Recently, Funmi Iyanda delivered
a Keynote Address at the ThinkOyo 30under30 Awards, challenging Nigeria’s
emerging young intellectual elite to think positively and act differently from
their parents in order to bring Nigeria the elusive transformative change that it
desperately needs.
“For this elite, the rest of their kith and kin fill them with unease
and even disgust and they condemn them to poverty and a passive consumption of
other people’s science, innovations, religions, art and technology as though
such achievements are beyond us. They also condemn their own children to future
poverty not just material but emotional and cultural. Notably the stolen wealth
hardly outlives the first generation.
So what shall we do? What will the young intellectual elite of today do
differently?
A youth cultural revolution of ideology and
values perhaps? Jettison the hypocrisy, the pseudo religious, anti women, anti
children, anti poor patriarchy. Turn away from the bigotry, the megalomania,
and the cultural bravado. Free yourselves and your future. Speak the truth to
power and each other, not just on twitter, to face. Refuse to participate in
the racket, the hustle, and the lie. Be better than that which is on offer.
