By Ayodele Fagbohun

There is no gainsaying the obvious, Nigeria is at crossroads! As a matter of fact, the highest political office of any nation especially in a complex, plural society and peculiar circumstance of the first magnitude like Nigeria.

It will be a  costly error, disaster of immense proportions if by sheer default and failing of stakeholders of Nigeria’s project the political leadership nay the presidency come 2023 is ceded to the  youth driven solely by exuberance, inexperience in the current malady. social vices and general malaise which stalk their rank and file.

The nation’s travails and problems will be much more compounded by leap and bound and accelerate the country to the fast lane of peril and point of no return if the youth, this time around are given the presidency on a platter of gold.

It is queer and nevertheless not unexpected that the spurious demand for youth to be  at the helm of affairs is excitedly being canvassed and endorsed in spite of denials to the contrary by some well  known political elite who are patently political spent force.

It is equally absurd that the social media and some   traditional media for commercial reasons are a wash with subtle venal campaign  stunts for generational power shit in favour of youth to monopolize and be in full control and operation in the political terrain. While the veteran old brigade politicians are rendered on lookers when the game goes on in earnest!

What is crystal clear as noon day and this is unfortunate; reprehensible and uncalled for. Some past military rulers led by the former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo throw their weight behind this trivial, foul and frivolous  demand that will only lead the country to the blind alley.

Anyway this si hangover of our protracted dismal history of melancholic military interregnum and brutal dictatorship whose gory  effects cast spell  of gloom, huge mockery on the present unsteady and unsure footed democracy we glibly practice  .

Apparently in a volte-face, the former president , Olusegun  Obasanjo on his “official” 85th birthday anniversary at a public gathering mellowed down on his truculent campaign for youth ascendancy  in politics and what it entails .

Generally, he now spoke usually and vibrantly as an elder statesman whose mission for the unity of the country is sacrosanct as generalisimo. He recollected his personal feat in the  war fronts and in the field of practical politics which cannot be impugned.

However, Obasanjo entertained every presentiment and foreboding that Nigeria might implode and eventually break down  into various  components as banana  republics if care is not taken. He insisted that all hands must be on deck to salvage  the country as indivisible , vibrant , prosperous and  sovereign entity.

What this essay is saying in effect is this, At this point of count down to 2023 general election, there is  no cause for desperation, despondency and awful descent into anarchy entertained by the old general Obasanjo when all hands are truly and massively required to be on deck  to salavage the beleaguered country.

President Obasanjo has more pivotal role to play in this collective responsbility as  an old fox who in spite  of his humble beginning and background benefitted munificently from government largesse both in the military and public servie.

In the armed forces, he grabbed political power along its concomitants perquisites via insurrection otherwise known as military coup de tat .

Power seized through the barrel of the gun is not only unpopular, undemocratic but sheer anachronistic which  is no longer fashionable let alone tolerated in international politics and civilized clime.

Accordingly, the nation will unhesitatingly say emphatic no to the assertions; unworkable and  outlandish military inspired panacea to Nigeria’s problem often reeled out by our erstwhile military rulers who merely  attained political power and authority via military incursion and coup plots.

Having solemnly pondered on the problem staring  the nation in the face as a muti ethnic, multi- lingual and  multi-religious conglomeration,  an  erudite scholar of law and international politics,  Professor Akin Oyebode  identified himself with the sentiments of Joseph d’ Maistre to the effect that “a people get the government they deserve.”

It boils down to unassailable and irreversible conclusion therefore that “the ball is back in the court of  the people who must always ensure that right people are voted into power”.

The myth of youth in politics should be exploded and the bogey   laid to rest once and for all. For it is a snare to deny and  entrap the youth not to realise their full  potential as driving impetus to  grow the economy. Having attained high academic laurels after the ordeal of hardwork,  industry and deprivation in the academia,  they now  groan in  search of job in the already saturated labour market,

It is very ridiculous and heinous that the  youth are being called upon to take  over the reign of  government. This implies calling upon  the innocent and unwary youth to commit suicide, dabbling into herculean national assignment of which they lack capacity, capability and moral sinews to undertake let  alone attain accomplishment.

For experience shows that Lt Col. Yakubu Gowon aged 32, and his friend Lt Col. Odumegwu Emeka Ojukwu aged 33 respectively as military head of state and military governor of Eastern  region brought tribulation, internecine and infanticidal civil war on  Nigeria.

The firing of gun and smoke of war extinguished which put paid to the raging hostilities through the martial  ardour and astute diplomacy of veteran old politicians  notably Chief Obafemi Awolowo and others in the age bracket of 65-72 years.

Awo was a finance federal commissioner, member of war cabinet and vice chairman to the head of state, Yakubu Gowon in the federal executive council.

General Olusegun Obasanjo  who was not sure of exact date  of his birth, was a youth less than 45 years when he assumed office as head of  state after the gruesome assassination of his boss,  General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, also a youth presumably younger than Obasanjo.

In all  honesty, what track records or achievement could they lay claim to or be credited with except becoming heads of state and fought war caused by their egocentricity and misguidedness and perhaps  youthful exuberance in government.

It is galling that none of our former military rulers as  many as they are in number and long they might have the opportunities to make amends, is able to record significant landmark in  the lives of the people and the unborn generations like introduction of  free education, provision of health facilities and other  social amenities that stand test of time and  outlive their  vain glorious and  ephemeral administrations.

Obasanjo insulted and pilloried Chief Obafemi Awolowo for latter ambition to rule the country at  old age Obasanjo ridiculed Awo in his notorious essay : Not his will” He paraphrased that in 1952 when he was at Baptist Secondary school, Abeokuta. He as a student was barefooted on the line in a route to welcome Awo as leader of Government business and premier of western region.

Obasanjo, out of naked sadism and ignorance said Awo struggled in vain all his life to “win” election to become president of Nigeria whereas he (Obasanjo) as military head of state and elected president what Awo did not attain or reach in lifetime .Obasanjo was uncharitable and guilty of falsehood for avoiding the fact that he secretly and   in cavalier underhand,, overturned the electoral wishes of the people and  could get his way through fraud, dishonesty and avarice to pervert the course of justice in naked travesty.

In sharp contrast, Joe Bidden was 77 years old  as elected US president. His predecessor in-office president Trump, his close agemate. No American youth ever insulted nor denigrated any of  them on  ground of age .

For Nigeria to grow and properly utilise her rich natural and human endowments and incredible potential there must be cross fertilisation of ideas between the new and old generation of politicians so to say.

While the boundless energy of the  youth cannot be doubted, it  is the old broom that knows the corner best.

Let the new  breed  politicians respect and honour the old brigade and the latter show the up coming political aspirants and activists the way: learn and know the ropes before effortlessly taking over.