PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE OF THE RESTIVE AND AILING YOUTHS.

 I have decided to respond to the invitation of the INDIGENOUS BRAINS FORUM to give an address on the Restive and Ailing Youths because of the seriousness of the problem and the strategic position of the youths in the society. I refer to the position of youth as strategic because the youths occupy the transitional demographic strata in the society. Defined demographically, you have the age groups 0-5years, 5-10, and 10-18, classified as children or dependent youths. From the age of 18 to 40, you have the age bracket generally called youths, legally capable taking binding decisions; they are full of energy and very enterprising and surfeit with day dreams.

It can be regarded as a transitional period for man and woman because it is the period of achievement or failure in life. It is the period for the optimal mobilization of the human energy for the future of their life. Hence the saying is that “a fool at 40 is a fool forever.” It is a period of daydreams and if the dreams are well guided then the youth becomes a successful man and if not, he ends up being a failure.

This class of population constitute about 30-40 percent of the population and any society that allows this population of its population to be rendered ineffective and become a nuisance is certainly working for a decadent old age population of declining productivity and of poverty. On the other hand, if the youths are adequately mobilized, the Isoko people will be preparing a solid foundation of prosperity for the new generation, a prosperity that will marked by peace and happiness. When two brothers have equally access to material wealth, the need for acrimony is minimized. It is against this background that the need to support this NGO is emphasized. We shall measure success not only by the number of professors, doctors and engineers that we have but also, by the number of successful and famous builders, motor mechanics, fashion designers and farmers that we have. The intellectual, the professional, the technical, the big-time businessman and the small-scale businessman constitute the healthy and progressive society. 

The latest demographic information in Isoko shows that the population is about ½ a million out of which 30% are youths, amounting to about 150,000. Of this 150,000, only about 5% or 7,500 are able to enter higher institutions such as Universities, Polytechnics, colleges of education, Nursing Schools etc. This leaves us with about 140,000. Of this 14000, only about 20% are in secondary schools and that gives us a figure of 28,000. that again leaves us with a large figure of over 100,000 youths who are either struggling to enter secondary schools or failed  to complete their programme and are therefore drop-outs from secondary schools. This group constitutes the bulk of the restive youths. There are lots of opportunities for farm work, but many of the youths today do not want to be part of family labour and besides, the oil industry has distorted the wage rates and the income expectancy. In a situation where the oil company is paying over N14,000.00 a month, the farm wages are peanuts to the average youth. Unfortunately, the oil industrial employment is normally short-lived and therefore very deceptive as a source of reliable employment.

The problem of the youth today is that of a distorted vision of the expected returns from the job environment, frustration arising from the realization of poverty in the midst of fake affluence as exhilated by the few elders who have had access to the limited resources. Youthful restiveness is therefore a desperate attempt to survive in an environment which has alienated them.

The Indigenous Brains Forum is responding to this confused environment in which the youths have found themselves. It is an attempt not only to straighten the thought processes of the youths but also of the adults who have managed to overcome the entanglement of poverty and have together so soon their past. The first point of correction is to let the youths know that in the history of oil exploration, the generality of the people have never been fully financially empowered. It is a capital-intensive industry. Rather it has always lead to socio-economic distortion, crisis and finally loss of lives.

On the other hand, many youths have survived by lacing and getting up through their bootstraps, that is, by evolving a vision and identifying their destiny within the permissible opportunities. Precisely, we refer to self-employment through the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills such as practical technologies in motor mechanics, furniture/woodworks, Hairdressing, Panel beating/Welding, Electronics and Electrical works, Computer education, etc.

I am glad to note that within the two years of IBF operation, IBF has been able to actualize their objectives by providing opportunities for over 57 youths in some 12 various skills such as motor mechanics, welding, furniture, Hair dressing, turner, Computer, Catering, Alumaco works, Fashion design, etc. with 23 trainers at their disposal.

The number is apparently small when set against the large population of unemployed youths of over 50,000. but the achievement is remarkable because it points to what the NGO can do if resources are made available to it. The journey of a thousand kilometers must start with one step. The NGO has already taken many steps and from their newsletters, you are already familiar with the generous donors to their course.

The Indigenous Brains Forum is addressing the problem of the youths within the context of Isoko land.

Afterwards, charity begins at home. The need for peace and progress in Isoko land is the responsibility of Isoko people and IBF is providing the opportunity for the eminent Isoko sons and daughters to contribute to this worthy course by inviting them to donate to assist the youths and empower them for self-sustaining employment.

It is not enough to invite the youths, some of whom are even married to accept the philosophy of self-employment through the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills. It is an expensive philosophy because it requires sponsorship which will cover the cost of training, the cost of maintaining the poor trainee and the cost of financially empowering the trainee to take off and establish himself.

All privileged members of every community must be ready to take part in this crusade for the economic emancipation of the youths. Sooner or later, the adults will grow old and retire and the future of our society will depend on our contribution to the empowerment of the youths today.

It is my appeal that both the youths and the eminent sons and daughters of Isoko land will respond to the call by IBF to make Isoko better, a more prosperous and a more peaceful place tomorrow.

          Thanks,  Prof. (Chief) P.O. Sada, JP.  

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