Lagos , Nigeria ( CNN ) -- If you are a young person living in Africa right now , it can be pretty confusing knowing what to believe : is it a hopeful place or is it trapped in a vicious cycle ? Is it the site of the world 's fastest growing economies , or is it a place where more than 200 schoolgirls are kidnapped and held captive for two weeks with no hope of recovery ? On the one hand , much more than half of the employable young population is out of a job and there are many caught in wars and rumors of wars , from Sudan 's two sides to the Central African Republic . But on the other , there 's growth and palpable excitement : Africa is the continent to watch ; investment is pouring in for technology and a whole range of businesses both new and traditional , many countries boast impressive GDPs ; democracy is solidifying , and with it free speech and citizen engagement , a flourishing sense of enterprise and a groundswell of creativity . There is no greater symbol of this confusion than Nigeria at this exact moment . On the one hand , we are the focus of the world , with our GDP rebased and our economy enjoying something of a rebirth ; and yet on the other , we are the focus of the world , with bombs tearing through our nation 's capital , and girls abducted in broad daylight by domestic terrorists . With the World Economic Forum coming to Abuja this week , I see myself frenziedly planning alongside other Global Shapers across Lagos , Abuja and Kano to welcome the world to our country and to show its vast potential , looking forward to the sessions and the panels focused on inclusive growth and job creation . At the same time I sit on the board of Enough is Enough Nigeria , which is passionately , angrily demanding that the world cancels the World Economic Forum on Africa to send a message to our lethargic president that he must find the 234 girls who have been missing for 18 days , and stop the violence that has taken the lives of over 1,500 in the north of Nigeria this year . How can I be excited about going to Abuja next week for the Forum when a bomb just went off in the city 's center ? Should I tweet # WEFAfrica , or # BringBackTheGirls ? Talk about schizophrenia . I find myself confused , pulled in both directions . Yet I find both imperatives compelling , almost inevitable . I believe this is the most urgent challenge for young people like me , growing up in a time of great flux . The world has so much faith in young Africans at the moment -- and with good reason ; see what we 've done with technology , the creative industries and civil society , for instance -- urging and willing us to fulfill the promise that is in abundance amongst us , to become the `` turning point generation . '' But if only the world understood how frustrating it can be to have hope in the future of Nigeria when its power sector remains comatose , corrupt ministers collude with the legislature , people die in stadiums while jostling for jobs , and governments strangle small businesses with multiple taxation and out-of-touch policies . We have the important duty to maintain hope , keep up the excitement ; channel the energy and take advantage of the opportunities that exist around us . But at the same time , we must maintain perspective , and avoid burying our heads in the sand ; we must demand better governance and speak with clarity and integrity about the failings of our leaders in government and the private sector . Our eyes must be fixed on the stars , but our feet must stand firmly on the ground . It is a delicate balance , but we have no choice . We must play the hand our continent has dealt us . We have no choice .
Nigeria hits headlines because of kidnap of more than 200 schoolgirls by Chude Jideonwo militants . The country is also hosting Global Shapers meeting this week . Boko Haram says Africans must maintain hope in difficult circumstances . `` Our eyes must be fixed on the stars , but our feet must stand firmly on the ground , '' he says .