I watched a BBC documentary a few days ago about African immigrants making the journey across the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe. I often watch documentaries, but this one was among the most heartbreaking for me.
The documentary featured a man with a wife and a two-year-old baby. He had been saving money to pay a smuggler to take him and others on a fishing boat across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe.
The man was 100% willing to leave his wife, young child, and mother behind—not because he was facing persecution or fleeing from war, but because he believed it was his only chance for a better future. Even his family agreed with his decision.
Sadly, this is the case for many Africans, especially the youth. I would not be surprised if, among the readers of this article, some would consider taking the dangerous illegal route to Europe, leaving behind everyone and everything they know.
Honestly, I don’t blame the youth entirely for running away from extreme poverty and the lack of a bright future to chase a dream they perceive as achievable elsewhere. I understand this because I have been in a similar situation.
After my father passed away in 2015, I found myself in difficult circumstances. I know that if I had the opportunity to get on a boat across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, I would have taken it. Looking back now, I am glad I never had that chance.
There are many countries in Africa facing extreme war and lacking reliable governments. However, in a country like Nigeria, I don’t see why we can’t make it a place where citizens feel no need to escape due to poverty.
The facts are right before our eyes, but sadly, most of us choose to turn a blind eye—and that is the root of our problems. This is why extreme poverty and insecurity are growing in every corner of the continent.
By December 2024, Nigeria’s National Electricity Grid had collapsed for the 12th time this year. While the government pretended it didn’t have the funds to fix it, they managed to purchase 12 Alpha Jets from France.
Politicians are not the answer. We are the answer.
I am going to say something that whenever I say it people pretend they never heard it. But if we just listen, it might help change the future of our countries.
In the next election, every person who has held any political office in the last 20 years should not be elected to any position of power. They have failed us. If we continue voting for the same people who have held different positions of power over the last two decades, nothing will change.
Let’s vote for an entirely new administration. If they fail to fulfill their promises in their first term, we replace them.
We have that power. If we start using it, things might begin to change.
That said, we as individuals also have a responsibility to contribute to positive change. No matter how good a government is, if you wait for them to change your life, you are in trouble.
There are many ways to change your life and help others around you. If you have internet access, you have access to the largest free learning platform in the world—YouTube.
Instead of mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, why not learn something on YouTube that can help you in one area of your life?
You can learn how to make money online, get a specific job, improve your health, or enhance your relationships. By investing time in self-improvement instead of wasting it, you can change your life over time.
If we all strive to be better and work toward making our country a better place, we might succeed. In the years to come, we could live in a better place without having to leave our families and everything we know behind.
Everyone has a part to play, and we have to start taking this responsibility for our lives to start changing for the better.
