Mokokchung, like many remote districts, faces undeniable physical challenges. Difficult terrain, limited connectivity and constrained infrastructure have slowed growth for decades. Yet the most stubborn obstacle is not geographic. It is psychological.
A deep rooted mindset of defeatism has taken hold. Over time, this has evolved into a culture of dependency and risk aversion. Ironically, Mokokchung was once known for its enterprising spirit. Its people ventured beyond familiar boundaries, pioneered new professions and embraced change with confidence. That legacy now feels distant.
Today, too many have settled into the comfort of political patronage and government support as the primary drivers of progress. There is no zeal. No hunger for real change. They have assumed a parasitic mentality, always looking for the easy way out. There are no risk-takers and everybody wants to play safe. It is as if the entire population has grown docile, as though some unseen hand has fed them a potion that turned them into cowards. When a society begins to believe that nothing can move without political blessing or funding, creativity withers and accountability weakens. Development becomes transactional rather than transformative.
More troubling is the quiet silencing of the young. A generation that should be questioning, innovating and challenging entrenched corrupt systems is instead forced to remain mute within invisible walls. Many who were once restless and vocal proponents of change have themselves grown into guardians of the status quo. The cycle of silence continues, passed down like an unwanted inheritance. A system breeding dependency and entitlement, a parasitic society of freeloaders.
This pattern must be broken. No society can thrive when its youth are conditioned to fear failure more than stagnation. Risk is not recklessness. It is the foundation of enterprise. Progress demands individuals willing to test new ideas, speak uncomfortable truths and accept short term setbacks for long term gains.
The older generation must reflect honestly. If past actions have not delivered the desired transformation, holding tighter control will not suddenly produce different results. Empowering the young is not an act of surrender. It is an investment in renewal. Unless you are determined to keep them chained within the suffocating walls of a warped mindset that trapped your generation, set them free.
Mokokchung’s revival will not come solely from smooth roads or government schemes. It will come when its people rediscover the courage that once defined them. Set the young free from fear and dependency. They will find their own path forward.