Most of my peers will have the parents in the 65-80 age. Or older. Our parents had the best Nigeria could offer.
Your father probably told you that when he left university, came back with the golden fleece or finished Modern school, that he had three offers for job.
My dad would tell you that Shell was less desirable than UAC or NTC or NHL. None of our parents, from my research ever shared stories that they prayed and fasted for jobs. White and Blue collar jobs were on offer. It did not need them to know someone or pay a tithe or pledge an offering.
That same generation mismanaged the country. They did not preserve values or ethics but participated in the corruption occasioned by hardship of poor leadership. Many of them were in leadership anyway and actively connived to destroy the fabrics of society.
Purchasing leaked questions for exams, using nepotism to entrench dynasties, converting public property to private property. They also suffered the repercussions. Many lost their white-collar jobs from SAP and other poorly delivered promises. They saw the bitter side of poverty as well.
The world has changed again. There are no more jobs. What is available now are problems. In problems, lie opportunities. To make money now, you must invent your job. You must be a solution provider. You must meet a need.
You must bring new thinking and fuse it with technology to get ahead. You must be one step ahead of the society. You must be aware of the next big trend. Your certificates will not fetch you anything. Everyone has one. So, it must be your skills. That is what you must sell.
To ensure the right environment for your solutions to thrive, you better participate in governance as well. If you fold your hands, another group will unleash on you, policies that will impoverish you and bring you to the cycle of 84-99. You must be part of the group that determines your destiny.
Praying will bring comfort to your soul. Research will bring insights to your brain. Engaging will bring grace to your feet and assistance to your cause. This is the new world order. The youths must think like this to thrive.
Written By Ademola H Adigun