The Bishop of Ibadan Diocese, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Joseph Akinfenwa has tasked elders in Nigeria to be intentional in bridging the growing generational gap.
Akinfenwa stated this in Ibadan on Thursday at the 30th annual distinguished lecture and luncheon of the House of Lords, Nigeria.
The bishop, who spoke on the topic: “Nigerian Elders Dropping the Baton or Passing the Baton”, said “there is a widening gap between the past and the present generations in Nigeria.”
Akinfenwa stated that elders who enjoyed the nation’s golden era had a unique university experience that shaped their future, but the reverse has been the case for younger Nigerians who faced uncertainty.
According to him, the consequences of the gap would result in loss of national pride, societal norms and weaken community cohesion.
“Without inherited wisdom, the youth grope in the dark – uncertain, unanchored, and often bitter.
“If the home and by extension the elder generation fails to teach, how will the child carry the name with honour outside?,” Akinfenwa said.
The cleric stressed the need to pass on the core elements of culture such as integrity, respect for authority and communal responsibility.
He also said that traditional practices and festivals that carry meaning and not just entertainment, including New Yam Festival in Igbo land and the Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi and others, are rites of passage that teach endurance, respect and responsibility.
Akinfenwa said that this, as well as the age-grade systems, ensured that men and women served their communities.
The bishop also emphasised the need to pass on indigenous knowledge, “Yes, we have embraced Christianity and Islam, but we need not throw away all the indigenous knowledge.
“Doing so is throwing the baby away with the bathwater. We inherited some wisdom worth keeping. Wisdom about plants, rivers, seasons, healing etc.
“If we do not pass it on, it will vanish like smoke,” he said.
The bishop further underscored the need to pass on economic and social capital. Wealth and wealth creation must be taught intentionally as well as stewardship.
Akinfenwa stated that language must be passed on as the vessel of culture, adding that it was urgent to revive mother tongue literacy.
“If we lose our mother tongue, we lose our memories, we lose our unique ways of thinking.
“If we raise children who only speak only the language of strangers, how will they ever truly know who they are?,” he said.
The bishop tasked Nigerian elders on intentional storytelling at home, community gatherings and mentorship pairing to instigate intergenerational dialogues that will bridge the present gaps.
The Leader, House of Lords, Nigeria, Prof. Ayodele Desalu, said that the group had been ensuring the baton was passed on to the next generation to shape the future.
“We seek a good future for the coming generation, so the essence is for us to succeed,” he said.
Desalu, a Commander of the Order of Niger (CON) said 22 books had been published from the series of lectures held by the House of Lords.
He said legacies were being left for the younger generation.
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