The Nigerian adolescent has been
so much underrated, short-changed and placed in a relatively disadvantaged
position in this cyber age – This age where we have access to a lot of stories
but very little of ours. It is only in understanding our past that we can we
courageously change our future. Nevertheless, gradually, our stories die… The
very stories that should have given us inclines into our history leave us with
a little leeway into preservation of these cultures. Like Alyson Mead, I am
urging with this project, the Nigerian child, my friend, to wake up to her
stories. We were masters of the art when it was oral – our ancestors tell us we
used to stay in the open dark, brightened by the moon’s brilliance, till very
late at night telling the younger ones tradition – preserving stories that
thought morals in gaiety. We can still dominate it now, combining telling it to
our small households and to the world around us. The story is what truly
counts. The world’s knowledge base is growing astronomically; we have the
basics already from the global community and do not need to throw away our core
values as Africans. As Nigerians in particular; knowledge entrenchment is what
we need.
Some of our teachers in recent
times deny the fact that our adolescent know more than they assume them to,
thus breading a strong spirit of distrust. Why should I trust you when you deny
without explanation, that a man can marry a man, and a woman, a woman, when I
see it daily on the internet? Why will you teach me too shun bribes but receive
same, to be patriotic when all I have seen until this age has been the
opposite. Why did you not name, but chose to rename an old dog? They ask so
many yet unanswered questions and I know that apology, in the form of conscious
capacity - building is imperative.
Hence, this project is to be a
meeting place especially for our today’s adolescents, and indeed, teachers (all
with goodwill). It will constantly raise topical societal issues with the
African moral tilt with the sole aim of preserving our lush and green cultural
heritage and morals through value reorientation of our youths, with adolescents
in the forefront. It is simple: we salvage by get the remaining stories and
good traditions (Language, dressing, etiquettes, etc.) from our elders and transmit
them on, hoping that they never die again. We will preach our sacred African tradition,
which encompasses national consciousness and age long virtues like honesty,
respect for elders, dignity of labour, and selfless service among others. Taking
a step further, hope restoration through mentoring, career guidance and talent
sharpening will be pursued through various segments of this magazine.
The uniqueness of this project is
that it’s teachings will be carried out through contemporary means; i.e., the
internet, particularly the social network media, where these young ones, and
indeed, the world at large can be found. Above all, this project will not
attempt to deny obvious truths, nor judge rashly but will swiftly point out the
errors constantly mingled with knowledge transmitted in seemingly goodwill. So
I welcome you aboard, let us re discover – or take back, if at all it was
stolen - our heritage. Let us teach them, ask them and let our echoes resound
in the big theatre of stories once again. Let us, like our fathers and fathers
before them keep our African tradition, tales and morals clean, lush and green.
Akpe Tombari A
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