By Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
This conversation isn’t about APC or any political group, not really. Just listen to Professor Wole Soyinka, his words cut deep: “WHERE DID WE GO WRONG. WAKE UP NIGERIAN YOUTHS!” That’s the heart of it. Let’s rewind for a second. Awolowo was only 37, Akintola hit 36, Ahmadu Bello stood at 36 as well, Balewa just 34.
Okotie-Eboh and Enahoro. Both clocked in at a mere 27 years old. These were the people spearheading Nigeria’s fight for independence after Macaulay passed on. Outside of Zik, who was already 42 by then, everyone else fell squarely into their twenties and thirties. Now look at what happened in 1966,the first military coup wasn’t orchestrated by seasoned elders, but led by Nzeogwu at age 29.
His counterparts weren’t much older: Murtala Mohammed and T.Y.. Danjuma were both just shy of thirty (28), IBB (Babangida) only had 25 birthdays behind him, while J. Garba, Sani Abacha and Shehu Yar’adua each tallied up just twenty-three years apiece. The aftermath. The reins of power landed with the likes of Yakubu Gowon (32), Odimegwu Ojukwu (33), Olusegun Obasanjo (29), even Muhammadu Buhari, a mere lad at twenty-four..
Virtually all the state governors during those successive military regimes hadn’t yet turned thirty either. And don’t forget that brief period when democracy flickered between stretches of military rule; back then too you’d find plenty under-30s sitting in the Senate or House,no shortage there. Youthful appointments weren’t rare: MT Mbu took up Foreign Affairs Minister duties aged only twenty-three; Pat Utomi became a federal adviser before turning thirty (he was just twenty-seven). The list could go on, it’s honestly staggering. But here’s what keeps gnawing away: Why is it today that so many in this same age group are still dozing off on three-seater sofas in their parents’ living rooms.
How come they’re still waiting around for pocket money from mum and dad. What happened that so many are still stuck prepping endlessly for JAMB exams. Why does this generation seem content sagging trousers instead of standing tall,or hunting relentlessly for jobs instead of settling down into married life. When did it become normal that folks under thirty can no longer even lead youth wings within political parties. You have to wonder, why such passivity now.
Why has feeding oneself become an uphill battle for so many young adults these days. Who decided they shouldn’t even bother aspiring to certain political offices anymore. Even more troubling,how did we reach a point where asking tough questions seems out of reach altogether; where being incapacitated or unwilling to challenge things feels almost expected. That’s straight from Professor Wole Soyinka himself, and if ever there was food for thought worth chewing over, this is it. Forwarded exactly as received,you see why he sounds the alarm!
Signed
Otunba (Dr) Abdulfalil Abayomi Odunowo
National President
SpeakUp Collective Nigeria (SCN)
Wole Soyinka’s call to action resonates deeply when you consider how Nigeria’s early leaders were often in their twenties and thirties—people who stepped up during critical moments. It’s a stark contrast to today’s youth, many of whom seem disengaged or disillusioned. His words remind us that true leadership isn’t about age but about vision, courage, and accountability—qualities that need to be reclaimed by the next generation.