Do it for the children

The only thing Africa has left is the future.
Marita Golden (1950 - )
U.S. writer and teacher.
A Woman's Place
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Children, they say, are the future. Because the future belongs to them. However they can only grow up to meet whatever we leave behind for them when we die.

The decisions we make today determine the future we meet tomorrow. In a certain movie I watched recently, a profound statement was made- “there is no such thing as fate. Only choices…” In other words, the real issue is not what is meant to be (fate), but the decisions we make. The choices we make today determine our fate. But not only ours, but the fate of our children also. We have all heard of parents leaving behind for their children either great wealth, or conversely, great debt.

Many of us grew up to live with the consequences of our fathers’ irresponsible lifestyles. Or our mothers neglect. It is indeed a thing of sorrow to see our children suffer because we made wrong decisions.

This calls for us as members of this present generation to begin to build a better Nigeria for our children to enjoy. Let them grow up to meet a better socioeconomic system that guarantees a better standard of living.

Talking about health for instance, in particular HIV, how pitiful it will be to have children born with the deadly virus. But that will be the case if we do not take heed to the clarion call for responsible sexuality.

For those of us clamoring for a revolution in Nigeria, the benefit of succeeding in such a revolution is not just a better life for ourselves but also for our unborn seeds.

So if your life is just the way you want it right now and you find yourself being dulled into complacency and nonchalance about the current state of Nigerian affairs, well, I urge you to wake up. Do something to make things better. At least do it for the children.