STEPS TO TAKE TO SAVE A SINKING NATION

 

THE STEPS  THE YOUTH CAN TAKE TO SAVE A SINKING NATION FROM DYING?

STEP 1: Our brightest and best brains should begin serious preparations NOW by forming alliances with each other. The preparations would involve both NETWORKING with like-minds and men of like-passion, and developing ideologies in line with an overall National Blueprint/Master plan.

STEP 2: Move away from the sidelines of political commentary and analyses into mainstream political work by joining/invading political parties (not for everybody though, but for those whose vocation and calling is in politics).

STEP 3: Set up structures that will influence the ideological direction and major policy decisions in such parties.

CASE VIGNETTE:

In 1943, a group of young men (mostly in their 20s and 30s) who felt the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa had lost its fire, FREQUENTLY MET TO DISCUSS IDEAS. They felt the ANC as a whole had become the preserve of a tired, unmilitant, privileged African elite more concerned with protecting their own rights than those of the masses. The general consensus was that some action must be taken. A YOUTH LEAGUE would be formed, as a way of lighting fire under the leadership of the ANC. To cut the story short, though their proposal was initially resisted, they succeeded in establishing a YOUTH LEAGUE whose manifesto partly read “…The Congress Youth League must be the BRAINS-TRUST and POWER-STATION of the spirit of African nationalism” (Emphasis mine).

Within a few years, the leaders of the Youth League (including Mandela) became executives in the main ANC!

In conclusion, we need the wisdom of the old, but they must bow to our vigour. It’s time for the New Generation to stop seeing themselves as too young to take up political leadership in this country. We must NOW form alliances, join political parties, and begin to TRANSFORM things from WITHIN. We cannot do it without!