fatima04:


You are right. Add Australia to the list. The major difference between US and UK is the latter being a government employer and the former is mostly private employer. Hence a higher salary range.

But the truth is its easier to get a job in the UK in medical profession than those countries. Imagine registering as a nurse in Texas and you want to move to Newyork, you have to register with that state all over again. Meanwhile NHS is NHS.

Don't even start on the whole Nclex exam process again...

The money gap is crazy, I really do feel Nurses are greatly underpaid in this country but ofcourse some too they chop well well.

Sincerely speaking, the UK is setting itself up for a repeat of the French Revolution.

How someone will qualify as a Nurse and work crazy shifts and be paid under £35K or slightly more is baffling. If there is anything covid-19 has done for the UK - it is helping to stress test the system and expose the significant inequalities and injustice and POVERTY prevalent in this country. Why the current conservative government cannot see a revolution simmering in the shadows is unbelievable. A supposed major superpower and still battling with Food Poverty.

£12bn for Serco to do test, track and trace and £bns more for supposed contracts on PPEs and wasted £400m in a bankrupt satellite company and many more wastages and yet she can't agree on a standard living wage. Look out how food banks are running out of supplies and how overloaded DWP is becoming with claimants for UBI and parliamentarians are arguing about libertarianism and egalitarianism and all what's not.

By the time the system gets stuffed and the UK can't generate more wealth (especially considering the uncertainty of Brexit coupled with the massive hit from covid-19 and the potential for Joe Biden to win and thus frustrate UK out of the EU without a deal), it may be said years to come - "Behold, there lies the ruins of the once great UK. A great superpower was she. Alas, her walls are broken and storehouses emptied."

Caveat - it doesn't mean people can't leverage the UK for the foreseeable future. She is still miles and miles better than Nigeria especially for young people for now.

Aphrodite007:


Yeah you hit the nail on the head. Me I was even talking from the perspective that MSC doesn’t allow you to practice, it’s BSC that does— especially for specialised courses like Eng, Med, Nursing, etc

Actually remove ENG courses from that list. I think only medical based courses are that strict now and maybe law practice. I've seen non engineers with unusual first degrees jump into an engineering masters programme and then an engineering role and do some qualifications and achieve CENg status! The reverse is also the same and ongoing. Some even get into engineering roles with basic science qualifications and voila they become chartered. In fact someone (a Nigerian and working in Nigeria) I know achieved his CENg status here in the UK and doesn't have a first degree! He's a PhD holder but followed other means.

For the reverse, it's just having skill set in qualitative and quantitative analysis a well as theoretical understanding of key themes. The work environment is really crazy. I'm an engineer by training with a PhD in CS and yet my current role is purely social science/humanities/law.

What seems to be selling within the sciences, engineering and humanities now is skill rather than degree qualification. Of course all these are majorly happening outside of NIGERIA.

Lexusgs430:



You snatched our wife....... Who is this lucky lady..........

Ah baba, MUM is the word. I can't jeopardise my akara and akamu this morning

justwise:


LagosismyHome don't waste your time, time will tell.

Last year this same Chukwuka was discouraging people from running away from Nigeria, today he is singing another tune. SARS did not start last month.

Justwise, one of the beautiful thing about life is HINDSIGHT.

Nairaland serves as a diary for me where I actually assess my thinking at different stages of my life and contrast it with the prevailing political economy. That is why I write and post on Nairaland. I started this during my PhD and it was here on this platform that I met my wife! In the future, I will compile my Nairaland posts as part of my autobiography.

I will be insincere to actually advise anyone now with Nigeria's climate to remain back there if one is YOUNG and not living the best life. If I have turnover of £1m annually from my Nigeria business, Nigeria will be my defacto home - until then, I keep working.

Don't be too quick to take my posts out of contest, read through the write up and understand where I'm coming from. The UK has given my some excellent platforms that have created opportunities for me in recent times. I am everyday discovering that new talents that I never knew I had. That is what the RIGHT environment does.

LagosismyHome:


But Nigerians are something else sha .... why is everything that you dont want to hear called an attack or seen as attack. Why isnt it called a constructive feedback or caution because the road ahead might be very rough due to the pandemic , too much uncertainty especially with the UK job market which should be the ultimate destination

Yesterday I saw two comments although now hidden , calling names even insulting, justwise because he said he didnt think coming now is wise and someone even put enemy of progress

This is the same justwise who has spent years, time and effort putting student through visa inquiry. I found nairaland back in 2010 when we were doing my brother master application and it was justwise comments that guided up in the end to end process. 2010 is a whopping 10 years ago, till date he still takes his time to give students guidance and yet he enemy of progress ... our people matter tire me jare .

Anyone anybody wants to do go ahead ....

