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A real superhero lives a very normal life while correcting the wrongs being perpetuated in his world. Everyone who tries to correct a wrong in his world is a super champion. The brave Mobile Police Officer who died in Owerri while stopping a bank robbery on 22nd February, 2017, is one of such many. He, while doing his job, protected the lives of several others from the attacks. Miss Josephine Agwu, an airport cleaner who found forgotten $28,000, and other foreign currencies totaling about N12m and refunded it to the owner is another. Our heroes past and present efforts should not be swept under carpets. Everyone who fought against injustice, violence, inequality, corruption, and violation of fundamental human rights, ought to be celebrated. Our younger generation have been blinded by the drive for financial prosperity. They seem not to see being truthful or diligent as being rewarding enough. It’s easier for them to follow the glorified success stories that surround us. Young boy out of school isn’t thinking of gaining admissions into the university or learning a legal trade, he’s comfortable in carrying out cyber crime because, well, it pays to ‘sashe’. Even songs are composed on a daily basis to celebrate this crime (yahoo-yahoo) among others. The luxury life of Billionaire Kidnapper, Evans, who resides at Magodo would have been a source of envy and prayer point for many youths. The Anambra born kidnapper lived a lavish lifestyle: he owned a wristwatch of $170,000, three phones for $6000 each, two houses in highbrow Magodo Estate in Lagos, and another house in Ghana. Evans whose real name is Chukwudubem Onwuamadike would have, before his arrest, been a source of influence to those who are intoxicated by the get rich soon syndrome. He had even hosted a charity event for orphanages with Foreign Ambassador being present. This is the case with the Praise songs mentality the youths have for corrupt personalities. Now, while that is not appealing to the ears, it is less compared to the news of disintegration in the country. Amidst insecurity, unemployment, kidnapping and many more, there is even less super characters fighting for Nigeria as a whole. No one is ready to stand and fight irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation. It feels very easy to watch the nation crumble and fall into pieces like a line-up of dominoes. The Arewa Youth Coalition has asked the Igbos to leave the 19 Northern States before October 1. While this may be seen as a mere child’s play, with the Acting President insisting that there should not be panic, one can only wonder since that day is symbolic in our history as the day our past heroes achieved the independence they fought for with words. Are our Nigerian Youths ready to rise up for our unity? Are they ready to stop ignoring and looking over their shoulders as if the fundamental issues of the states do not affect their existence? It is unbelievably breathtaking to note that at the time and even after the independence, all of our then leaders were within the age of the average Nigerian youth, who are now more concerned with betting for the UEFA’S Champion League, or is ‘sashe-ing’ (Yahoo-yahoo), or is more focused on ‘blowing’ with his uninspired soon to be released single, or is a rising Slay Queen. While not all of these options are totally wrong and preposterous, it’s time we obey the nations call and Arise to be the deserving Champions of our time, remembering that we are all young.

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This article was first published on 29th June 2017

adepeju

Adepeju Adenuga is a writer (considering where you are reading this, makes perfect sense). She holds a Masters Degree in Literature in English from the University of Lagos.