I pen these thoughts of mine from the bed this Sunday morning. I took an enormous amount of stress yesterday trying to sort out groceries and meals for the week and today I couldn’t even muster enough strength to go to church – kudos to our mothers!

Introduction
Ten years ago as a teenager, it was normal convention that good grades were capable of guaranteeing one a good life. First class meant something then. A master degree and you were good to go. For those with a PhD then, the sky was just a starting point. The courses I was familiar with then were pretty straight forward – engineering (electrical, mechanical, computer, industrial, chemical, petroleum, agricultural and environmental etc.), accounting, economics, medicine, law, nursing, physics, biochemistry, microbiology, zoology, PAE, arts – (fine and applied, religious studies, CLA, classics) etc.

The benchmark ten years ago for getting a job was not difficult. Laws and policies were just being formulated then to encourage local content which opened a lot of spaces for fresh intakes. Furthermore, the disruption caused by computer technology was just beginning to have effect in Nigeria. It was not the norm ten years ago to have doctors as bankers or biochemists working in core oil and gas operations or engineers working in insurance and auditing firms. Expectations were high but mostly moderated.

Ten years after and I’m confronted with a totally different world. New courses – data scientist, artificial intelligence engineer, developers (apps, games, platforms etc.). Ten years after and first class means NOTHING. Ten years after and bachelors is becoming synonymous with SSCE. Ten years after and the expectations are beyond imaginable. Ten years after and the benchmark for getting a job is quite unimaginable when compared to the benchmark ten years ago. The disruption caused by computers and technology is now being felt.

Ten years ago, it was not uncommon for secretaries and receptionists (without university degrees) to earn 10k – 15k monthly. Ten years after, graduates now compete for such jobs (after earning 19800 Naira during NYSC). The struggle is real. I have seen countless first class/2-1 degree holders with some having MSc (from local and foreign universities) still jobless. Job vacancies are now oversubscribed (sometimes by over 10000% - NIS, NPF and Npower) with PhD holders even applying for driver jobs.

Worse is the growing state of frustration in the country that sees workers being owed salaries for months with no reprieve in sight. The state of the country ten years after is just unimaginable. I have seen youths cut down in their prime and no one took notice. I have seen an upsurge in crimes being committed by youths (drug peddling, credit card fraud, prostitution, cultism, etc) despite countless execution of culprits in several no-nonsense countries. I won’t even mention the bokoharam uprising and the Fulani herdsmen menace. In ten years, Nigeria has totally changed right in front of me.

My concern
My concern this morning is however with today’s teenagers in Nigeria. A couple of years ago, I needed some money to process my visa for MSc studies. My sponsors required us to use our funds and submit the bill to them which they were going to refund. On asking my younger sibling for a short term (6 weeks) loan, I was asked a question that has since haunted me – what has been your contribution to this house? Really it was zilch. As a young intern, my sibling was earning over 6 times my NYSC stipends (19800 Naira) monthly which placed this sibling of mine in a very comfortable position.

As an undergrad, I had never paid serious attention to the role of money in one’s life. My years as an undergrad were spent pretty well. My monthly allowance was split between my tithe, Time, Newsweek and Economist magazines (from Premier Hotel, Ibadan), foodstuff from Bodija and Sango Markets and electronic components to build my practical skills in electronics. Money was never a motivation. I never applied for any scholarships as an undergrad, my monthly income was okay by my modest lifestyle. No shopping for clothes or girlfriend upkeep (I didn’t have one). My schedule was class, room (Independence hall) and church.

On graduating, I knew what I wanted to be (vaguely). I was already aware of a global shift in electrical and electronics engineering. I had followed the rise of China in mass production and knew that soldering and local design was no longer relevant! I was becoming aware of some high level of professionalism in terms of expert design of components! Intellectual Property (IP) was the norm. I began to take notice of the huge purchases of patents and IP by companies from developers. I couldn’t really process what these things meant, I just had this information up there. I had become informed of moves worldwide to fast track policies to promote renewable energy technologies. My bachelors project was modelling a virtual power plant (VPP)! As a university scholar, I was never going to “dash” my life and time to MNC’s or IOC’s. Research was my goal.

I was quite lucky to have met with older folks who introduced me to research at undergrad level. As an undergrad I was already using scholarly articles from databases like IEEExplore, Elsevier etc. to write papers (presented at NSE AGM). Passion for research led me to meet older folks who had these resources (access to subscribed libraries for some national projects) and that provided me with materials to read. I started publishing in local journals as an undergrad. I was just having fun. However, there remained a problem, my inability to think “moneywise”. I was lucky to meet a prof outside Nigeria with whom I co-authored a paper whose publication was sponsored by his university. That marked my entry into standard publications.

