THE BATTLE OF SURVIVAL FOR THE AFRICAN YOUTH!!!- THE THOUGHT OF A GHANAIAN YOUTH

“Older men declare war, but it is the youth that must fight and die”- Herbert Hoover.

As I soberly reflect on these words, I ask myself the kind of wars that are being declared for the African youth to fight and die.

A battle of promoting political thuggery and violence?

A battle of “normalizing” politics of insults?

A battle of rationalizing and defending immoral and corrupt deeds?

A battle of nepotism and ethnocentrism?

A battle of silence when the truth is known?

A battle of brutality against civilians in their own land? 

A battle of seemingly silence when Africans are suffering in the hands of their own governments?

A battle of being the first to solidarize with happenings in other parts of the world when youth are being brutalized and assaulted  in their own countries like the recent happenings in Nigeria?

A battle of being used as slaves to enrich their families and descendants?

I wonder if after our death in such battles, we will be given a befitting burial as African youth…

Why must the African youth stoop so low to be engaged in such battles whiles the older folks enjoy their peace and wealth?

Can we as African youth be united in hearts and mind that if wars on thuggery, political violence are declared by older men, their spouses and children will lead the army on the battle field?

Sadly, the African youth is already confronted with several battles aimed at securing a path of progress and changing the African narrative to a one we all can be proud of.

We live in a country [continent] where our young ladies who have recently attained the age of puberty cannot afford sanitary pads, but our men and women in public offices have ipads which they do not even know how to use. ― PLO Lumumba.

These words of PLO Lumumba resonate with many young Africans who are going through “hell” to deal with their God-given duty of child bearing in their puberty stages

Ask the unemployed African youth the kind of job offer he/she is looking out for and the most likely answer is “any decent job that can put food on the table”.  These are the real wars the African youth is battling with….

The African female youth in her mid-twenties and early thirties is battling with unnecessary and needless pressure from friends and families on marriage?

The African “boyfriend” hoping to settle down soon is battling with undue and unnecessary financial pressure from his “slay queen” of a girlfriend.

The industrious and determined “African girlfriend” is battling with that exploitative and abusive boyfriend of hers.

The African youth is battling with the war of securing a permanent and sustainable job offer after several volunteering and contract job offers.

The young African entrepreneur is battling with breaking through the markets and developing a good and sustainable business.

The young African career lady is battling with corporate job-stress, marital and parental duties….

 With all these battles facing the African youth, must we allow some unscrupulous older folks to declare wars for us to go and fight and lose our self-image, lives, career and conscience?

My dear African Youth, it is time to declare our own battle for progress. The time has come for us to fight the battle of self-liberation and mental slavery. It is time to deal with issues of inequalities and vulnerabilities. This is the time for us to take our destiny into our hands. A time to charter a path of progress.

This is indeed the surest time to declare wars where we will fight and live happily forever.

“We need to build a continent where anyone from anywhere can become somebody without knowing anybody”….

This must the dream of the 21^st century African youth!!!

This is what the youth expect from the older folks at the helm of affairs.

This is the dream and vision of the poorest African Child living in the remotest part of the continent.

This dream can only be realized when as African Youth we light our candles in our little corner and see how bright the continent will be.

To my fellow African youth, let us not give up in our quest to ensure a brighter Africa. let us stay united and focused in our battle for socio-economic and political freedom. anytime the journey gets tough, let us be mindful of the beautiful words of the great African leader and soldier,   "The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart."  Dr. Kwame Nkrumah

African Youth!!! Arise and Shine!!!

Kwame Ohene-Ntow,

YALI Dream,

A better Ghana,

A brighter Africa.

The writer holds a Master’s degree in Development Policy and Planning from KNUST, a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Ghana Business School, A YALI fellow and  team member of the SOS-CV “No Business as Usual Project” which is promoting local socio-economic development and training youth in employable and entrepreneurial skills in Kumasi.

Email: Vincentntow12@gmail.com