By Jude Atupulazi
A lecture by Mr Jude Atupulazi to the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON), St Mary’s Parish, Nimo, on the occasion of their event captioned, ”Maiden CYON Day”, on August 31, 2025
When I was told about this event and that I was going to receive an award by the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria, St Mary’s Parish, Nimo, Chapter, I quickly told Ambassador Patrick Ejide, your President, who invited me, that I wanted to use the opportunity to deliver a talk, free of charge, to you people. I chose to do this because I found it more beneficial to you than anything else at this stage of our national life because you represent the future.
It comes at a time when core values have been eroded by materialistic pursuits. It is also coming at a most auspicious time when you are having a day in which you hope to regain the vibrancy which you were formerly known for. According to you people, it’s more like a Youth Day, only that it’s the first time in the History of CYON, St Mary’s Parish, Egbengwu, Nimo, that such an event has been organised for about 30 years of its existence in the parish.
For one, I’m never crazy about awards or titles. This is largely because of the way awards have been bastardized in our society. To put it simply, awards have become purchasable, such that they are given on the basis of what is expected from the awardee (I hope and believe that your awards will be different). This is why only a certain category of people receive awards today in Nigeria, regardless of their background. It is either proper checks are not carried out or the awarders are simply driven by the desire to raise money, thus throwing decency to the winds and recognizing the wrong people, just because they have money.
This is why you will never see certain categories of people receiving awards. People like masons, carpenters, motor mechanics, etc. These are people not in a position to pay for the awards.
But I ask? What will happen if that shoemaker over there is given an award for being diligent, honest and trustworthy? What about that mason that has built many solid structures? And how about the mechanic that doesn’t steal parts of vehicles while working on them? Imagine how they will feel if they receive an award in recognition of their contributions for a better society?
Also imagine the kind of positive message such awards will deliver to members of the public, especially the younger generation? In case you don’t know, the message will be that no matter what anyone does, as long as they do it diligently and honestly, society will recognize their efforts. It will also encourage the younger generation to work hard in their chosen professions, knowing that people are watching and that their good efforts will be rewarded.
But alas! Such isn’t the case in our today’s society. Everything goes to the highest bidder and when such happens, the younger generation who are watching will believe that the process doesn’t matter but the end.
It is safe to say that much of what we have today that are going bad is caused by our wrong reward system in which the wrong people are recognised as chiefs, bazaar chairmen and members of the parish council; even knights. But why would such people even accept such positions, you may ask. It seems rather harsh to say this but it is a truth we must accept if we want a better society where values will be respected.
We live in an age when everything has been turned upside down because of our greed and gluttony. The youths have become monsters who prey on their society. They have grown to loath hard work, choosing rather to live in easy street without working hard. This is why we have many young people today proudly proclaiming their nefarious trade called Yahoo-Yahoo and the people are cheering them and honouring them. Today it’s just a matter of cash, not quality or integrity anymore.
Remember the story of the man in Enugu State who kidnapped and dumped people inside pits in his compound? He received many awards and appeared at many events where he was applauded and where he sprayed money on people who clapped, clapped and yelled in ecstasy.
No one knew the source of his money and nobody wanted to know. It sufficed that he was a money magnate. I’m sure he was the hero and role model of many a youth in his community. But then, one day, the bubble burst and his true identity was laid bare. He was one of those people who did money rituals by killing people.
To you people who are giving out awards today, I hope it was not driven by the desire to raise money, even if those who are going to receive the awards are good, as I’m sure they are, given some of the faces I’ve seen. My point, however, is that awards should never be based on materialism. It is a no-no for me.
This is because any mistake made will have a lasting and damaging effect on society. Rather than rely on awardees to give you money, meet some people before the event and ask for assistance for the event you are planning. With their assistance, you can now buy plaques for the awards, pay for the venue, provide refreshment and ensure that everything goes well. This way, you will not be relying on awardees for money and when this happens you will not give just anyone awards out of desperation.
You know we live in a vain society where some people can cease talking to you because you did not address them properly. Addressing them properly means reeling out all their titular names when introducing them.
A man at a wedding caused a stir when upon repeated calls for him to proceed to the table, he stuck to his guns and sat in his seat. It was only when someone went up to the master of ceremony and told him to include all his titles, and it was done, that the man finally stood up to proceed to the table. Thus it has become fashionable today to hear such names as Chief Dr Sir so and so, the Akuluounu of so and so town; Chief Engr Dr Sir so and so, the Ochiliozua of so and so town.