Fast forward to NYSC, and it was splendid. Knowing fully that the program was a total waste of one’s time, I spent my time doing research with my lecturers back at university. The period of NYSC availed me a golden opportunity of adding two additional papers (Q2 journals).

Why the long epistle
I have taken my time to write the long epistle above because of the following:
1. Life is unpredictable – I cannot point to any single decision I have taken that has been the major deciding factor in my life. Every decision has always factored in somehow. Things/activities that I have thought were not relevant have become the basis for some benefits I have derived in life thus far. Little decisions have turned out to be lifesaving decisions.
2. Opportunities never announce themselves – My roommate introduced me to research. He connected me with another folk who had access to the library. A classmate of mine introduced me to a journal editor. The editor gave me access to win a grant as an undergrad and introduced me to my current advisor. My secondary schoolmate was instrumental in bringing me to UI and introduced me to a friend of his who told me of the scholarship that took me overseas for MSc. All of these persons never knew they had what I needed. I didn’t either, but God orchestrated every event which looks chaotic but has evolved into something pleasant. If I folded my hands and kept to myself, I would never have met these folks and would never be where I am today.
3. No preparation is irrelevant – When I look back to my investments in those magazines and read some of my publications back then, I laugh. They may look funny but then those acts though little have culminated into better writing today. They were dress rehearsals for today. Without them, I wouldn’t know what needed to be corrected or improved upon!
4. Everything has its time – Thinking money then would have driven me off course. With money not being a motivation, I was able to acquire as much skills as were available then. At the formative stage, money wasn’t relevant. The scholarships were offered not because of money!
5. Foresight is golden – I got full funding for PhD while still doing MSc because of publications! Who would have thought that those publications would be sufficient enough to convince the decision board that this candidate was good to go?
6. Applied information is power – As I progress in my studies, I have discovered that having information about policies is good but deploying it to make my research sync with the evolving trend is better! Today, countries are focusing on smart grids, smart and sustainable cities. The UN-SDGs, the Paris accord etc. are having impact on local policies of serious countries. Funding of projects is also in that direction – universal access to energy, poverty mitigation, emissions reduction, interconnected cities etc.

7. Solutions should be real – It is not uncommon to read up some thesis and see solutions that might not be relevant till 3000 years’ time. Interoperability, economics and policy must guide solutions. How can this solution sync with existing facilities without much fuss? What is the tangible economic benefit of this solution (ROI, cost savings etc.)? How does this solution influence/affect policy?
8. Thinking should be global – If I had limited my thinking within the Nigeria sphere, I would have been doomed. The world is a global village! A universal approach to thinking is necessary to enable one build sufficient capacity that can match contemporaries anywhere.
9. Resources abound – ResearchGate, academia.edu, scihub (illegal in some places), library genesis etc. abound with millions of articles (all for free). No one can claim to lack access to articles for research again.
10. Distractions are important – I’ve had my fair share of distractions (relationships) but it has not dampened my drive. They may not have led to the altar but then I’ve learnt a lot. They have built my communication and people skills and helped me reign in my emotions. They have helped me see another aspect of life.
11. You are responsible for your life – When I read about poor performances at WAEC and universities expelling students for sundry reasons I weep. It is easy to shout entrepreneurship and point fingers at Dangote, Zuckerberg, Gates etc., but then we forget that it is the man who has eaten that can reason. We forget that these folks are actually 0% of the total population. We forget the role policies affected these guys. We forget their pedigree and environment. It is pitiable to still have youths at 30 earning subvention from their parents or still hanger-on’s. Life is fleeting and change is quite rapid. At the end of the day you alone become responsible for how your life turns out to be.
12. Perseverance is key – I still have emails of journal editors rejecting my papers at my formative stage. Now the rejection (if any) is an offer for article transfer. The rejections didn’t deter me, they made me resolute. What were the comments, how can I improve on them etc. Giving up is not an option. I’ve battled problems that took me 3 months to crack. If I had given up earlier, I wouldn’t have been able to claim that success. If I can think it then its achievable. Read more, expand your thinking, discuss, ask questions from right thinking persons, join forums and learn. The solution is usually just at arm’s length.
13. Success is costly – When I fall ill (mostly due to accumulated stress), I take delight in the periods of rest. The pains could be excruciating but then I have some achievements to be proud of. Why do you fall ill – love, disappointment or hard work? Success would always extract its pound of flesh but it’s always worth it.
14. Networking helps – Remember point 2. The chaotic network of friends and acquaintances have been shoulders I’ve climbed to get to my current location. Building useful networks has been instrumental.
15. Never neglect God – Nothing wrong in claiming to have been smart and the architect of my successes, but why anger God and bring His wrath on me. I’ve seen and know scholars and first-class graduates who are still without jobs. These folks are way smarter than I am. There have also been cases of excellent students dying without having an opportunity to benefit from their successes. It all points to the fact that the race isn’t for the smart or intelligent and that there are things we can’t explain. I take delight in ascribing all successes to Him if that will guarantee me His continued mercies. Furthermore, I’ve no idea what lies ahead. The best I can do is plan. My committing into His hands my plans lets Him know that I am incapable. I might be smart or intelligent but then, I’m limited. God is never a back-up plan but The Plan. Never neglect Him. Aim to always please and trust Him and see Him work for you.

