A SIMPLE PLEA TO GEN Z: TIME, WISDOM, AND THE FUTURE WE SHAPE
By ENGR. JOHN PEREDE AKPOYIBO
This is a humble, suggestive plea to our Gen Z—offered not in condemnation, not in coercion, and certainly not in the absence of empathy, but from a place of concern, foresight, and responsibility to the future we are collectively building.
THE REALITY OF TIME AND THE GIFT OF PRIME YEARS.
Biology is not a social construct. While society evolves, human physiology largely remains constant. Medical science consistently affirms that the peak years of female resilience, fertility, vigor, and physical strength broadly fall between the ages of 18 and 30. This period is commonly referred to as the biological prime.
Menarche marks the beginning of reproductive capacity, just as menopause signals its natural decline. These are not moral statements—they are biological realities. Ignoring them does not invalidate them; it only postpones the consequences.
This plea does not argue that every woman must marry or give birth within this window. Rather, it emphasizes intentionality. If circumstances are even moderately favorable—support systems, health, stability, opportunity—then wisdom suggests making thoughtful life decisions within this valuable season.
THE RISK OF AN UNPREPARED FUTURE
A society that downplays biological timing risks raising a future population with:
Increasing numbers of elderly single individuals
Rising fertility challenges
Emotional strain from deferred life goals
Greater dependence on medical interventions
This outcome is not destiny—but it becomes likely when vital truths are withheld or softened to avoid discomfort.
While modern life may feel as though it exists primarily on phones, social media, and movies, these platforms do not suspend reality. Cultural shifts are visible, yes—but culture cannot override nature without cost.
MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE: What Science Is Already Saying
Medical experts explain that as women advance beyond their peak reproductive years:
Egg quality and quantity decline
Risks of complications in pregnancy increase
Conditions such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and hormonal imbalances become more prevalent
Fertility treatments, including IVF, while revolutionary, do not guarantee success for everyone
IVF and assisted reproductive technologies are remarkable achievements of science—but they are options, not insurance policies. They are expensive, emotionally taxing, and biologically limited. Many discover this too late.
Additionally, modern challenges—highly processed foods, environmental toxins, stress, and lifestyle factors—are increasingly linked to reproductive and hormonal disorders. These realities further narrow the margin for delay.
WISDOM VERSUS REGRET
Often, just one major life decision—such as having a child—reshapes priorities, instills caution, and slows momentum. Fear of repeating mistakes can quietly consume years. Then, in what feels like a moment, the prime years are exhausted.
We are not God. We should not live lives that later require desperate prayers for miracles when simple wisdom, applied earlier, could have prevented the crisis.
Faith and prayer are powerful, but they were never meant to replace responsibility and foresight.
A CALL FOR SUPPORT, NOT PRESSURE
This plea is incomplete without acknowledging the role of parental, societal, and institutional support. Young people thrive when they are guided—not shamed; supported—not abandoned; informed—not misled.
Parents, mentors, leaders, and policymakers must create environments where:
Marriage is not economically terrifying
Childbearing is not socially penalized
Career growth and family life are not framed as enemies
A win–win approach is still possible.
Maximize What You Can Control
Life will always contain uncertainties. But wisdom teaches us to: Act decisively in seasons of strength. Plan during periods of clarity. Use time as an ally, not an adversary
Money cannot solve every human problem. Technology cannot rewrite biology. Delayed decisions often come with irreversible costs.
A FINAL PLEA
Gen Z, maximize your time. Especially our young women—honor your vitality. Protect it. Plan with it. Build with it.
Do not gamble your most powerful years on the assumption that tomorrow will always compensate for today.
Let us choose wisdom early, so the future does not punish us for what knowledge already warned us about.
This is not fear. This is foresight
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