Speaking in The Wilderness

Bristling with frustration, lounging within the obscure, talents going unheeded, voice stifled, smothering in naivety, a transformation occurred. I became a bird resorting to chirping noises, tweeting across the social medium. This act has been described as one of broadcasting daily short burst messages to the world, with the hope that ones messages are useful and interesting to someone.

But this was no ordinary tweet but a direct message in which I identified the someone as the Ag. Presidential Spokesman. I took a chance in naivety and felt he might hear me, notice me, respond to me and identify me as a chance worth considering and a worthwhile investment in a bid to transform Nigeria.

In the tweet I identified myself as possibly ‘the best Nigerian Speech Writer and polemist’ of my generation, I betrayed thoughts that I did not expect a response but half expected him to defy my defeatism with something extraordinary. But why should he and why would he?

In Nigeria of 2017 we inhabit the plains where mediocrity thrives, were nepotism is the flagship and were merit is trampled upon.  Why should he care about me for what do I have to offer him?  Why should the shield protecting access to his principal or his team be pierced?  Who am I and where do I come from? What are my connections?  For all we care he may think I remain an anonymity baying from the sidelines like thousands simply wanting to make a name and earn a crust.  The reality is I have nothing to offer in this sphere but professionalism, wit and a speaker of truth to power.

I have an unflinching belief that I belong to a generation that has promise but has failed that promise in some respect, but how can we not for what is promise if it its not something impossible to live up to? But my confidence is that our failed promise will only truly fail when it leads to lower expectations.

But my own promise must not end with my failed ambition to connect with the Spokesman of the Ag. President for I must find a way to establish in some place the rhythm of argument that government should be a place where people come together and no one gets left behind, an instrument of good.

Therefore I shall not give up on trying to bait the attention of the Ag. President through his spokesman for I have learnt from my years in the wilderness that change comes in excruciating increments to those that want it.  You must be the change you wish to see in the world and make the impossible plausible.

Finally, I say to ‘Laolu Akande never doubt that a single committed and thoughtful individual can change the world.

Olu Ojedokun writes from Lead City University, Ibadan