There is no uncertainty in the UK job market. You are talking of uncertainty - THINK NIGERIA (that's worse than uncertain). Don't be too fixated with the stats and all. There is more behind the scene than meets the eye. The hysteria is usually pushed by the media to influence stock market. Also, there will always be expendables in any crisis - that's life!

In this pandemic I've moved from Tier 2 to Tier 2 to Global Talent Visa. My wife's joined me and I've changed accommodation. The only inconvenience I have faced is travelling for biometrics on both occasions as I needed my BRP urgently. I worked in a HEI in the Humber region for 4 months in this pandemic before resigning without stepping foot there. I've resumed a new job in another HEI and won't be stepping foot there till way into Q2 next year when the dust has settled. I still run my businesses both here and in Nigeria.

The UK will be releasing another set of bailouts to SMEs and individuals in the coming days/months to keep the economy afloat. The furlough scheme has helped countless Nigerians on Tier 2 visa still remain in their jobs. Students in the UK can now work unlimited hours in NHS related jobs (care jobs) which have high vacancies. Amazon continues to open warehouses and is need of huge number of staff. IT jobs are picking up pace and people are changing career faster than a blink. What is differentiating peoples experiences during this pandemic is KNOWLEDGE. Those who know are making a killing.

It is in this same pandemic that consultants from BCG are collecting over £6K per day and SMEs are collecting government contract left, right and centre. Let the students come in here. Chaos is always the best time to exploit opportunities. The UK MUST spend its way out of this pandemic. They have just started.

I do not hold forte for Justwise, however, we must learn to be REALISTIC. Nigeria is not offering HOPE to YOUNG people and if coming here even if it is for 3 years (study + 2 years PSW) is what will give them some semblance of sanity, let them come. HOPE is what keeps us living. If Nigeria can't afford you that and you can emigrate for studies, please "Japa".

Lastly, time is very important. At a certain age in life, some opportunities become meaningless. What's the excitement of owning a new car at 60 years or having a masters at 50? Rather than wasting away in Nigeria, let those folks emigrate and "struggle" in a country that has safety nets and offers them HOPE.

Dear All,

Please if you know of anyone back home intending to come overseas to study - don't discourage such person(s). It has become imperative to say this considering the increased "attack" by Nigerians on Nigerians attempting to relocate overseas via the education route especially in this pandemic.

Recent events back in Nigeria have now shown me that indeed MOST people in Nigeria are 1 level away from poverty. 1 simple government policy and GOKADA was gone like puff! Protest simply gone awry and businesses across Nigeria lost trillions in days due to vandalism. Simple disagreement over payment platform (Lord!) between ASUU and FGN and students are still at home. Palliatives hoarded despite hunger in the land. Soldiers and security agencies continuing their oppression of harmless civilians. The whole country is on autopilot and everyone is just doing what they like - this is a precursor to chaos.

Young people in the UK are going to be worst hit (so they say) by the coronavirus (they are being called the lost generation). Didn't do their GCSE's, lost the fun of going to university (no sophomore experience) and locked in to study online and banned from having raves/parties. These are the issues that young folks in the UK are contending with (imagine!). In Nigeria, their contemporaries are at home, forced to contend with SARS and other security agencies hell bent on decimating them, forced to act as electoral officers during elections, sent to distant and unsafe locations in the name of NYSC, killed without any national outcry (we've even become accustomed to such deaths), unable to access cheap start up loans (don't be deceived with CBN's N75 bn so called loan scheme), can't access forex etc. What then is the essence of living if a young person can't maximise their potentials.

Please encourage those who can sponsor themselves to leave the country as soon as possible especially if they are YOUNG. It is only the living that can talk of potential and maximising such. People shouting investments in Nigeria and high RoI are not being honest. I run businesses in Nigeria and yes, the RoI is really encouraging (especially in the agriculture sector), but what is the benefit of making profits if I have to spend it on providing everything (road, security, water, sanitation, healthcare, electricity etc.) for myself and family? What is the essence of having Naira if CBN will not allow me freely move my money overseas when I like? What is the essence of high RoI if cancer or liver/kidney issue or one serious sickness can practically make you POOR? Please don't shout insurance before thinking about the NHS and its inexhaustible resources and affordability.

The essence of living and being comfortable is the liberty to engage in activities without being hindered by unnecessary issues. Days ago, my wife and I felt we should experiment pounded yam (we can't come and go and "keel" ourselves) - time was 10pm. All she needed to do was microwave soup, put the yam in the pot to boil, dump it in the blender and by 10.50pm we were eating pounded yam with egusi soup. We didn't turn on a generator nor did we have to be bothered about gas/kerosine/light being available to boil the yam. I'm in an environment that works and that enables me to function well - Nigeria as it stands now CANNOT offer me that opportunity.

