WAKE UP CALL TO THE YOUTHS

BY IFIOKABASI UDO

It has come and gone but still fresh in our minds, two records broken in one week, quite
amazing. That a Nigerian beat the whole world to the number one spot is a truly a feat,
that he beat an English man in the finals who is expected to be the custodian of the
knowledge of speaking and writing English is truly AN AMAZING FEAT. You may be
wondering, he mentioned two records what of the second one, yes you are right, Osimhen
broke the other for Nigeria’s Under 17. Though I commend Nigeria’s Under 17 team, I
will rather critically analyze Wellington Jighere aka the Board Master’s World Scrabble
victory considering the fact that people tend to brand the Under 17 players as age cheats
not worthy of the trophies they have been winning. This is subject to debate though.

Upon arrival at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, the Scrabble Master
surrounded by his allies was accosted by the Channels TV crew to grant them a brief
interview which was beamed on Channels TV. In all modesty, Mr. Jighere who beaming
with smiles said some words that one cannot easily forget. He said, “In 2007 I came third
in the competition, I was quite happy so I went to the tournament in 2011 and returned
home eleventh which meant falling Eight steps backward. I was contemplating retiring
from the sport to do something better with my life but thought otherwise at the last
minute and now I became the winner in 2015. Why am I analyzing this? How does it
affect the youths?

Many have taken to vices and the likes because they think that the easy way is the only
way having tried their hands on so many things. Is this truly the right way? Living a life
of fear is that a life? Knowing your path to success is not right and one day nemesis could
catch up with you, is that a life worth living? You must bear in mind that every legitimate
successful man has got a story to tell. Life is a journey, while some flowers bloom early,
others bloom late and no matter when you bloom the point is you have bloomed and
posterity will remember you for that.

Back to our man of the moment, imagine sitting and playing scrabble which is a board
game like monopoly and the likes every day, what do you think people will think about
you or even call you but this man chose a career path not minding the abuses or the
thoughts of others towards him and met his dream. His parents and even his friends may
have seen him as one lazy chap sitting at a corner with a board wasting his life yet he
persevered. Knowing the place of scrabble in Nigeria as a sport, he may have gone cap in
hand begging for sponsorship to even the event getting just a few or even none yet he
knew just one thing “HE IS THE BEST AND MUST PROVE THAT TO THE WORLD
AND HIS CRITICS”. Have you taken that decision about your own life? Are you
focused on what you love best or are you waiting for a miracle to come, an
uncle/brother/aunty/anyone to help you or an imaginary hand to make you? Today he
received a call from Nigeria’s President who I am sure will host him at the Presidential
villa and we all know what that means. After that Mr. Jighere who is now a celebrity will
appear on Peak Milk, Indomie and other adverts. What has led him to this; simply,
FOCUS, RESILIENCE AND DEDICATION. We can all emulate him and work towards
success. Many have derailed for self imposed hopelessness. Many complain from
morning to night that they hardly have the time to put themselves to task. Why not stop
the complaint and work towards your success. Many have spent their time envying others
and the type of work they do? Regardless of what you do, you can make it unique and
become a hero in that field. I know of a Man that was picking the entire dustbin in my
area in Port Harcourt from house to house with his rickety pick up van, it seemed a dirty
job then but he started employing boys when the money was rolling in and then changed
the van to a truck, he gave his boys coveralls to wear which they did adding flavor to his
business. From there he opened an office and to date he owns one of the biggest waste
disposal firms in Rivers State. He lived his vision.

What legacy are you going to leave behind? What will the young ones remember you
for? Remember the saying that, “the grave yard is the home of so many brilliant ideas not
executed. Worthy of mention is that fact that the boys that make up the Under 17 team
may have been castigated as well when they picked up their boots in the evening to go to
field. They must have been seen as wasted boys in their area and possibly their families
but today are they not vindicated? Going by the trend of events from the past, don’t you
think those boys will be rewarded handsomely for their success? If nothing they have
seen Chile another country which in itself is an achievement considering the fact that
many are seeking visas just to see other lands yet cannot get. This is a call to action and I
implore Nigerian youths to put their minds to work that we will make ourselves better
and surely Nigeria a better place.

Long live Nigeria.