YOUNG, YOUTH, YONDER.

Life is in phases and men are in sizes----------Bishop David Oyedepo

All protocols observed

All of history can be summarized in one word- Progress; we are not today what we were yesterday. Like Herodotus said: we cannot step into the same river twice. We cannot always be 18, 20, or 80; phases come and go in life just as the sun and the moon sets daily. There’s the time for harvest and the time for seed-sowing. There’s a time to be young (playful and childish, not been able to be independent), there’s a time to be a youth (the most important phase man’s development, where the capacities of our ability are developed and fully expressed for the blessedness of humanity. It is a curse upon any society to neglect its youth. There’s little hope for a nation that suppresses her youth. J. P Clark wrote about Casualties, I believe until the youth stop being the casualty in the country there’s little prospect for the development of our society and the advancement of the human race. Benjamin Franklin said most men from 25 years of age often have their dreams annihilated or killed. If you intend to determine the future of any society all that’s needed is for you to check its youth. We were often told in our school days that we are the leaders of tomorrow, surprisingly the assurance of tomorrow is unquestionable but would there be leaders for tomorrow?

The term Yonder here speaks of a preferable future, Marx spoke about a Utopian state of society, a representation of serenity, where justice and equity prevails, where economic prosperity becomes the order of the day. Yonder is the place of destiny of a people. Now, the passport to the yonder is the youth; that young man in the secondary school listening to his English teacher, the young lady in the University library reading Plato’s Republic, the young man carrying out a research on his project, even the young man combing the streets looking for a means of livelihood; all these persons have a fundamental role to play in the birthing of Change. All the dreams of a people are carried in the heart of its youthful population.

What must be done?

We must all arise as a people and swear an allegiance to the development of the lives of our youth, indeed we are not qualified to die until we have successfully spent our lives in service to humanity.

Indeed my heart has a burden it longs to express, in my spirit lies an utterance. My words go out to the youths just like in the words of Jesse Jackson: Keep Hope Alive, I adjure you today KEEP HOPE ALIVE, after the sunset there’s the sunrise, the Scripture says : the night is far spent, the day draws near, let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. We must take responsibility for our future for no one else will do it for us, not the government, or the schools, not the banks; though these all have their respective roles to play. However, the onus lies on us; it is a collective responsibility as well as an individual responsibility. We can get to yonder place if we try and fight and never give up. Arise, Shine is the admonition, we must never relinquish our dreams, rather we should be willing to sacrifice who we are for who we intend to become….there are No Holds Barred. You were born to make a difference, don’t leave the earth without delivering what’s inside you.

 I Believe in You-th.

I’m a Youth Aflame.   

Thank You.