Unemployment is enforced idleness of people who are able and willing to work but cannot find jobs. In societies in which most people can earn a living only by working for government or companies, like Nigeria, being unable to find a job is a serious problem. Those lucky enough to find jobs are poorly paid. Many have to make do with meagre salaries which cannot take care of their bills. It is also very common in Nigeria to hear of workers being owed salaries for several months by employers. Tozali crew went to town to sample opinions on the way forward in the face of mass graduate unemployment.
Below are the responses:
Emmanuel Ameh:
It was a serious mistake on the part of our parents to have believed that western education was the only means to earn a living. It worked during the colonial era, and afterwards, but today it is an obvious fact that you cannot get employment anywhere, except if you are connected with those in high positions and in power. How can a graduate have hope in a corrupt system of employment where your field of studies or qualification is not considered before employment? It is only in Nigeria that you see a barrister being head of ministry of petroleum and stuff like that. Our great grand parents and grandparents are still holding the highest position in government instead of retiring and replacing the vacant space with young graduates. How can graduates have hope in a country where trillions are stolen, yet no viable companies or industries to create employments? Yet every year the population of unemployed youths keeps increasing by tens of thousands. Even with your master degree you are still expected to have a five years working experience before being considered for employment. What a waste of time and huge amount of resources!
From the mental point of view, the only people managing to survive currently on at least #1000 per day are those who are self employed. To all the unemployed graduates out there, please stop wasting your time waiting for government jobs, empower yourselves today and be useful to your generation.
Aisha sani:
I think graduates should consider self-employment because of the high rate of unemployment in the country. The satisfaction of being your own boss and not depending on salary is very rewarding. Also, you get to do what you have a passion for and what you enjoy doing with little capital. Being self-employed, apart from the job satisfaction, and being one’s own boss, it also helps to reduce the alarming rate of unemployment in the society. Graduates, before yearning for white collar jobs, should consider being self employed, as it helps to channel their God-given ability and skills to help repair the damaged economy. It is quite relevant for able hands to be able to make money and also get to enjoy what they do with little or no restrictions as to their capabilities. It is encouraging to note that being self employed not only put food on your table, it also helps one to add to the development of the nation.
Ahmed Sentyx:
Graduates should consider self employment because the Nigeria governments do not care about them anymore, and also there are no new industries and organizations that will employ fresh graduate. Secondly, self employment is very good because as an individual you will no longer depend on monthly salary and the government anymore. You will be your own boss and government of your own; people will start coming to you to seek advice and consultancy. Mind you, Government jobs are no longer stable as they use to be before and they are not even available. Self employment can raise you high as your time, talent and efforts will allow you to go. It offers you a greater career mobility and opportunity than most jobs do. Private organizations on the other hand will use your talent and ability and still, they will make you feel like you are not useful or important to their organization after using you like a slave.
My advice to graduate out there and even to those already working is to try and engage themselves in some manual jobs, or they should learn a trade that will fetch them cool money instead of depending on government and private firms for stipend they call salary at the end of the month.
Bukola Audu:
Graduates should consider self-employment to be self-reliant and be able to fend for themselves before a job comes. Being self-employed gives one room to grow in diverse ways, learn different skills and put it in use. Even though the economy is not too viable to support the self-employed, the self-employed in turn grows the economy because of tax payment and even employing other people, that is job creation. When you are self-employed, it reduces the burden on government to give out jobs that is not even available in the first place. It also reduces the chances of going into crime; once the mind and hands are engaged in positive things, then the devil won’t have a workshop because the mind is not idle.
BY: UMMU KHULTHUM ABDULKADIR