Dear Nigerian teenager, I trust you have had a nice time reading my long sermon. I know that the distractions are quite numerous, but please realise that very soon, you would be an adult. Do you want to be an asterisk or a monument (Scandal, S07 not sure of the episode now)? Start taking conscious decisions today that will catapult you up the ladder of success tomorrow. Get busy with those books – study, research, explore, read wide. Follow trends, join your course associations as student members, network, attend conferences. Live life! Be proactive, defer gratification. Prioritize and be disciplined. Never live by what people say. Men have and will always continue to talk – that’s why we have mouths. Be focused and set clear goals. Give yourself a treat as you meet milestones (mine was always a trip to tantilizers opposite UI). Be resolute. Always have the future in view. How sustainable is my career goal now? Will this career plan be sustainable in raising a family or sustaining me in x years to come? Never have a gap in life – plan ahead of time. Learn tools and software that will move you ahead. Today, biochemists write programs to do gene sequencing and characterization. 10 years ago that was not the case. Always take interest in other disciplines – research today is multidisciplinary. Policy is shaping almost all courses – so start learning about policy formulation. Invest your time wisely now to stand a fair chance of competing with your peers tomorrow. Build sensible profiles online. Register as a member of ResearchGate, academia.edu, Quora, LinkedIn and see what your peers are doing outside.
Think, think, please think. Spend enormous time thinking. Be creative. Imagine, think, conceptualize. Thinkers rule the world today. Go across disciplines. Relate what you do with other disciplines (especially economics, psychology, political science, migration, conflicts, poverty etc.). For those in humanities, relate your course with other disciplines and modern problems (energy, transport, climate change, sustainability etc.). Today, energy justice framework applies Kantian concepts in energy policy formulation. 10 years ago it was not imaginable!
Always ask yourself – do I want to be a liability tomorrow? It feels good putting money in your mailbox (Tupac). Always aspire to be someone of relevance tomorrow. Aim to be the child who can sponsor daddy and mummy’s vacation tomorrow. “I love you I love you would not put food on the table tomorrow”, so strive. Life is hard and the struggle is real!

In all you do, never neglect GOD!

Do have a splendid afternoon!

Great piece bro. but I must warn you, 95% of your target audience won't even have the 'time' to go through this.

Personally, I want to ask you, does the 'God' factor really count in view of all the physical, intellectual and practical aspects of your discourse?

DanseMacabre:
Great piece bro. but I must warn you, 95% of your target audience won't even have the 'time' to go through this.

Personally, I want to ask you, does the 'God' factor really count in view of all the physical, intellectual and practical aspects of your discourse?

Well we can only hope that someone stumbles across it.

Yeah the God factor really matters. When we examine life critically and see so many oddities (reversals, failings, Buhari as president of educated and enlightened Nigerians, Trump winning Hilary, Brexit, Leicester winning premiership etc.), it points to the fact that the God factor is the only factor that can guarantee one security in an ever changing world.

We can plan, strategize and be poised to succeed but then a spanner gets thrown in the works and everything comes crashing down. The God factor helps guarantee our plans in line with His plans.

My two cents though.

Wow. This is a serious write up. I'm currently at that stage of applying for a PhD having just concluded my MSc. And I keep on hearing from friends "who PhD epp". The unfortunate Nigeria Situation where PhD holders are majorly into lecturing, is what shapes this mindset.

Thank God I found this motivating piece at this period of my life.