The 21st Century Revolutionist: Why Young Nigerians Must Move From Complaining to Creating Change

By Ayodeji Olalekan Ayobami (AyoDaReporter)

How many times have you complained about Nigeria this week?

Perhaps you complained about the cost of living, transportation, electricity, unemployment, poor governance, insecurity, education or simply the frustrations of everyday life.

Now, a more important question: how many times have you actually done something, no matter how small, to change the situation you complained about?

That question captures one of the most important challenges facing young people today. We have become very good at identifying problems, discussing them and expressing our frustration, but the real test of citizenship is what we do after the complaint.

This is where the idea of the 21st-century revolutionist becomes important.

The 21st Century Revolutionist is an annual virtual conference and summit organised by Nelson Obasola through NOBA — Nelson Obasola B. Arts. It is designed for entrepreneurs and people in the creative industry: people who are building, creating, innovating and using their skills to shape the future.

When many people hear the word “revolution,” they immediately think about protests, violence, the overthrow of governments or dramatic events from history. But revolution is not necessarily about violence. At its core, it is about significant change, like challenging an existing way of doing things and creating something better.

The 21st-century revolutionist, therefore, does not necessarily have to carry a placard or stand on a political podium. The revolutionist of today can be a student, journalist, photographer, designer, entrepreneur, programmer, teacher, activist or ordinary citizen who looks at a problem and asks a simple question: “What can I do about it?”

The world has changed dramatically, particularly in the way information is created and distributed. A few decades ago, if something happened in a community, getting the information to thousands of people required a newspaper, radio station or television network. Today, a young person with a smartphone can document an event, produce a report and reach thousands of people within minutes. That is a revolution in itself.

My own journey is an example of how change can begin with limited resources. I started designing with a mobile phone, teaching myself without formal training. I also began my media journey by taking random pictures and videos of my environment. What started as simple curiosity gradually became a way of observing, documenting and communicating the world around me.

Those early experiences taught me that people do not always need perfect equipment or formal opportunities before they can begin. Sometimes, they only need the willingness to start with what they have, learn along the way and remain consistent.

As a journalist and media practitioner, I have had the opportunity to cover and document protests in Lagos and Ibadan. Those experiences have shown me the power of ordinary citizens to tell their own stories and bring issues to public attention. I have seen how a camera can become more than a device for taking pictures; it can become a tool for documentation, accountability and history.

Note: But the power of technology comes with an equally important responsibility.

The same smartphone that can expose injustice can also spread misinformation. The same social media platform that can give a voice to the voiceless can also amplify propaganda. The same technology that allows citizens to challenge those in power can be used to manipulate public opinion.

This is why the 21st-century revolutionist must not only be courageous but also informed.

Information is power, but false information can be destructive.

The fact that thousands of people have shared something does not make it true. The fact that a popular influencer posted it does not make it true. The fact that it supports our political beliefs does not make it true.

One of the biggest challenges of our digital age is that people often believe information because they like it, rather than because they have verified it.

A responsible citizen must therefore learn to ask: Is this true? Where did this information come from? What evidence supports it? What is the other side of the story?

That responsibility is particularly important for young people because they are among the biggest users and creators of digital content.

For years, young Nigerians have been told that they are “the leaders of tomorrow.” But tomorrow has been postponed for too long.

Young people are not merely leaders of tomorrow. They are already participants in today’s society.

They are voters, entrepreneurs, employees, students, content creators, innovators, community organisers and professionals. They are already influencing conversations, shaping culture and building businesses.

The question should therefore not only be what young people will become in the future. The question should be what they are doing today.

A young person does not need to become president before contributing to society. A person does not need to become a governor before demanding accountability. A person does not need millions of followers before making an impact.

Change can begin with something much smaller.

If unemployment is a problem, a young person can acquire a skill, build a business and eventually create opportunities for others.

If misinformation is a problem, someone can become a responsible journalist or content creator.

If students in a community are struggling, someone can organise a learning group.

If a community has an environmental problem, someone can organise people to address it.

The difference between a complainer and a revolutionist is often what happens after identifying the problem.

The complainer asks, “Who is responsible?”

The revolutionist also asks, “What can I do?”

That does not mean citizens should stop demanding accountability from government. Government has a responsibility to provide good governance, protect citizens and create an environment where people can thrive.

But demanding accountability and taking personal responsibility are not mutually exclusive.

We cannot build a better society while reproducing the same behaviours we criticise.

A person who condemns corruption but offers a bribe whenever it is convenient must examine that contradiction. A person who complains about political misinformation but shares false information because it supports their preferred politician must also examine that contradiction.

The revolution must therefore change not only the people in positions of authority but also the mindset of the people demanding change.

This is particularly important in Nigeria, where political conversations can become deeply emotional. People sometimes become more interested in defeating the person they disagree with than in finding solutions to the problems affecting everyone.

But a genuine revolutionist must be willing to question even those on their own side.

The goal should not simply be to win an argument. The goal should be to move society forward.

Technology has given young people unprecedented opportunities to participate in this process.

A smartphone can be a newsroom. A social media account can become a platform for education. A camera can document history. Graphic design can communicate ideas. A business can create employment. A computer programme can solve a problem.

Our professions and skills can become instruments of social change.

As someone involved in journalism, photography, graphic design and media, I have come to appreciate that contribution to society does not always have to look dramatic. Sometimes, it is simply doing your work responsibly and using your skills to make something better.

- A photograph can tell a story.

- A journalist can bring an issue to public attention.

- A designer can make an important message understandable.

- A teacher can change the direction of a young person’s life.

- An entrepreneur can create jobs.

- A programmer can develop a solution.

- A student can discover an idea that eventually transforms an industry.

The revolution can therefore begin wherever we are.i

The problem is that many people are waiting for the perfect moment. They believe they need more money, more followers, more connections, more education or a political position before they can make a contribution.

But meaningful change rarely begins with having everything.

It begins with using what you already have.

The 21st-century revolutionist must be willing to learn, question, create, organise and act.

- See the problem.

- Understand the problem.

- Speak about it responsibly.

- Organise around solutions.

- Take action.

- Create impact.

That is a more useful approach to social change than simply being angry.

Nigeria does not lack people who can identify its problems. What we desperately need are more people willing to turn their knowledge, skills and frustration into constructive action.

The revolution we need does not have to be a revolution of violence. It can be a revolution of ideas, knowledge, innovation, accountability, integrity, responsible citizenship and technological creativity.

It can be a revolution in how we educate our children.

- A revolution in how we use social media.

- A revolution in how we demand accountability.

- A revolution in how we build businesses.

- A revolution in how we treat one another.

- A revolution in how young Nigerians see themselves.

The 21st-century revolutionist is not necessarily the loudest person in the room. It is not necessarily the person with the biggest following or the person standing on the biggest political platform.

It is the person who sees a problem, takes the time to understand it, questions the status quo, develops the knowledge and courage to challenge it, and takes meaningful steps towards creating something better.

We should stop waiting for somebody else to change everything.

The future is not something that will simply happen to us. We are participating in creating it every day through our choices, our skills, our voices, our technology and our actions.

So the question is no longer simply whether Nigeria needs change.

The more important question is this:

What kind of change are you prepared to create, and what are you personally willing to do to make it happen?