Picture: Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor
By Titus Eleweke
Human rights lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has lamented the growing economic hardship, unemployment and moral decadence among Nigerian youths, warning that the country risks losing its future if young people continue to exchange their political independence and values for temporary material benefits.
Ejiofor, who holds the traditional title of Dunu-Ezeugosinachi, raised the concerns in his Wednesday musings titled, “The Leaders of Tomorrow Have Become the Beggars of Today.”
He lamented that young Nigerians, once described as the leaders of tomorrow, were increasingly reduced to seeking political handouts and praising politicians who had occupied positions of authority since their childhood.
According to him, millions of unemployed graduates are struggling to find opportunities, while some have become political praise-singers, endorsing the ambitions of elderly politicians in exchange for temporary benefits.
He attributed the situation largely to hunger, unemployment and economic hardship, warning that political handouts only provide temporary relief while leaving the beneficiaries trapped in poverty after elections.
“The hired applause will cease, the political benefactors will retreat into their privileged mansions, and these young people will return to the same poverty from which they temporarily escaped through a loaf of bread,” he said.
The lawyer also expressed concern over what he described as the growing celebration of moral decadence, intellectual laziness and fraudulent shortcuts to wealth, particularly internet fraud popularly known as Yahoo Yahoo.
He argued that educational and intellectually stimulating discussions often attract little attention on social media, while sexually provocative content receives widespread engagement, reflecting what he considers a dangerous reversal of societal values.
Ejiofor further criticised political dynasties, questioning the practice of transferring political power among family members while young Nigerians struggle for survival.
He asked whether the present political arrangement represented genuine leadership succession or an attempt by the political elite to perpetuate their influence.
He, however, noted that many Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad were driven by the belief that hard work, discipline, competence and integrity could still secure a better future.
He called for fundamental reforms in tertiary institutions, insisting that universities must go beyond awarding certificates to instilling character, critical thinking, civic responsibility and ethical values.
Ejiofor maintained that rescuing Nigeria required more than changing political officeholders. It also demanded rescuing young people from economic enslavement, moral decline and the belief that success was measured by wealth or proximity to political power.
He urged Nigerians to collectively recover the nation’s values, rebuild its youth population and reclaim the future, warning that a society that destroys its foundation cannot expect a stable future.
He concluded with a prayer for the country to recover its values, rescue its youths and reclaim the future.
Tags: Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Nigerian youths, Unemployment, Moral decadence, Political leadership.
