“We are starved of heroes.” – Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Adichie discuss
According Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie claims that the country lacks heroes who can inspire young people, there are no “heroes” in her nation who can motivate the younger generation.
Chimamanda Adichie made the remark on Monday during her keynote speech at the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) annual general meeting in Lagos State.
“We are starved of heroes. Our young people do not find people to look up to anymore,” the prize-winning writer noted at the occasion.
The author contends that Nigerians ought to be willing to criticize themselves. This, she claimed, will foster effective leadership across the country.
“As long as we refuse to untangle the knot of injustice, peace cannot thrive. If we don’t talk about it, we fail to hold leaders accountable and we turn what should be transparent systems into ugly opaque cults,” Chimamanda noted.
“My experience made me think there’s something dead in us, in our society; a death of self-awareness and ability for self-criticism.
“There’s a need for resurrection. We cannot avoid self-criticism but criticize the government. We cannot hide our own institutional failure while demanding transparency from the government.”
Presidential candidates Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were among the notables who attended the event on Monday.
Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer, chose not to go. Instead, he was represented at the conference, which began on August 19 and runs through August 26, by his running companion Kashim Shettima.
The NBA had previously stated that Tinubu and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s presidential candidate, had not confirmed their attendance at the convention.
Dumebi Kachikwu of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Prince Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) were two other contestants at the event.
