#Fame Agidife Examination of Nigeria's Youth and the Future of the Nation – An Extract From the Book; Hope Alive Yes We Can ~ By Fame Agidife
A public debate arose in Nigeria following President Buhari's remarks that a significant portion of the country's youth were "lazy" and entitled. This sparked a heated discussion on social media and in the news, with many young Nigerians pushing back against the president's characterization and blaming the government for a lack of opportunity. This publication explores this complex issue, examining different viewpoints on youth productivity, the role of government, and the path forward for Nigeria.
### The President's Perspective and Public Reactions
In a 2018 interview, President Muhammadu Buhari stated, "A lot of [youth] haven't been to school and they are claiming...that Nigeria has been an oil-producing country therefore they should sit and do nothing and get housing, health care, education, free." This comment drew immediate criticism from a wide range of individuals, including prominent politicians and everyday citizens.
* Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a presidential hopeful at the time, refuted the president's claim, calling Nigerian youth the "backbone" of the country.
* Another presidential hopeful, Adamu Garba, described Buhari's remarks as "humorous with our national pride."
* Nigerian youth took to social media, using the hashtag #LazyNigerianYouths to express their outrage. One tweet read, "The government never created anything for me, I feed from my hustle and yet they say we are lazy."
Many of the youths' comments highlighted the disconnect between their efforts and the opportunities available to them. A Nigerian youth named Adeniyi Oluwasanmi G stated, "put infrastructure in place especially ELECTRICITY and u will be amazed by what this your Nigerians youth...will accomplish." Another youth, KFire, asserted that Nigerian youths are "among the most hardworking in the world" and that the government "has failed to provide an enabling environment."
### Economic Realities and Youth Employment
The debate took place against a backdrop of significant economic challenges. In late 2017, Nigeria's combined youth unemployment and underemployment rate was around 50%. This statistic is particularly striking given that the country had just emerged from its worst economic recession in 25 years. Despite this, economic growth outside of the oil sector remained slow, hindered by inadequate infrastructure and limited access to education. A March 2018 report by the IMF revealed that 63% of Nigeria's population of over 180 million people lived below the poverty line.
### A Call for Self-Sufficiency and Entrepreneurship
Amidst the criticism of the government, some voices have urged the youth to look inward and take responsibility for their own success. Fame Agidife, a host lecturer at the Fame Agidife Leadership Lecture Series, argues that a nation's youth must overcome "too much expectations from the State." He suggests that the state's failures can, and should, drive young people to find their own solutions and create their own opportunities.
Agidife challenges the notion that "platforms" for success must be provided solely by the government. He emphasizes that platforms are foundations and environments that anyone can create. He contrasts the behavior of some Nigerian youths with that of their international counterparts, noting that many young founders of major tech companies like **Google**, **Facebook**, and **Apple** saw a lack of existing platforms as an opportunity to innovate and build something new.
In a 2017 lecture, Agidife implored African youth to "rise up and take your place in the committee of nations and stop complaining about how some greedy old politicians refused to relinquish power to you." He highlights the American youth's dominance in the tech and space industries, contrasting their inventiveness with what he sees as a culture of complaining and a dependency on "Baba Ijebu," "Naija Bet," and fraudulent activities like "419."
Agidife's central argument is that power is not given; it is created. He cites the words of British historian Lord John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton—"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely"—to underscore why those in power are reluctant to give it up. The solution, he contends, is for youth to forge their own path.
> "We African youths have what it takes to create power to get power; all we need to do is to create our own path from the old path and now is the time and the opportunity to do so is right here with us now in our own hands!"
He urges young Nigerians to look beyond the traditional sectors of oil and politics and instead tap into the potential of green energy, environmental solutions, and the digital economy. By leveraging their energy, mental capacity, and access to information technology, he believes the youth can build a new path of power that will allow them to compete with and ultimately defeat the old era.
In Conclusion: A Path Forward
The debate over Nigerian youth is a microcosm of a larger national challenge. While many youths point to systemic issues—such as a lack of infrastructure, education, and job opportunities—that hinder their progress, others advocate for a paradigm shift toward self-reliance and innovation.
The statistics on youth unemployment and poverty paint a grim picture, suggesting that the government's role in providing an enabling environment is critical. However, the examples of successful entrepreneurs, both within Nigeria and globally, demonstrate that individual initiative and a willingness to create one's own opportunities are also essential for progress.
The future of Nigeria may well depend on whether these two perspectives can converge: a government that creates the necessary conditions for growth, and a youth population that harnesses its immense energy and talent to build a new, more prosperous future for the nation.
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