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!!!

Read patiently?

ammyluv2002:
Read patiently?

Yeah, you need to.

Nice write up, buh here in 9igeria parents r often too obsessed about their own work lyk dey hardly make out tym 2 spend with their kids. From mon - fri parents r at their work place 2 provide 4 d family while d kids go 2 skull n learn.

Now since d kid has discovered wat he's gud at it is left 4 him 2 let d parents knw about it, frm there d parents cn now assist him in wateva ways dey deem fit.

Parents r no magician u knw?? Especially those parents wit lyk 5 or more children

Very aptly written. Not everyone is meant to attend a university and acquire a degree. It's true that education is very vital to the development and shaping of one's life but not everyone is meant to have one.

Like you rightly said while growing up there are some exhibitions kids display that could be intermediate to their natural inclinations and if properly harnessed from childhood they could become successful and well recognised in life. You see a little boy always gathering woods to construct chairs, tables etc and advised him to study medicine and other science related courses when he could learn furniture or if he must acquire a formal education he can settle for fine art, architecture and related fields.

Young adults should be encouraged to take up apprenticeship and learning vocational skills even as they're still advised to gain formal education. It's near impossible to find a vocational worker not able to fend for himself while some university graduates don't have any means of livelihood.

A person can acquire both if they have the zeal. Some unemployed graduates who have been out of the labour industry for long can delve into learning a handiwork since jobs aren't forthcoming. We have very few new industries spawning up so staying idle hoping for a white collar job could backfire at the long haul if care is not taken.

I think we Nigerians takes so much pride in parading ourselves as graduates even if we have nothing to show for it. And those without formal education are constantly being stigmatised. We believe that once we tell someone we're an economist, lawyer, microbiologist or engineer we should be accorded respect even if we don't have 1k to our names. Which is utter baloney.

Some choice ladies too might not look your way if you're a middle class without a university degree, so everyone want to enter uni by force or fire. Not always our parents fault.

Wow!!! this is encouraging .

You know,every parent wants his/her child to be successful in life but what most don't understand is that wearing suits and tie in front of a computer doesn't describe success.

To me,success is doing what you have passion for and be happy while doing it.it doesn't matter if you are earning large or not or your suit is well ironed and costly.
Almost Everyone wants a bank work this days not knowing that most bankers live fake lives.That is the most stressful and over hyped job I know of.

Most of our talents are exhibited at our tender age.but they were either killed or forced out by out parents who thinks it's not noble.

I have a cousin brother who started writing novels and dramas at a tender age of 9 and I was his only reader.he had a bag filled with novels that he wrote on notebooks. but his mother,my anty killed his talent without she knowing it with the way she criticize him for spending his time to write instead of read.Now,I am not sure my cousin can write a good essay without making mistake.

One of my niece is 5years old and she will touch my hair at every given opportunity. Now that is a great hairdresser in the making.

Up till now,I don't know my talent. It probably was killed at my tender age without me knowing.
Parents should encourage any decent activity their children love to do.You never can tell how mightily it will blossom.

ronald4lif:
Very aptly written. Not everyone is meant to attend a university and acquire a degree. It's true that education is very vital to the development and shaping of one's life but not everyone is meant to have one.

Like you rightly said while growing up there are some exhibitions kids display that could be intermediate to their natural inclinations and if properly harnessed from childhood they could become successful and well recognised in life. You see a little boy always gathering woods to construct chairs, tables etc and advised him to study medicine and other science related courses when he could learn furniture or if he must acquire a formal education he can settle for fine art, architecture and related fields.

Young adults should be encouraged to take up apprenticeship and learning vocational skills even as they're still advised to gain formal education. It's near impossible to find a vocational worker not fend for himself while some university graduates don't have any means of livelihood.

A person can acquire both if they have the zeal. Some unemployed graduates who have been out of the labour industry for long can delve into learning a handiwork since jobs aren't forthcoming. We have very few new industries spawning up so staying idle hoping for a white collar job could backfire at the long haul if care is not taken.

I think we Nigerians takes so much pride in parading ourselves as graduates even if we have nothing to show for it. And those without formal education are constantly being stigmatised. We believe that once we tell someone we're an economist, lawyer, microbiologist or engineer we should be accorded respect even if we don't have 1k to our names. Which is baloney.

Some choice ladies too might not look your way if you're a middle class without a university degree, so everyone want to enter uni by force or fire. Not always our parents fault.

Nice one bro...but parents should back up formal edu with relevant skills aquisition.

MsBliss:
Pikin weh wan spoil go spoil.

How does that relate to the issue?

Lalasticlala, RoyalRoy, pls this calls for an intelligent debate!

Nice write up, buh here in 9igeria parents r often too obsessed about their own work lyk dey hardly make out tym 2 spend with their kids. From mon - fri parents r at their work place 2 provide 4 d family while d kids go 2 skull n learn.

Now since d kid has discovered wat he's gud at it is left 4 him 2 let d parents knw about it, frm there d parents cn now assist him in wateva ways dey deem fit.

Parents r no magician u knw?? Especially those parents wit lyk 5 or more children

Rapmoney:
Nice one bro...but parents should back up formal edu with relevant skills aquisition.

Yes they should but not only parents young adults should strive hard to acquire vocational skills too, whether formally educated or not. Some parents just gnash their teeth and send their wards to school even if they know he/she has not got the brains and could perform well in a skill work just because their neighbours kids are in school. Some might misconstrue their actions for being poor and not able to sponsor their kids to school so they want to prove a point.

You see, even if one intends to travel abroad they would have it much easier if they know a craft work. Our university degrees won't help at the initial stages until one might have attain a second degree through their edu system. When you know a work like hair shaving, you can travel today and get employed next day while your degree won't be of any help. Some craft workers are higher earners than graduate jobs too.

Not dismissing the importance of a formal education but handiworks are also helpful. Acquiring both won't hurt, especially when they're no jobs.

Rapmoney:
How does that relate to the issue?

lol

Sorry I didn't read the post.Will modify when I do so.

Been a graduate thus ways ain't you different from been a secondary school leaver.Na almost the same thing now.Takenr refininng and nuturing is the only way fowatd in thus nation.There are only two things that can make a man announced on Earth.YOUR SKILL AND/YOUR TALENT.

Our parents b like go to skul& av good grades so that u can get employment in a big company.

Taju foganisa my 2ndary skul klazmate is living a comfy life wt 3kids while me dey wait 4 job

austine4real:
Our parents b like go to skul& av good grades so that u can get employment in a big company.

Taju foganisa my 2ndary skul klazmate is living a comfy life wt 3kids while me dey wait 4 job

That mentality no longer works! Our young ones need serious re-orientation to be able to withstand the harsh realities that are inherent living our presend-day Nigeria!

Rapmoney:
Lalasticlala, RoyalRoy, pls this calls for an intelligent debate!

Lol

You will get anything BUT intelligent debate from the front page.

Other than that, this . . .

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!

. . .makes sense.

Rapmoney:
That mentality no longer works! Our young ones need serious re-orientation to be able to withstand the harsh realities that are inherent living our presend-day Nigeria!

1999% makes sense

Exactly what they did to my modelling career @16 now I'm still job hunting