WANTED URGENTLY: NATIONAL ROLE MODELS

Young people in Nigeria desperately need a positive role model on the National scene. Someone who can inspire them, give them a sense of direction, show them good example and above all give them hope in the future of their country.

Basically, a role model is someone whose behavior or success can be emulated by others, especially young people. They are individuals who make us say “I want to be like them.” A large majority of parents, as well as other family members, are adopted as role models for many young children. They mimic the movements and expressions of the one they idolize to become just like them. The role models for these young children set positive examples for them to follow and teach them how to make optimistic choices further on in life. I believe having a role model encourages people to strive for their goals and increase their confidence, as well as allowing them to improve upon themselves and alternate any personal faults they are unsatisfied with. Positive role models play a very important role in the lives of young people because they give them an insight into the kind of life they may wish to live when they grow up.

Whether consciously or unconsciously, young people are constantly looking for someone who can set an example for them to follow. It is therefore no wonder that successful societies tend to teach their children about the virtues, the selflessness, integrity, honesty, dedication and hard work of their past leaders, with the hope that it will help them to flourish and be better individuals as they grow up.

In Nigeria of today, the absence of positive role models for young people is very glaring. We have a situation where the young people lack direction because the elders have deserted them. The people on the national arena now project negative actions to the young people in so many ways by stealing, lying, cheating and disservice to the Nation. The problem is further confounded because they get a way with these actions and are never punished.

Young people in Nigeria are desperate for someone, anyone who will show them that there is a future in this country worth living for. That is why they follow anybody who shows even the slightest form of integrity, whether true or fake. For example, the recent fuel subsidy probe by the House of Reps earned (Hon)? Farouk Lawal a lot of young admirers. Many young people identified with him because they saw in him integrity, fearlessness, passion and patriotism, they also saw someone who is on the verge of making history and giving them hope that it is still possible to believe in a new Nigeria. Their hopes where so high that many of them decided to use his picture in their profile on various social media sites. But like a bubble burst, so were their hopes dashed.

We have heard stories of people in other countries who shook hands with their leaders while they were young, got inspired and rose to become leaders themselves. We have heard how children have been inspired to do good just by watching their leaders speak to them on TV. How many of our leaders can boast of such magic? How many of us or our young kids today will go to bed dreaming of shaking hands with Mr. President, or Governors or even Local Government Chairmen? I bet the answer is obviously none.

I as a young mother with all my imperfections would rather have my kids look up to me as a role model than any of the so called leaders we have currently. So until we get someone on the national stage who can break the jinx and surprise us by being ‘different’, the search for the National role model will continue.

God Bless Nigeria.