think and action groups. Today, let us begin operation Flush-out shameless lawmakers, governors, presidents!
Elections are near. I feel victorious already, don’t you? The power is coming back to us. We will monitor the polls; rigging will not overturn this one. Billions allocated to bribe and buy elite and a handful of youth ‘leaders’ cannot stop our decision to win and send the goons to their cocoons this time.
Mobilize, good people. Let Our Future be our Val, 2015!
Guys, elections dey come, power done come our hand!
Aluta initium, Victoria Acerta!
Dr. Peregrino Brimah is founder of Every Nigerian Do Something. He can be reached by email at [email protected] and tweets from @EveryNigerian.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
