What Bridging these gaps truly demands.

In light of the World Day of Social Justice and the global call to Empower Inclusion, it is important that we move beyond slogans and have an honest conversation about what bridging these gaps truly demands. Bridging gaps is not charity.It is not speeches.It is not about the fancy meetings.It is giving everyone a real chance.It is changing the rules that favour only those with connections. Empowering inclusion means:Opportunities should not depend on family connections.Healthcare should be available to everyone.Schooling should not depend on how much your parents earn.Justice should not depend on who you know.Including everyone is not just putting one woman on a board just to point out all righteousness. It is paying her the same courtesy as would a man. Listening when she speaks. Protecting her when she speaks up. Including everyone is not building something “for show.”It is making society assume everyone belongs.Including everyone is not telling poor people to “work harder.”It is asking why they have to work twice as hard just to stay in place. And let us face the truth.When public schools fall apart while private schools thrive,that gap grows.When leaders travel abroad for healthcarewhile local hospitals have nothing,that gap grows.When governments say “empower the youth”but block them from leadership,that gap grows. A country cannot shout “the youth are the future”while closing and gatekeeping the doors to the present.A country cannot talk about excellencewhile rewarding connections instead of skill. The gaps are everywhere.In classrooms.In hiring.In courts.In hospitals.In borders.In budgets. The question is not whether the gap exists.The question is —who is happy that it stays open? And here is the confrontation:If we really want to bridge gaps,then systems must change.Let hiring be fair.Let schools get the funding they need.Let policies cost the powerful something.Let fairness stop being a favour. Because Nigerians are already strong.We survive fuel scarcity.We survive inflation.We survive strikes.We survive unstable electricity.We survive broken promises.We survive economic issues.We survive terrorists attacks. But surviving is not justice.Being strong is not fairness. Until the child in Ajegunleand the child in Lekkican dream without limits —Until merit no longer waitswhile connection walks through —Until we stop laughing at“Na who know person dey enjoy”and start challenging it —Until including everyone moves from words to real change —We are not bridging gaps.We are managing them.And managing injusticeis still injustice. This World Day of Social Justice,let Empowering Inclusion not be a slogan.Let it shake offices.Let it challenge governments.Let it question our comfort.Let it cost us something.Because the gap is real.The world knows it.Nigeria knows it. Here is a food for thought. The only choice left is this:Will we keep adjusting to unfairness —or will we riseand finally close the distance ourselves?

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