Yul Edochie: Youths as the last bus stop

“Youths constitute Nigeria’s only hope for a real future” – Olusegun Obasanjo (2009)

Adolf Hitler once said: “How fortunate for leaders that men do not think.”

The reason Nigerian youths are still playing second fiddle is simply that we have allowed political cabals to hijack our ‘thinking.’ People are relegated in life when their thinking is delegated! The youth bracket is gradually turning to an endangered species and sinking into oblivion, in terms of political inclusion, because we have always been settling for less.

The truth about life is that when you have conditioned yourself to always settle for less, something more tragic happens- you get less than what you settled for.

Praise George said: “It is victim mentality to hold others responsible for the situation in your own life.” Our victim and entitlement mentality is seriously encroaching on our ability to pioneer positive changes in the nation. Many youths go on endlessly fault-finding as if there is a reward for it.

Henry Ford once said: “Don’t find fault; find a remedy.” It is appalling to always see Nigerian youths attaching their fate to the Nigerian system, instead of taking ownership of their future. I have at different fora reiterated that this is actually the recipe for recurring frustration among the Nigerian youths.

It is sympathetic to know that most Nigerian youths have been systematically turned to political fugitives and liabilities because of our penchant for stipends at the detriment of the future.

Some youths have actually taken up the gauntlet by becoming path-finders and not fault-finders. Even in the face of intimidating political bigwigs and ‘principalities,’ they have come a long way to realise that the politics in this nation will not evolve if we don’t get involved.

We must not allow them to intimidate us with the fact that we don’t have the experience. I have come to realise that the problem of Nigeria cannot be solved through experience. In fact, it is now so obvious that experience has failed. The problem in Nigeria can only be solved through renewed thinking youths. Albert

Einstein said: “Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them.” Nigeria is in dire need of dynamism and change that can only be afforded by the youths.

Seneca said: “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.” Out of the many governorship aspirants that will be slugging it out for the governorship election in Anambra State next Saturday, November 18, there is a youth, Yul Chukwubuike Daniel Edochie, who has risen against great odds to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the so-called political titans and veterans. Many even believed he is so green and inexperienced. Yet, he has decided to take the risk.

T.S. Elliot said: “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far it is possible to go.” Yul believes strongly that without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.

I am always fascinated to see youths as change gladiators navigating through the murky waters of the Nigerian politics.
Yul is a Nollywood actor and son of veteran Nollywood actor and movie legend, Pete Edochie. He has so far represented his father well by walking on his footprints and carving a niche for himself as a great, most sought-after actor.

He is from Anambra North senatorial Zone and contesting on the platform of the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC).

Born on January 7, 1982, he has lived in such a way to become a worthy model to Nigerian youths. He has also been able to live above scandals and bogus lifestyles that have dotted the entertainment industry in the past few years.

I decided to do an interview with him and was further drawn by his level of intellectualism, passion, zeal, enthusiasm, and above all, his depth of humility.

In this interview, he opens up on the core reason why he joined politics and how his life should encourage Nigerian youths to take undaunted step in the same direction. Enjoy the excerpts:

Who is Yul Edochie?
Yul Edochie is a God-fearing young man of high integrity. A celebrated Nollywood actor who has built a good reputation for himself for over 12 years of active participation in his career as an actor and is appreciated by millions of fans all over the world.
What is your philosophy of life?

My philosophy of life is that none of us will be here forever. Material things are all vanity. Be at peace with God. Do good to people, give, touch lives positively and make the world a better place to live in.

Who are your role models and in which way have they inspired you?
My father and Senator Ben Bruce.
My father has inspired me to be a good man, a man of integrity who loves God and loves his people.

Bruce has inspired me with his common sense ideologies, giving the people good governance.

In which way did your father influence your passion for acting?
I grew up watching my father. He made us watch movies a lot and read books. So, it rubbed off naturally. I learnt a lot from him.
What advice do you have for parents who insist on a particular course of study and career path for their wards?

Parents study your children. Don’t insist on a particular course for him or her. Find out their strengths and support them in that direction. It pays more when they study a course they have passion for.

It is always easier to succeed there because they will be willing to make sacrifices to excel.

Why did you decide to join the race and what really prompted your audacious decision?
I’m running for governor because God chose me to liberate the people of Anambra State and Nigeria at large.

We have suffered so much at the hands of politicians for too long; they hand over to other politicians and the situation keeps getting worse. All they do is court the people, deceive them, get their votes, and abandon them.

The people are hungry, angry and frustrated, businesses crumbling, no support from government, bad roads everywhere, no light, no water, poor healthcare, nothing is working. We are suffering too much and no one seems to be doing anything to challenge the system, so I chose to stand and fight for the people.

What is the source of your confidence?
God is the source of my confidence.

With the increasing unemployment in the country, what advice do you have for Nigerian youths on the issue of employability?
Unemployment is actually a product of corrupt governments we have had for many years. They do not want to see the country grow, yet they invest billions abroad.

We have many indigenous companies in Anambra State and Nigeria, with no support from government. Rather than help such companies to grow, expand and employ more, they keep increasing taxes till the companies die.

Corruption, failed leadership, my government will change all that. We will support our people and their businesses 100 per cent

Many youths with great initiatives and entrepreneurial skills are not finding it easy to set up and run business in Nigeria. How can we make the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) more youth-inclusive?

This is a product of bad leadership. Our government will provide start-up funds for youths with viable business plans.

We will support SMEs to grow and expand, thereby employing more.

Do you really think you have what it takes to win the election?
Yes, I have what it takes to be the next governor of Anambra State. I am young, vibrant, simple, intelligent, well educated, God-fearing and I love my people and want the best for them.

I am not a politician, never been in the corridors of power, so I am not here to deceive the people. I have no political godfather who will demand that Anambra State be handed over to him.

I am here to work for Ndi Anambra and work with them to better the living condition of the people.

There is this campaign slogan that is always seen on your posters and fliers: ‘The Last Bus stop!!!’ It sounds more like another Nollywood thriller. Can you shed more light on this?
It simply means that the deceit of politicians has come to the last bus stop, the end. That with me, the suffering of my people has come to the last bus stop and the days of bad governance have come to THE LAST BUS STOP!!!

What advice do you have for the Nigerian youths, especially those of them who are still skeptical about going into politics?
Youths, get into politics. You must break away from the problem and be the solution. You must know how your state and country are being run.

Stop hiding behind politicians and asking them for money. They share money and gifts to you and buy your future. Then you start complaining for the next four years when your living condition fails to improve.

Do not be deceived anymore. Only a credible and courageous youth, like me, can understand and fix the problems of the youths. Empower me and I pledge to empower you all.

To all the youths out there, I want to reach out to us all in the words of President Barack Obama: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

Let us quit whining and the debilitating entitlement mentality that is commonplace among the Nigerian youths. The earlier we realise that no one owes us anything, the better for us and the more prepared we will be to face life’s challenges.

We must not allow anybody to talk us into believing that we are not yet ready. The best way to predict the future is to design it ourselves.
Quotes Of The Week: “Old way won’t open new doors”- Anonymous