An Anambra-born human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has expressed deep concern over worsening economic hardship, unemployment and moral decadence among Nigerian youths, warning that the country risks losing its future as young people increasingly sacrifice their political independence and moral 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 a generation raised on the promise of becoming tomorrow’s leaders had been reduced to seeking political handouts from leaders who, in many cases, had occupied positions of authority since the youths were children.
He questioned when the much-promised tomorrow would arrive, noting that the same message of hope and responsibility continued to be taught to young Nigerians, including his daughter, who is on the verge of completing her university education.
The human rights lawyer observed that millions of unemployed graduates were roaming the streets in search of opportunities, while some had become political praise-singers, endorsing the ambitions of politicians old enough to be their great-grandfathers.
According to him, the situation was particularly tragic because some of the politicians now receiving enthusiastic endorsements from young people were already in positions of authority when those youths were still in kindergarten, being taught that they would eventually inherit the responsibility of leadership.
He condemned the practice of unemployed youths appearing on television, mounting political platforms and issuing what he described as fanciful votes of confidence in public officeholders whose stewardship, he argued, had contributed to the country's present difficulties.
Ejiofor attributed the phenomenon to hunger, unemployment and economic strangulation, warning that the temporary relief provided by political handouts often came at the expense of the youths’ long-term interests.
He said the tragedy became more apparent after elections, when political benefactors retreated into their privileged lives, leaving the young people who campaigned for them to return to the same poverty and deprivation.
“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 lamented.
The lawyer also expressed concern over what he described as the growing celebration and normalisation of moral decadence among young Nigerians, particularly on social media.
Using social media engagement as an illustration, Ejiofor observed that intellectually stimulating and educational articles often struggled to attract attention, while sexually provocative content could draw thousands of young people into comment sections, applauding and celebrating what he considered indecent displays.
He described the contrast as an inversion of societal values, warning that a society that celebrates conduct that ought to provoke reflection risks losing its moral compass.
“The situation is further compounded by the dangerous obsession with instant wealth, popularly exemplified by internet fraud, otherwise known as Yahoo Yahoo, and other fraudulent shortcuts to prosperity,” he stated.
Ejiofor lamented that hard work, integrity, patience and legitimate enterprise were increasingly being displaced by the desperate pursuit of wealth without corresponding investment in character or lawful effort.
He also questioned the future of political leadership in Nigeria, asking whether youths who appeared to have surrendered their moral compass and political independence could rescue the country, or whether the political class, which he accused of perpetuating dynastic succession, would continue to dominate the nation's affairs.
He criticised the practice of transferring political power from one family member to another while the majority of young people were left scrambling for what he described as political crumbs.
“Is this the leadership succession we promised them, or merely a sophisticated arrangement for perpetuating political dynasties?” he asked.
However, the human rights lawyer acknowledged that many Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad were motivated by the belief that diligence, discipline, competence and hard work could still lead to a meaningful future.
He argued that a country that made honest labour unrewarding should not be surprised when its most promising young people sought opportunities elsewhere.
Ejiofor also called for fundamental moral and intellectual reforms in tertiary institutions, insisting that universities must go beyond awarding certificates to cultivating character, discipline, critical thinking, civic responsibility and ethical values.
Reflecting on the values taught during his university days, he questioned how the country had strayed so far from the ideals of hard work, integrity, decency and responsible citizenship.
He maintained that rescuing Nigeria required more than changing political officeholders, stressing the need to rescue young people from economic enslavement, intellectual laziness, moral bankruptcy and the belief that relevance was measured by wealth, indecency or proximity to political power.
Citing the traditional wisdom that a house cannot stand when its foundation is destroyed, Ejiofor warned that a generation that sold its conscience for temporary benefits should not be surprised when its future was taken away.
He called for a collective effort to recover the nation's values, rescue its youths and reclaim the future, concluding that Nigeria's challenges could not be overcome through political promises alone.
“May God help us recover our values, rescue our youths and reclaim the future we have so recklessly endangered,” he prayed.
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