Please, read patiently...

This write-up would better serve as an 'Eye-opener' to most youths and an 'Open Letter' to Nigerian parents, especially, those in the middle, semi-middle and lower classes in the society!

The bitter and devastating effects of unemployment in Nigeria have turned so many Nigerian youths into 'helpless kids' who still depend on assistance from friends and relations to survive!!! The havoc and wreck this situation brings can even damage somebody psychologically! If you have never been there before, you would not know how it feels! Idleness can actually make you to be seen in places you shouldn't even be seen if you were gainfully engaged . When you are broke and you can't even afford what you would like to eat, it is always so painful.

Most Nigerian parents do not make adequate plans for their children as they start growing. Most still believe in that 'train you in school' mentality!!! Yes, it is very good to give your children sound education because that is one of your duties as parents. On the other hand, it is not and cannot be the ultimate. Most Nigerian parents send their kids to school, from there, he gains admission to a higher institution, (those who are not from comfortable homes might even spend countless years before securing admission due to corruption in that sector)...and then he graduates...now, what next? He or she comes home to stay with you after all the resources you have spent!!! That must be a circular movement!!! . This situation is very common because most parents fail to make adequate plans before time. A parent should be able to look at his or her boy and say, at 21, I would want my boy to be at a particular level of financial independence! Most parents do not look at the innate qualities and abilities of their children; what is your child good at? It must not always be inside the circle of formal education. Observe what he or she likes doing and very good at; encourage him or her and help build his or her talent towards that area. Save up money in an account for your kids so that they can start up with their skills and talents early in life. The money you earn while working or doing business should not just be a source of entertainment for merry-seeking friends and relatives!!! Nigerian parents, to make issues worse, do not place much importance on nurturing talents, developing skills and encouraging enterprenureship! Too much emphasis has been placed on formal/university education, knowing fully well that most of the functional institutions in the country then have collapsed totally!!!

Back then, it could be easy to get a 'soft' job immediately one was done with secondary education. Today, the case is totally different. UAC, Railway, Post Office, Leventis and many more are no longer there!!! Now, you see where many Nigerian parents still try to reconcile the two eras which are totally different and irreconcilable?

I still don't believe that jobless Nigerian graduates are lazy! The problem is that most of them were not given the right foundation and orientations, courtsey of parental wishes!!! My elder cousin learnt Auto Mechanics after secondary school at the age of 16. He started without informing the parents initially because he knew they would stop him. When he told them, he had spent close to 3 months and spent a total of 5 years to learn the field. He later went to the university to study Economics and I bet you, the last time he set his eyes on his certificate was the time he laminated it after NYSC...and that was in 2007 (that's 8 years ago!). The parents did not take note of him so much when he was building wooden and plastic cars with Rotors and batteries to power the cars as they move smoothly on the cement floor of their sitting room while the young man was growing up . The parents wanted him to be on suit and tie, sit in an office and punch the keyboard of a computer in a busy-like manner!

I think Nigerian parents should start realizing that those times and now are not same. Your degree gives you nothing more that what its value is in Nigeria!!! You can quote me if you like! . That's why some graduates receive what's not even befitting for a driver working in a small pure water firm...and many are still unemployed!!!

God, give parents the wisdom to plan adequately for their children!!!

Nice piece of writting. In summary, it'd be a shame on us new generations to follow their footsteps and not try to work against their mistakes. My mum and dad are so comfortable with telling us 'wait till the month end' b4 granting us a request that requires instant cash.

Keeps me wondering, if I really wanna live that same life?