Being a presentation by Hon. Ahmad Sajoh at the African Youth Day 2022, by the Nigeria Youth Congress and the Nigerian Youth Parliament, on Thursday, 3rd November, 2022 at the Rotunda Conference Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja.
Introduction:
I am indeed humbled and highly honoured to stand here as a representative of an icon on the African Continent.
A man with the unique ability to combine intellectualism as a scholar with the challenges of social order as an activist and add to it the fine elements of good governance as a political leader. His Excellency, Dr John Kayode Fayemi, the former Governor of Ekiti state and former chair of the Nigerian Governors Forum, is indeed a man deserving the honour you have bestowed on him today.
As the first Nigerian to be elected as the President of the Forum of Regions of Africa, or leader of the Association of African Sub-National entities, Dr John Kayode Fayemi has proven to be a veritable role model for all African Youth to emulate.
As Governor of Ekiti state, he addressed issues of good governance through programmes and projects that engendered equity, fairness, justice and inclusion in the most profound manner.
He had laid out elaborate and knowledge-driven policies that addressed the youth, women, the elderly and the vulnerable. It is therefore an honour and a privilege to stand in for such a great man at an occasion such as this.
Let me also appreciate you for conferring the African Achievers Award on him in the category of Exceptional Leadership of the Year. I am sure he would have loved to be here personally to receive the Award from Your esteemed selves, but couldn’t make it because of a busy schedule.
I, therefore, on behalf of his family, friends and well-wishes, extend sincere appreciation to your two organisations for the honour bestowed on him.
Addressing the theme of this gathering, It is Dr. John Kayode Fayemi that is billed to deliver your keynote address with the theme – “Pan Africanism: Youth as a Panacea for Achieving the Africa we want.”
The shoes of Dr Fayemi are too big for me to wear. He is a scholar who has consulted for many African Governments. He is an activist who has traversed the world, canvassing for better societies. And as the leader of the Forum of Sub-National entities of Africa, he has a rich reservoir of knowledge on the subject matter. Unfortunately, he is not available due to compelling reasons.
I am therefore saddled with the onerous task of filling for him. Since his shoes are obviously too big for me, I will wear mine but attempt to follow in his footstep.
I find the theme a bit odd, perhaps for the reason that the actions of our Youth today appear to be at variance with the concept of Pan Africanism.
Pan Africanism is a philosophy, a belief that all people of African descent have common destiny and should work together to achieve greatness for Africa.
It is the belief that Africa’s development and growth lie principally in the hands of
Africans.
Our youths today, by their action of fleeing from the continent, demonstrate lack of faith in Africa’s ability to overcome its challenges. Although the likes of Martin Delany, Alexander Crummel and Edward Blyden were regarded as the originators of concept Pan-Africanism, the influential thinker W.E.B Du Bois is one of the greatest pioneers of Pan African philosophical thoughts and ideas. However, it was the Jamaican-born black
Nationalist, Marcus Garvey that pushed the concept to its highest level, even establishing a shipping line called “Black Star line” in order to help return black
Americans to Africa.
These philosophers and thinkers all had one thing in common: the belief that Africa should be for Africans and that together we can build strong communities and weave them around bonds of unity.
For these pan Africanists, their vision was that of a self-sufficient Africa, and our visit to Europe and America would be a matter of choice and not because of economic compulsion.
Other notable Pan-Africanists include Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Molefi Asante of Temple University, Cheikh Anta Diop of Senegal, Carter G. Woodson and Manland Ron Karenga.
African Liberation icons such as Leopold Sedar Senghor of Senegal, Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya and Patrice Lumumba of Congo Kinshasa, now Known as Democratic Republic of Congo all followed the same path of Pan-Africanism.
These leaders of thought fought for the independence of African countries so that these countries and Africans will relate with Europe, America and others as equals with dignity and mutual respect. Definitely none of these advocates and proponents of Pan Africanism foresaw a situation where Africans will become economic migrants, going through perilous journeys across deserts and oceans to Europe or America.
None of them would have contemplated the situation today, which is similar to how African slaves were treated in the past, when weak slaves were thrown into the ocean.
Considering that such dangerous journeys are often undertaken by our young people who, in a recent Nigerian coinage, want to “JAPA”, it is hard to talk of a role for the Youth as a panacea for building the Africa we want under these circumstances.
Simply put, our young people appear to have given up on the continent and are willing to risk their lives in order to escape Africa.
Why is it so?
I believe this so because our Continent has failed to deliver quality of life to its citizens. This is sad because in terms of natural resources, Africa is the richest continent of the world. In terms of human capacity, we are also blessed. We are strong, resourceful and resilient. Our educated professionals make significant contributions anywhere they emigrate to in the world because of these fine qualities.
But it is rather unfortunate that we hardly bring these qualities to bear in the development of our countries and hence the underdevelopment of the continent.
If the youth want to be the ones to rescue Africa and rekindle the spirit of Pan Africanism, then it is up to them to rethink this Japa Syndrome.
Any reason for the Japa syndrome?
It is impossible to talk to Nigerian youth today or even African youth without talking of the desire of the youth to migrate to Europe, America, and other parts of the world in search of opportunities. The reason for these migratory journeys is often situated within the realm of the relative underdevelopment of the countries of Africa.
