YOUNG SUPERHEROES NEEDED!
Engr Esther Gonda OON, NSE (Proprietress)

Who is a superhero? From the dictionary, we find that the superhero is “a fictional hero having extraordinary or superhuman powers. Or it can also be an exceptionally skillful or successful person, an unselfish one who helps other people who need assistance, particularly in fighting evil enemies.”

Superhero connotes superhuman powers or strength.
So, are we fair in expecting our young people to be superheroes?
They are only human.
I think, yes!

There are many examples of young superheroes!

There are many examples where young people have done great things for good. For example, in the last week of June, 2024, the young people in Kenya virtually brought the government to its knees. We recall the Arab Spring of the second decade of this century, which caused some serious regime changes.

We could go into the Bible and bring up examples of young kings of Israel who took action that turned the nation around, such as Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Solomon. Back home, we had the #EndSARS movement which unfortunately was hijacked by some miscreants, but they achieved some degree of success. Those moments were driven by those young people who can be real superheroes. They were not perfect, but they wanted to make a difference. And we all can make a difference.

So, what are the attributes or distinguishing characteristics of superheroes? There are a few we could look at.

They have a cause they are convinced and are passionate about. They are not drifting through life. They want to make a difference. They are not satisfied with the status quo. They believe things can be improved, and should be improved.

They are willing to serve. They are willing to put the well-being of others ahead of their own. They don’t want to stay in the comfort zone while things are falling apart around them.

They serve with honor and integrity. They don’t short-cut or cheat on their assignments. They get satisfaction from doing good. They are not particularly looking for personal benefits.

They are not afraid of hard work and are willing to take risks and be responsible.
They are focused and committed to their mission. They don’t give up easily. They keep the end in view.

They are not afraid to be different. They will do the right thing even if no one else is doing it. They are not followers but are willing to lead.

While they are not superhuman, they have strength, physically and mentally. They make a point to develop their strengths. They remain healthy. They exercise, sleep well, and eat well.

So, are we willing to step up and become superheroes? We have serious issues in Nigeria. The pervasive hunger and misery in our land is in our face. There is no running away from it. Yet in this land, God has blessed us with resources that can enable every one of us to live a decent and productive and fulfilling life. We need to find the missing link that will result in an equitable distribution of resources God has blessed us with. And that link can start with you. We can each be the superhero in our own little corner.

Our calling may not be to lead a movement or to lead people like Moses out of Egypt.

We may simply be called to faithfully do the little things which make a difference in our family, in our class, or in our neighborhood. Or it may simply be doing that which brings a smile to Mummy’s face at the end of a very long day. We can just be intentional about doing the good that is in front of us. We can decide to be the change we want to see!