It has been one Year and over!

Hurray! Dis generation column is one! Lets make a toast to the emergence of a generation of youths with a voice for change! I thank God for the opportunity given to me to be a part of it! WOW! It has been a time of learning, thinking, writing and reading to ensure I'm well informed enough to speak out and tell. I hope in these past months, Dis Generation has successfully projected issues affecting youths through a strong light?

I would like to shout-out a big thank you to all ardent readers of this column, both young and old, especially those who have kept in touch via email, sharing their thoughts around issues raised and giving ideas of what more they will like to read. It is very exciting when I bump into some of them live sometimes and they exclaim “I read your column...” and a long conversation proceed! Overtime, I have learnt never to take credit for it, at least it is for you I write, in as much as I write for myself. I have also learnt never to take anyone for granted. We need to develop genuine interest in every acquaintance God sends our way and ensure we leave them better than we met them. Life is too important to be spent on grudges and raising malicious voice.

Talking about voice, it is interesting to see that our society is gradually understanding the need to give youths a voice. No longer are young people seen as a shadow, a body to be seen and not heard. The government is gradually embracing youth relevance, at least the creation of youth ministry and the integration of youth council at grassroots level is a step to further realize this, even though some still complain that the people serving there are youths at heart and not really youths. As for how accessible they are, this is a story for another day. However, we all have a voice, finding a platform where we can use our voice positively will be less difficult once we identify the issues we are most passionate about and go about influencing decisions and projecting a positive change at all levels.

Since the creation of this column on January 21st, 2007 with its first published article “For our tomorrow”, the experience has contributed to our being better informed on youth issues. I have also gained a more mature sense of responsibility towards this generation and country. Indeed it has been a win-win process for change and the future, so keep on reading because the best is yet to come by God's grace!