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AFTER THE PARTY, WHAT NEXT?
On Saturday, we will all be celebrating 30 years of meeting each other. I am quite excited and a little apprehensive by the prospect - not just because I will be seeing old faces after such a longtime, but because Saturday will be my first day in Nigeria after 19 years of voluntary exile. I feel I should point out - ahead of our meeting - that there are very important issues which we have so far avoided. I hope to raise one of such issues and I hope (at least) some of you take them seriously.
I would like to start by telling my story of Kings college. I suspect that it is similar to that of many of you.
When I was in primary school, King's College was a BIG BIG thing. Everyone in my primary school wanted to go to 'KC'. Every boy in the country wanted to go to 'KC'. Thousands of people in every year were trying to get into a set of just 60 places. When I was 8 or 9, my then teacher was so impressed by me that he kept on saying that he was very sure that "Victor would go to King's College". In our school, that was the ultimate accolade. He kept on repeating it throughout the year - much to my embarrassment. But I had to get used to it, because - guess what - my other teachers kept repeating the same thing until I left the primary school. And I remember when I was as 8, my teacher said to me "...and when you go to KC make sure you do something great for our country". I really am not making this up. I mean I was only 8!! I hardly understood what this man was saying; what kind of burden this man was putting on my shoulders.
In any event, I proved my teachers right by getting into KC. Frankly my entrance into KC probably marked the peak of my achievement. I think things went downhill after that. It was only after leaving KC that I understood why I was sent there and what my former teachers were asking of me. And frankly I have to say that I have failed miserably in this. I am sure my story is not unique. And I think also that most of my all my fellow KCOBs too have failed.
I know some of you will not agree with me, but please permit me to argue my case....
* Many people were desperate to get into Kings College. We need to understand that our entry to KC was not just a personal achievement, it also meant the disappointment of many thousands who might have used the opportunity we got, in a much better way
* Many of us came from relatively privileged families and did not really need the extra assistance that was given to us by the whole KC/Federal government investment. Frankly, the government spent 'N' times more on our education than they spent on the average Nigerian pupil (ie pupils from schools like 'Methodist Boys' or 'Saka Tinunbu')
* We were groomed to be 'the leaders of tomorrow'. I know it is a cliché, but it really was the case. In short, we were meant to be delivering the type of great things that we see happening in places like India and China. We should be leading and overseeing a great social and economic revolution in Nigeria and Africa today - rather than squabble over Library renovations.
When I say that we have failed, I do not mean that we have not achieved in our personal lives. Yes, many of us are Doctors, Lawyers, Bankers etc etc... but I do not think that this was necessarily the point of KC. It is not a bad thing, mind. It is just that when so much (hopes and resources) was being invested in us many years ago, it was because they thought that if this country had any future at all, we would be the ones to lead to it. So, I say that, today, if Nigeria has any failings, then I place a greater degree of the fault for this failure at our - KCOB - feet; a much greater degree of fault than with the average Nigerian who never had the chances and privileges in life that we had.
When you look at how far countries like India, Brazil, china etc have moved in the last few years, you must agree with me that Nigeria has failed in too many respects. The failure of Nigeria is the failure of - above all else - King's College Old boys. We really have not much to be proud of. If personal achievement is the means of measuring the success of Kings College, then maybe I am wrong. But my understanding is that this is not necessarily what King's College was about.
When the General Secretary - Ladi Lawanson - came to London last year to raise money to renovate KC, I was indifferent to this. What is the point of this? If KC was a center of excellence, turning out people who were making a difference to the world, I would understand. But at the moment, by sponsoring KC, we are just encouraging pointless self-perpetuation. Frankly, I'd rather spend my money on a starving child in Ethiopia or a water project in Chad.
Please guys, let us spend some of Saturday not just drinking an laughing. Let us reflect on opportunities missed. And please let us not just reflect. Let us have a plan and let us carry out the plan. Let the plan not be along the lines of "how can we renovate the school library". Let it be along the lines of "let us build the human genome", "let us make Africa the centre of Global technology", "Let us create global manufacturing industries in Aba", "let us build the new Concorde...". the people who do these things are no better or brighter or more privileged than us. Why did they achieve? Because they did not just eat, drink and laugh. They had plans and vision and followed them through.
Let us not just plan... let us begin to execute that plan. Not from Sunday, but from Saturday night. I'm not saying that we should not make money or enjoy ourselves. Frankly, I will not compromise on enjoying myself, but there is more to our lives than that. And making money and having fun do not preclude achieving great things.
On Saturday, let us begin to shake up the world.
I think that time is against us, but all is not lost. We can still do something worthwhile for the needy, for the country and for the continent and for the world. I still - hopefully - have some youthful idealism in me and I hope that when I return to Nigeria, I will find a few like minded people who will rise above pettiness and help realise the dreams that was invested in us so many years ago.
Please, please guys, do not deflate my enthusiasm.
Floreat
Victor Amokeodo
1977-82 set
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