By Eddy Odivwri
I was eager and excited when in 2006, fifteen years ago, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, a German Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) selected me as one of the Nigerian journalists to attend the World Social Forum programme in Bamako, the Malian capital. My excitement was on two folds: one, it would be my first time in Bamako, the hitherto quiet Francophone West African country that produces lots of quality Kampala fabric. And then two, and more importantly, the theme of the International conference that year was Another World is Possible. I was keen on exploring the character and content of the alternative world being canvassed.
Already, the world was choking as its people, especially in Africa, were wondering if the hardship, instability, uncertainties, and difficulty was all the world had to offer its people. And thus, the preachment and prospect of Another World is Possible offered lots of hope for humanity.
For the records, the World Social Forum (WSF), is a coalition of civil society groups, movements and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) which believes in tackling neo-liberalism and is determined to crusade for a new social order that will offer relief and succor to mankind, through democracy and fair governance. It was largely a gathering of youths and the youthful. I was a youth then. Now I am getting old. And I am still searching for the promised new order.
At the Bamako conference, the attendance was huge. Participants were drawn from nearly all African countries. A swathe of Civil society groups besieged the various venues of the conference. The talks and advocacies were sundry. One common thread in all the presentations and submissions at the conference was the fact that the world was warped and it was high time it was re-ordered. Group after group lamented the various shades of drawbacks they were experiencing in their own country. Neo-liberalism was widely and roundly condemned as there were loud calls for governments in all countries to be more people-friendly.
The unemployment problem plaguing the various countries was deeply decried, and governments were challenged on not only integrating the youths into the business of governance, but that conscious efforts be made to make life a more pleasant experience for the younger African generation.
After about five or so days, we all carried our bags and returned to our various countries, from whence we came. There was no programme of action. There was no specific demand from any government on what to do. There was neither a statement nor a communique. Just a rudderless proclamation of what actually was a mere wish of how things ought to be.
Fifteen years after, nothing has changed in the world order. In fact, things have literally gone from frying pan to fire. The problems confronting us today would have made the ones we thought were a plague, fifteen years ago, a child’s play.
Indeed, some adventurous Civil Society delegates from Nigeria had opted to drive all the way from Lagos to Bamako. They regaled us with the tales of country-side experiences as they drove through the various countries. Today, that expedition would not be considered, as they would not have driven a hundred kilometers before they would be kidnapped.
Our problems as a people simply quadrupled. And we are gasping.
And so, when last Monday, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, at the maiden edition of the National Youth Conference, in Abuja, urged the Nigerian youth not to despair, but keep faith in the Nigerian project, it re-echoed to me, the vacuous mantra of Another World is Possible, in Bamako, fifteen years ago.
Professor Osinbajo told the Nigerian youths that they cannot win if they don’t bid, that they should do away with the present order of complaints and move on. But sir, they should move to where?
Hear him: This country is ours, above and beyond partisan troubles, disagreements and everything else, the future will be what we make of it in these days when we seem to be assailed on all sides. It is natural to fear for the future and nurse anxiety on what tomorrow holds.
However, this is not the time to give up or succumb to despair. This is the time to engage and to work more seriously to build the country of our dreams”
The Vice President is a Pastor. A Pentecostal pastor for that matter. They are typically huge on buoying up hope on their congregants. They ignore the realities facing them and beam large on faith and belief that the supernatural would happen. I think that was what Osinbajo did last Monday. Almost like a throwback to the delusional Bamako mantra of Another World is Possible, without telling us how and when.
Coming, shortly after the one year anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, speaking of what will rekindle hope and faith in the country would appear to be the only wise and nice thing to say.
Were it not so, he knows that the Nigerian youths are assailed by the troubles of joblessness, of unfair and hostile economy, of insecurity and hunger. Professor Osinbajo knows that the future is bleak for the Nigerian youth. Does he not know that that is why Nigerian youths are streaming away, in droves, to Canada and other countries? We have almost got to a point of ‘Anywhere but Nigeria’ (perhaps except Afghanistan).
Even when so much noise was made about the Not-Too-Young-To Run law in 2019, how many youths have truly had access to governance? Have the old folks let go the tethers of politics and public governance?
Originally published at Thisday