Imo State Rabbit Empowerment Scheme: A Political Disgrace

It was precisely a fortnight ago that a viral video hit social media spaces regarding an empowerment scheme by a Nigerian governor. Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, in a bid to empower unemployed youths in the state, decided to do so with rabbits.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony on Friday, November 27, the Governor said he is determined to engage the youths in productive ventures like agriculture that will guarantee employment, Daily Nigerian reports.

As observed by Eko Hot Blog, the Imo State Governor also stated that the empowerment program was going to guarantee food security, employment for Imo state youths and reduce restiveness across the state.

Indeed, it wasn’t exactly a surprise for many to doubt the veracity of the viral news across various media. For much of Nigeria’s regrettable democracy, the Nigerian populace has witnessed varying degrees of mockery in the name of empowerment schemes. But this was an all time low. This was outright mockery.

It has become axiomatic for human society in general to embrace the indubitable reality that the only constant factor in existence is change. This, of course explains why the once venerated Greco-Roman civilization has swiftly given way for the modern civilization of today.

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To this end, society has endured to evolve with the times and seasons, with drab and unproductive methods giving way to newer and more productive paradigms; from science and technology, to medical and clinical sciences, to legal practice, and even agriculture.
During the flagging off of the empowerment program, the Imo State governor had hinted at the exercise being aimed at engaging the youths to meaningfully contribute to the agricultural sector, but then, there is a reason why rabbit rearing doesn’t fly anymore, that’s assuming it ever did.

Over the years, there has been strong indications as to the wealth of talent, ideas and inventiveness possessed by the average Nigerian youth; ideas which could be properly harnessed and launched with the right support and incentives, but instead of exploring means of supporting youths in ventures with relevance and high economic value, the governor chose rabbit!

One of the biggest shocks experienced by Nigerian graduate is the level of competitiveness of the labour market, not necessarily due to a paucity of employment opportunities but as a result of the requisite skills needed to compete with young people all over the world who are clinching giant strides in different fields of human endeavour. Therefore, in recognition of this wide chasm which is fast developing between Nigerian youths and their foreign counterparts, it becomes vitally necessary for government to move quickly and support young people in the quest to create and devise viable solutions to society’s grimmest problems, not give them rabbits.

As pontificated earlier, within the rich history of political mendacity which characterizes Nigerian politics, this is an all time low. It is a bedraggling of Nigerian youths light years behind their contemporaries at a time the global space, more than ever, is counting on the young and idealistic to proffer viable solutions to mankind’s unending problems.

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