ARE NIGERIAN YOUTHS TRULY LAZY?

Some days ago, the Nigerian President, President Muhammadu Buhari, while speaking at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Westminster, UK, said that many Nigerian youths just want to sit down and do nothing, simply because they believe Nigeria is an oil rich nation. The President said that so many Nigerian youths have not been to school, yet they want everything free.

Let me qoute his very words:

About the economy, we have a very young population, our population is estimated conservatively to be 180 million. This is a very conservative one,” Buhari said.
More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven’t been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria is an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free.

REACTIONS:

The statement by Mr. President didn't go down well with so many Nigerians, and a lot of reactions have trailed this comment most especially on the social media. Both highly placed Nigerians and even those of low estate have taken to the social media to condemn the President's words.

Among those that reacted, and some of the things that they had to say are:

• Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose:

At 19, President Buhari left Secondary School to join the Army. At age 21,he was commissioned a second lieutenant and appointed Platoon Commander of the Second Infantry Battalion in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Where can our youths get such opportunity today?

• Gimba Kakanda

Buhari unscripted is a PR disaster for Nigeria. He told them abroad we’re not welcome because of our crimes, here he told us we’re an impatient people, and now he told them Nigerian youths are lazy. It’s like your Dad telling your potential in-laws you’re an irresponsible person.

• Reno Omokiri:

Nigerian youths want to “sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare”-Buhari
He is describing himself.
He sits and does nothing at Aso Rock.
He gets free housing at the Presidential Villa.
He spends 103 days in London and we pay for it!
Joblessness makes him talk anyhow!

• J. J. Omojuwa:

President Buhari GOOFED on his statements on Nigerian Youths in London. It is actually impossible for one to believe a president would say that about his own citizens, especially without isolating those who work hard and are helping the country shine across different disciplines.

These are some of the reactions that trailed the President's comment.

QUESTIONS THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED:

• Did the government provide jobs and Nigerian youths refuse to work?

This is one question everybody should ask the Nigerian President, how many jobs has the present administration been able to create? In a country where the government advertises for 10,000 jobs, and over 1,000,000 youths are applying for the jobs, what then is the ratio of job availability to thebnumber of perons ready to work. Yet our President is saying we are not willing to work.

• What has the government done to provide enabling environment for entrepreneurs and craftsmen?

There are so many young and budding entrepreneurs in Nigeria, as well as craftsmen who are very skilled but the government has failed to create an enabling environment for them to thrive.
The epileptic power supply and high cost of gasoline for running of generators, have made so many promising skilled craftsmen to close shop, and the President has the presence of mind to call Nigerian youths lazy.

• What has the government done to improve the educational system in the country.

The President said a lot of Nigerian youths haven't been to school, but then the question begging to be answered is how well is the education sector faring? Teachers go on strike every now and then, truncating the school calendar. The only functional schools are those that are privately owned and are very expensive that the masses can't afford them, except the rich and the leaders themselves. If President Buhari says our education system is working but Nigerian youths are not going to school, then let him tell us why all his children are schooling abroad.

NOW LET US LOOK AT THE NIGERIAN YOUTHS WHO OUR PRESIDENT CALLED LAZY.

---

Nigerian youth craftsmen, who are skillful in making shoes, with no support from the government yet they make very beautiful shoes just to make ends meet, you can even see a lady practising her trade and incase you don't know the lady here is a graduate, but because she couldn't get a job, she is doing this; yet our President call them lazy.

---

Above is the pictures of Nigerian youths who are skilled in tailoring, using their skills judiciously.

---

Due to high rate of hardship, in the country, these youths instead of staying at home, waiting for every thing to be done for them, they took the initiative, and started hawking, just to see if they can make ends meet.

---

These are Nigerians who don't have jobs and so they go through such hard labour, yet the President has the audacity to call us lazy.

I think it is the President who is being lazy in his duties, he has failed the Nigerian populace, he has failed our youths, he has failed to provide the enabling environment for our ever busy youths to explore and come out with developmental strides.

Fellow Nigerian youths, it is time to make an impact, time to pushout laziness. Let us therefore go out and get our PVC, because that is the only way to ensure we do not vote a lazy President come 2019. Your vote is your voice, be heard today.