The famous Guyanese writer, thinker, philosopher and revolutionary, Walter Rodney in his popular book “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa” identified three levels of development.
Individual development, which to him implies increased skill- sets, capacity, freedom, creativity, self-discipline, responsibility and material well-being, which give an individual competence and confidence to face life choices.
The second one is community development which, according to Walter Rodney, seeks to increase capacity by the community to regulate both internal and external relationships as a group. This is because all communities either as small units or as nation states grapple with survival issues either from natural hazards or real and imagined human enemies.
The third level of development is Economic Development, which in broad terms, is concerned with the interplay between resources available to both group and individuals and how these resources are used to better the standards of living of persons within the group.
I guess that is where the Japa Syndrome stems from. On all three fronts, Africa has failed its citizens. The avenues for individual development are shrinking on a daily basis. The relationships within communities and nations are defined by very sharp social inequalities to the extent that the vast majority live in abject poverty and despondency, while a tiny few are stupendously rich.
As for the economy, the most visible aspect is that our distorted economies can be found in capital flight from Africa to Europe and America. Most of such capital flights represent funds earmarked for interventions in the much-needed infrastructure, which either is decayed or nonexistent in most of Africa.
In a nutshell, Africa is still being underdeveloped. But by who?
Scholars like Stanley C. Igwe of the University of Port Harcourt believe that “Africa underdeveloped Africa”. Concurring absolutely with another scholar, Adam Lerrick Igwe believes that “corruption is not just one of the causes of intractable poverty in Africa. It is the root cause”.
Africa’s problems are caused by Africans. The successive leaders after our founding fathers have betrayed both the visions of the Pan Africanist thinkers and those of the founding fathers. African integration is increasingly becoming a mirage. There are still strict visa regimes within Africa. Recently Ethiopia where the Headquarters of the African Union is located, cancelled the visa on arrival policy for Nigerians.
While the whole of the European Union is visa free to members, Africa is restricting Africans from visiting Africa. There is no air transport policy linking African countries. There was a time you needed to travel from N’djamena in Chad to Addis Ababa Ethiopia before coming to Abuja Nigeria.
In other cases, you first transit to Paris from one African country in order to go to another African country. The colonialists and founding fathers had plans for railway lines and superhighways connecting African Countries. The decay or absence of infrastructure impeded development in all other sectors.
Life expectancies are low. Economic opportunities are shrinking. Social inequalities are widening. The only thing left for the Youth therefore is to “Japa” or migrate.
But is that the solution?
The Bright Silver Lining in the horizon Africa is still the richest continent on earth in terms of natural resources.
Africans are still the most resourceful, resilient and creative individuals in the world. The beacon of this resourcefulness is definitely the African Youth.
All over the world, African Youth, particularly Nigerians, have excelled in diverse fields, especially in the creative industries of entertainment, sports, and Fintech.
Surprisingly, most of those who make it big or “blow,” as we say in Nigeria, had their openings here in Africa. Most of the celebrated musicians, actors and athletes who made it big cut their teeth here in Nigeria. Many of the medical professionals doing wonders in Europe and America were trained here in Africa, in our Universities and colleges.
What this means is that given the right atmosphere, the youth of Africa can change Africa for the better.
But one thing is missing. Our youth still believe in the maxim that they are leaders of tomorrow. Ask yourselves right now. What were you calling today by yesterday?
That tomorrow you are talking about all the times is actually the today you are living in. There is no tomorrow at all. Today is the tomorrow you were thinking of yesterday.
Take up your rightful place as the leaders of your Communities, Local Governments, States and the Nation. Leadership is not a title. Leadership is not a celebration. Leadership is a responsibility. Leadership is taking your fate in your hands.
We failed ourselves because we believe we are different from our leaders and that we are waiting for our leaders to make our lives, our communities, our countries and our Africa better. We are waiting for tomorrow to come so that we can take over and do better. But tomorrow comes every day of our lives. Yet, we are still waiting for that elusive tomorrow to change things for the better.
If there is any lesson, you ought to learn from the lives of the likes of His Excellency Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, it is that he never waited for any tomorrow.
He started leading from being an altar – boy at the catholic church. He started leading as a student Union leader in school. He started leading as a journalist
and activist on the field. He went into exile but refused to “Japa,” instead he returned as soon as the opportunities made themselves available. He refused to see politics as a dirty game. He joined politics as a decent person. He remained a decent person with his values intact, even when others believed in the saying that “If you can’t beat them join them”. He didn’t join them. He did different as a true African.
Pristine Africa is honest. Pristine Africa is humane. Pristine Africa has moral values. Pristine Africa teaches honour in words and actions. Pristine Africa values dignity of labour. Pristine Africa has respect and promotes self-respect.
You want to be the panacea for a better Africa? Then be resourceful, be creative, be resilient and above all, be a child of pristine Africa by being a decent human being, an honest individual and a humane person. That is my charge to you today.
Thank you and God bless.
Ahmad I. Sajoh, FNIPR
Executive Director/CEO, Future Now Initiative, 35 Oran Street, Wuse ZONE 1
Abuja, Nigeria