Northern Elders Forum And Boko Haram

[Shola Sholaz]

IN the African socio-cultural milieu, elders occupy positions of honour nurtured by wisdom and experience. As repositories of the culture and tradition of the people, they are often revered, especially by the youth who yearn to drink from their fountain of eternal wisdom in their search for direction in an otherwise treacherous world. In the days of yore, elders are economical with words to the point of taciturnity.
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When the elder speaks, his words are weighty and command enormous power, respect and influence.
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These are unusual times in our clime. Elders are now living in denial of their highly respected positions and like the brash youth are ready to fight bare knuckles. What we are witnessing today is not only the bastardization of this concept but also the desecration of this rarified cadre by pretenders who perceive themselves as the new agents of history.