The Impact of Education in Democracy

Democracy cannot function effectively in a largely uneducated society. Recognizing the role of education in ensuring the success of democracy, the dominant class that controls the means of social production will consciously and deliberately ensure the reproduction of illiteracy and ignorance among the youth. When the youth are ignorant of their worth and potential, it is not surprising that they end up praising those who impoverish them.

Some may argue that there are many educated youths in Nigeria. However, this argument stems from the erroneous perception that attending a tertiary institution equates to being educated.
The reality is that the majority, indeed, the overwhelming majority of those who have attended higher institutions are still ignorant and illiterate. They remain trapped in a metaphorical cave, with no prospect of breaking free into reality.
Imagine a scenario where youths sell their votes fora largerr sum, enough only to buy a plate of poor-quality porridge and some intoxicating substances to keep them high.
The economic, political, and religious elites are united in their persistent subjugation and seemingly irredeemable enslavement of Nigerian youth. One can only wonder about the future of the average Nigerian youth when they celebrate their ignorance and illiteracy, which facilitate their subjugation and perpetual deprivation by the dominant class.
It is disheartening to realize that those we revere for crumbs have their children studying overseas, away from the dysfunctional society we endure. They are grooming their children to continue their dominance.
The failure to recognize that we are being enslaved by the dominant class that owns and controls the means of social production is a clear reflection of a lack of education.
The worst scenario is having those who are informed and educated fall among those who praise political, economic, and religious leaders in exchange for personal gain. These individuals are silenced by selfishness, making one question whether they truly understand the state of society. Remember, not all who are literate and informed are genuinely educated.
What is knowledge without its application?
In conclusion, the sooner we engage with the youth and sensitize them to reject the practice of mortgaging their future through praise-singing and vote-selling, the sooner we will see progress. However, this sensitization cannot occur without a conscious and deliberate mobilization of the educated in society to engage in awareness creation through social crusades aimed at the emancipation of the oppressed.