Let them try. It may not work out here but at least they tried. Let them also experience sanity and see what it is like to live in a sane environment. Let them understand how things and systems work in the developed world. Don't deprive anyone the opportunity of experiencing the "abroad" life. It has now become a necessity which every YOUNG person must experience in order to disabuse their already corrupted mindset and stimulate productive thinking.

With regards to information, please don't hoard information from them. Load them with information. Inform them about the newly launched PSW visa and the fact that they can apply for startup visas and innovation visas (£50K though) and tech nation visas (IT focused) and even register companies here in the UK when on the PSW visa. Let them know that there are loads of grants/funding and innovative competitions and events routinely being organised by the UK government that they can exploit. I'm not a British citizen but the UK govt has sponsored me multiple times overseas on trade missions (fully funded). No body even asked me what visa I was on!

The prevalence of poverty and multitude of unempowered YOUNG people back in Nigeria is TOO MUCH. Graduates in their tens of millions and no job and still living on handouts from parents and guardians and friends at 35! We can't compete with the Asians here if we don't have the number. We are less than 350K in the UK compared to the millions of Indians and Pakistanis. Why should Asians be doing my taxes and selling me African food and servicing my car and also my financial advisor when such funds can be recycled among Nigerians? We can't develop Nigeria if we don't have the financial power to drive investments back home and create jobs for the teeming population. Asians are buying up property like no man's business - I mean young Asians less than 30 years have portfolios of property in high brow areas and we are here talking about Nigerians staying back home? Ah, let's have conscience o.

erico2k2:

Those are Online bank for kids or students.These are not traditional bank the newest bank in the Uk for the last 34 years was Metro bank,That is the newest bank in the UK

Ah baba no talk like that o.

If my life depended on Barclays and its 'idiot' colleagues, I for don kpai o.

Hats out to MB though. They are redefining high street banking.

You see those challenger banks, they are the real deal. From opening account (business to personal) and operating freely with no need to visit one branch or answer STUPID questions - it is priceless.

The advise is to keep your high street bank accounts for ease of assessing credit at cheap interest rates but operate using the challenger banks. Challenger banks still have a long way to go with credit offerings. If Soludo were here, him for don recapitalise them as the 'bad guy' that he is. Thank God for FSCS.

Kids and students you say? Lolz......

wonlasewonimi:


Old generation banks are very hopeless when they see movements in your account that is unusual. If I want to do such transactions, they go through my challenger banks.

Fact!

Unfortunately they serve some very useful purposes.

The verdict is this - have an account with them (business and personal) as they prove very useful when you need credit at cheap interest rates. Think about how much they were able to lend out during this pandemic to businesses under BBL. The challenger banks are still learning in that regard. Twale to them! In fact Monzo no near there.

However, to operate freely unhindered (business and personal), the challenger banks prove very useful as they see no evil and hear no evil - no too much questions! Since they operate digitally, it is almost easy to have issues resolved within 24 hours.

I can't overemphasise your advise - please have a lot of accounts!

I scrolled patiently through all the pages looking at the comments to see if anyone will point out the senselessness of this thread but alas I didn't.

I will reserve my comments about the thinking capacity of the Nigerian youth for now and rather supply this.

Buhari on coming into power signed into law a bill that henceforth bans a Vice President who completes a President’s tenure form seeking re-election to be president more than once.

The law as signed by the President, also prohibits deputy governors from doing same.

The new law (Act 16) (as explained) means persons who have taken the oath of President or Governor once can only contest one more time afterwards.

http://saharareporters.com/2018/06/09/buhari-signs-law-would-have-barred-jonathan-contesting-2015-election

That no person in the hundreds of comments thus far could REMEMBER this and point it out shows a lot about how deep the brains of Nigerians are and also sheds more light about our current state.

YOU just made my evening and my FUTURE!

tensazangetsu20:
You grew up in Germany and I believe Germany has one of the best education systems. Before doing business, you need to look at the numbers. Nigeria has a very large population yes but 80 percent of that population lives in stricken poverty and you are coming down here for fashion business and not to sell food products. Nigerians spend 60 percent of their income on food I am sure it should be close to 70 percent now since the price of food items have gone through the roof. Do the research and run the numbers thoroughly so you don't make mistakes you will regret down the line. The numbers should guide your decision.

https://medium.com/@drola/the-mystery-of-market-size-in-nigeria-a7c863f537bb

You can read this article by dr ola the founder of flying doctors. She thoroughly demystifies the true market size in Nigeria. You can also subscribe to platforms like business day and stears business so you can get the data to work with.

Monmarri:


Wow! That was too fast. Congrats on you and wify. Please can you explain the global talent dependant, First time hearing of it.

Dependant is same across board - someone depending on the main applicant (spouse/civil partner and under 18 children).

The GTV is a repackaged Tier 1 exceptional talent visa with the slight modification being that academics can now be assessed by UKRI for it.

