On stingy men and youth activeness in governance

By Usman Abdullahi Koli

Long before now Nigerian youths have been criticised for docility. They have perhaps not been concerned about politics and policies of their governments. Rather, European sports leagues have beclouded our minds while the leaders kept on insulting the youth.

Just this year’s January, Stingy Men Association of Nigeria trended with notable youth leaders lending their voices. SMAN was targeted at spins who feed fat on the “abeg I need N2k urgently” cliche. From Twitter to WhatsApp groups, the campaign against extortion by ladies generated reactions and resulted to “don’t give shi shi”.

Regardless of our multiplicity of tribes, one thing that we have in common is social media assembly. At a time that Nigeria is struggling for its future over insecurity, fragile education sector, poverty, tribalism and other critical sectors, it is a moment for us to join hands together to forget all kinds of enmity and focus on youth activeness to develop this Nation.

Here, we are on social media having platforms of stingy men and cheerful givers, stingy women, sugar daddies and mommies associations which will not yield good results rather than expose the hidden swanky mindset of younger ones in the social media.

Many Nigerian students are at home doing nothing for almost a year now without little productivity. Effort and energy diverted into creating a platform like stingy and cheerful circles, and prefer to joke around. Then what’s the future of my dear nation?

As strong as social media is, that these challenges have gone round capturing the attention of the media. If we use the same power of social media and open platforms that will help us in life, one would imagine how far we will go to achieve a lot.

Fellow youth, always think of being good to yourself and your country. I suggest instead of a Stingy Association why not use the same energy in the new media to campaign for the end to violences, rapes of younger ones and be shaping your ideas collectively. I thought of a vibrant youth political party to send these old fashioned political class packing. We have that power and tool on our palms.

Koli, a student of Mass Communication, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi