Legacy Day 7: Youths in Leadership
"The problem with the Nigerian youth is that they have too much energy to expend," said Obinwanne, a close friend of mine. Ninety percent of the time, a well-read Obinwanne is, though seemingly lackadaisical about all matters, always right.
The end of the PANS NATIONAL CONVENTION is usually the Annual General Meeting (AGM). I choose to call it Annual General War (AGW) or WWE Championship. Rather than focus on matters on ground like financial reports, review of the convention, elections and swearing-in of the succeeding secretariat, we choose to fight ourselves...school against school, tribe against tribe, person against person...to a standstill.
On October 1st, 2016, a day supposed to be the 56th Independence Day Celebration, I sat in a dim lit auditorium watching the proceedings of the AGM. 'Proceedings' is a very nice word to describe the happenings in that hall. I never knew that Pharmacy Students could argue as passionately and as violently as I saw them argue that day. I saw a lot of people vehemently defend mistakes, avoid correction and politick in order to twist the decisions of the Congress in their favour, no matter how right or wrong.
What saddened me was the youths. Our future. Our today. The disgraceablility of the arguments in the direction of personal interest over general interest, was appalling. I watched and watched as we argued and thugged politically for a cause that was obviously very wrong. The height of it was the disrespect of elders. We should know better to respect the wisdom of those older than us and if we really do not want to take their advice, at least you can do that without insulting them or putting their credibility and integrity into question.
The thoughts that came to mind were the following:
1) The convention was named LEGACY. When it started, I expected our legacy to be bright and sparkly. But, as it stands, is a legacy of ineptitude and injustice what we've decided to leave?
2) Pharmacy is meant to be a noble profession. Noble refers to worthy of emulation, having moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean or dubious in conduct and character. I would like to add, IN EVERYTHING!!! Our behavior that night, our behaviour of jumping and hitting tables, arguing aggressively, diverting justice, disrespecting elders and the likes, is not an attribute that I would like my children to emulate.
3) If Pharmacy youths who are supposed to be men of honour, what is supposed to be said about youths of other disciplines if the discipline of honour, behaves dishonorably?
4) What is to be said about the youths in the Nigerian government if youths in as little as PANS National, cannot get it right?
It is really sad. Only a very tiny percentage of the youths are truly ready to rule.
"A fruit doesn't fall far from the mother tree"
ReplyDeleteThat's the Nigerian Youths story.
Sadly, this just sums it all up.
Delete"A fruit doesn't fall far from the mother tree"
ReplyDeleteThat's the Nigerian Youths story.
Too sad to have experienced such ineptitude and disgrace to the pharmacy profession.
ReplyDeleteIt is really a pity. A huge one.
DeleteToo sad to have experienced such ineptitude and disgrace to the pharmacy profession.
ReplyDeleteThis was my first PANS convention and I remember this night very clearly. I remember being very sad and angry for everything that happened but most of all for missing my sleep.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you do remember. It's bad to forget as the lessons help guide our path to a better future.
DeleteI remember that day vividly, I was heartbroken at the lack comportment, bias and sentiment that was displayed that day. It goes a long way to show how far back we have fallen as Nigerian youths. Its no fallacy to say that even the nobility in pharmacy can be question these days and I fear the lack of nobility might not reduce. We all as young pharmacists really need to brace up and uphold that which the profession truly stands for.
ReplyDeleteVery true this. Very very true. And it's just so sad.
Delete