All these are actually often empty names because when you look around to see how many people have benefited from the aku or wealth of the Akuluouno you will not see. You look right and left to see how many people have been trained in business or sponsored in school by the Ochiliozua, you will see no one. Yet, these people take delight in answering such names. When this happens, the younger ones are watching and believing that all that matters is money.
Let’s not blame only them. We are also part of the problem. You attend a funeral or traditional marriage ceremony and you see a professor, a top civil servant or an accomplished teacher enter the arena and nobody knows they are there because the master of ceremony feels they cannot bring money. But once one of these money magnates enters, everywhere goes wild.
The MC, the Deejay, the oja people, the ogene and drum beaters, will swoop on the person, each singing his praise and shouting at the top of their voices. They do this because of what they expect to get from him. They do this even when they know that the source of his wealth is questionable. Now, tell me why the young people there will not want to be like him. This is the problem. Everything is now valued in terms of money.
Away from this, let’s talk about you, the young generation. How many of you are patient enough to work hard and wait for their time? Very few, I must say. Many of you now want to be rich overnight without commensurate work. In years past, those who did not continue with their education went to learn a trade. They were sent on apprenticeship to accomplished skilled workmen or established traders. They served their masters with humility, dedication and honesty and at the end of their apprenticeship were set up by their masters and the cycle continued.
These days what do we see? You send someone to go and stay with a master and the next day you start hearing stories. It is either they start stealing their master blind or they return home because they have no patience to learn the trade. When they come home, they become emergency land speculators.
They roam the bushes and farms looking for land to sell illegally. The other day a friend told me how he had to rush down from Onitsha to Nimo after he was told their family land had been sold. He was lucky to find the buyer and told him that he had been swindled by those who sold him the land.
These type of people will tell you that they own the land; that they are the youths. Indeed, today, the word, youth, has become synonymous with ikpa aghala, inupu isi and icho okwu. These set of people have what we know as entitlement mentality. They believe that their fathers, siblings and community are owing them and thus try to justify whatever they do. But are they qualified to answer youths? No!
A youth is someone who has a focus, who wakes up in the morning, does his chores and heads either to school, to his shop or to where he is learning a skill or trade. He has no time for idleness. He is respectful, honest and hardworking. He strives to be the best at what he does. That is the ideal youth for you. Not those who wake up and sit in front of shops in the morning watching others go to work.
How can we help? We can help in many ways, part of which is what I’m doing now which is talking to you. We can help by enthroning a good reward system whereby those who excel in their chosen vocations are appreciated and recognized. No profession is bigger or more honourable than the other. It is only in these parts that we try to segregate. The same way an academic professor who is proficient at what he does is respected by society is the same way a good shoemaker should be respected too.
They are both experts in their fields, ditto, the best mechanic, the best tailor or the best builder. Without the tailor, the academic professor will go naked; without the shoemaker, he will walk barefooted; and without the mechanic he will park his car at home and walk to his office. This is the same way as the mechanic and the rest will need to consult a doctor when they are sick, or a lawyer when they have a case. This means that all professions depend on one another. None is superior, even though in our clime we make it look like some are superior.
The bottom line is that whatever you do genuinely for a living, be proud of it and strive to be the best. Once you are the best, people will be coming for your services and we can help by recognizing each and every one when the time comes for such recognitions. That is why I would have been happy if among those you are recognizing today are those who are usually ignored.
In communities chieftaincy titles can be conferred on people who excel in their professions or vocations, and not just those who can splash money about. In the CWO, Ezinnes can be those women who sweep the church daily, as well as those church wardresses. It should not only be those whose children live abroad or those who can splash the cash. Same goes for those chosen as CWO Presidents.
In this parish in the past we had such women as the late Mrs Inyiagu and the late Mrs Obodoeze, the former catechist’s wife, who were CWO Presidents in their time. They did not acquire formal education but everyone could attest that their tenures were the best. They led by example and believed in the truth.
We should be looking out for people who have the right qualification and passion to do the job, not those whose only claim to leadership is their position in society. Thus, when we want to reward people we do so based on track record and not on material acquisition.
In your next awards I expect to see some of these people I have mentioned among the awardees. It is something that if you do, you will be sending the right message across that in whatever field one finds oneself, if they excel, society will recognize and appreciate them.
Let me end by appreciating your efforts in keeping the light of CYON burning. Know that whatever effort you put in today will be rewarded somehow in the future. Many are called but few are chosen.
Jisinu ike.Â
