Mr. Gilbert Ogechukwu Nworie

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐏𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡

Unarguably, hunger, deprivation and poverty are not the sole causes of criminality among the youth. Over the years, factors such as greed and get-rich-quick syndrome have been empirically shown to also be a major cause why young people engage in criminality more especially robbery and kidnapping . In this brief reflection, we will only focus on hunger, poverty and deprivation because they are the most basic, such that if well addressed, criminality among the youth will be reduced drastically.

It is unfortunate that the length and breadth of Nigeria appear to be in a siege: a siege created by criminally-minded youth whose stock in trade is robbery, kidnapping and other social vices geared towards making money. More saddening is the fact that things don't look like they are getting better any time soon.

Some of the major precursors to the criminality among the young people are hunger, poverty and deprivation. Alas, the youth are even getting poorer and more frustrated day by day. That means this criminality, as a business, isn't stopping soon.

In the last 48 hours, about 20 cases of kidnapping was reported by Harrison Gwamnishu. Do you know how much they were demanding? 50m, 30m, etc. There's an economic way government can follow to address this case. Empowering the youth, not sharing 100k to them, could be the first starting point. Nwoba Chika Nwoba has been championing this years back, and even now. Hehas a wonderful template on how economic empowerment can address this issue.

Many factors equally worsen the menace as we that are a little bit eating well look less concerned about the menace of poverty and deprivation.

The government isn't worried because they have right security details.

We keep on calling our gods for a divine intervention; but it seems all our gods conspired against us, leaving us to the mercy of our woes and foes. Alex Ifeanyi Oguta JP would always claim spirits can't help mortals. I'm tempted to believing him at this juncture.

Each day, we lament and lament, and then keep quiet, waiting for the next victim so that same cycle of lamentation will be repeated.

Dearest God, they have said severally that you're the most powerful. Why not demonstrate this power against those that have decided we will not be free to worship you?

There should be liberty in the presence of God naa. And the whole earth is supposed to be immersed in you.

This is no way a blackmail. But God, collect this power from our enemies, dearest Grand Architect of the Universe.

The youth that are jobless, God, please intervene. The youth that are frustrated, find a miraculous way of restoring their joy and peace. I'm not commanding you to wipe evil away. I'm only pleading that you reduce our sufferings and fears.

I make this prayer in the name of Allah (if he's the one to save us), in the name of the Christian God (if he's the one), in the name of Jesus (if he's willing and capable), in the name of Amadioha (if he's the one), in the name of Igwekala (if he has the capacity), and in the name of all the good spirits in the land, air and sea.

Amen.

Gilbert Ogechukwu Nworie

𝘌𝘮𝘦𝘬𝘢: 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰, 𝘎𝘪𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘵. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘪𝘭. 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 a 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳. 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘪𝘵𝘴. 𝘏𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 ₦500,000 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸. 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 ₦610,000 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘭𝘮 𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘦?

Me: Ah, Emeka, congratulations. This is good. Happy to hear you have identified a problem in the society and discovered a solution. You are correct, that ₦500,000 isn’t enough. Same lack of money is a major challenge why many people have not started their businesses.

My brother, you need to start first, despite the smallness of the capital. Every great business started somewhere — and most often, that “somewhere” was smaller than ideal. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t is not how much they started with, but that they started at all.

Just start small, think big, grow steady. ₦500,000 might not fund your full dream right now, but it’s more than enough to start moving. Many thriving entrepreneurs today began with less. What they had was clarity, commitment, and creativity.

If you can’t start the whole business, start a part of it. Focus on a single product, a minimum viable service, or a pilot version of your larger idea. Use the income and experience from that to grow. This is called bootstrapping, and it's how most real entrepreneurs build sustainable businesses.

©Gilbert Ogechukwu Nworie

𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬

Fear of criticism has held countless people back from pursuing their dreams. Ironically, that same fear has stopped many well-meaning individuals from doing evil. So yes—public criticism can have both positive and negative effects.
But here's the truth: we must not let the fear of others' opinions rob us of the life we are meant to live. I challenge us to be unapologetic about our dreams. Embrace them boldly. Let the critics talk—that's what mouths do. As long as you're walking the path of goodness, innovation, and integrity, their words hold no weight.
Now, look at the other extreme: many politicians in Nigeria have become so desensitized that they shamelessly commit wrongdoings without a care for public opinion. If they can be unashamed in doing wrong, why can’t you be just as bold in doing what’s right?
Why should the light within you be dimmed by the fear of being judged? Start that business today. If you fail, rise and try again. Submit that PhD application. Finalize those wedding plans. Whatever it is—move forward.

𝑫𝒊𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒓, 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝑴𝒂𝒚 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅

© 𝑮𝒊𝒍𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒕 𝑵𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