It's main advantages over tier 2 are that you can work for anyone and no one and get settled in 3 years (years spent on tier 2 count towards the 3 years).

I almost died reading the various reports here on nairaland on spousal visa considering I had to do same for wifey. Very informative platform as usual but scarry accounts.

Finally put my act together and applied for her and she picked up her passport with the vignette today.

I've told her to let me recover first from the expenses before we talk about her travelling. LoL.

Timeline
Applied: 28 Aug 2020
Biometrics (VI): 31 Aug 2020
TLS Passport collect msg: 07 Sept 2020.
Visa type: Global Talent dependant.

The date was May 28, 2015
Preparing to go for Rural Rugged the next day to complete my 3/3.
Came back from CDS that afternoon and as usual logged into my computer to check my email and I see a strange message.

Dear Chukwuka,

I am pleased to inform you that you have been offered the above scholarship for Session 2015/16 – please see copy of award letter and conditions attached, which have been sent to you by post. Congratulations!

FATHER LORD, YOU ARE MERCIFUL.

That was the key that opened the door for me. Today I look back and it's still like a dream. Everything going forward has built on that postgraduate scholarship.

My presentation during the interview wasn't top notch but God came through.

Life is just funny.

Kennyinusa:


This is for the next person that needs search's for Exceptional talent visa
I just received my endorsement from technation, and I will be submitting my visa application in the next few days.
The process is quite stringent and chances are you will need to putting in a lot of time to getting your application ready

It's changed now to the Global Talent Visa but still same old rules mostly. Difference is the addition of the UKRI fast track route for academics.

I recently got my endorsement under UKRI but chilling as I had earlier made a Tier 2 application. If them never answer me in the next couple of weeks I'll just put in my app as na 3 months the endorsement dey last.

For any academic coming in for postdoc positions like RA or RF and position is for 2 years at least, pls inquire about the following:
1. Is the project funded by any of the UKRI research councils - ESRC, EPSRC or ERC (Horizon 2020) etc (pls check for list of endorsed funders)
2. Is the grant sum at least £30k (haba how much them wan come pay you ni)
3. Is the duration of the funding at least 2 years.
4. Is your employer on the list of approved employers (not necessarily a university, it could be the catapult centres, Chatham House etc.)

If you tick all 4 boxes pls tell your employer say na Global Talent you wan do o. No go do Tier 2 o. That one get plenty wahala o as your employer na your master for the 5 years you need to get settled (and for some, they may not meet that salary threshold when they want to apply for settlement). You get to work for who you like and get settled in 3 years (including years spent on Tier 2) using the Global Talent visa and the endorsement stage is practically under 2 weeks. Got mine in 3 working days.

If you don't ask, you don't receive. Don't limit yourself.

I want to bring up my kids in a country that allows them grow and excel in their chosen endeavours. I do not want my kids to be defined by their grades in school. I want the basis for their achievements and receipt of any benefits in life to be simply because they are human beings. I want them to grow up in a society where they can learn how to promote others above themselves and join hands with others to fight for what they believe in. I want to bring up my kids to learn, see and practice love, care, understanding, compassion, empathy/sympathy, discretion and loyalty. I want my kids to grow up to be ambitious and also content fellows. Irrespective of what my kids decide to be in life, I want them to be happy about it and be fulfilled doing just that.

Unfortunately, Nigeria is not that place for it is at loss of its purpose.

I want to be friends with Mr McDowell and his beautiful wife Alice who live around the block. He tells me that he’s handed over an account of over £100K to his kid who just started uni. I want to learn how to build such wealth for my kids. Jane and her husband Greg who live down the road quip during a casual meeting at the park that they have now concluded purchase of a second house to rent out to tenants. They say rent from that house will cover its mortgage as well as their current mortgage. I want to build that network to understand how they could achieve that while maintaining other expenses. Charles and Zoe who are retirees and with whom I share fence with have recently informed me that they are moving to Asia to finance a charity drive that will teach children within a local area Mathematics and English. They want to spend their last days there as their gift to humanity. I want to be friends with them and understand better how I can shape my philanthropic activities based on their experiences.

Do white folks have issues – plenty. What’s then so special: it’s simple and it has to do with upbringing. I am currently having my claim of being a Christian seriously questioned because I see acts daily that make me wonder if indeed, I am not a liar. My salary and entitlement here in the UK have been paid as at when due (it has never delayed). I can’t say the same for any company (multinational or ‘uninational’) or any arm of government in Nigeria that can boast of that record for consecutive 12 months. Everywhere I go, there are systems in place to make sure that they are accessible to the weakest – the disabled. In Nigeria, it is a crime being one. Terrorists can abduct students in Nigeria and the government would not be bothered, in the UK, the death of a child will reverberate through the system with attendant consequences. In Nigeria, healthcare is moribund as our leaders can easily access top notch healthcare abroad. In the UK, any legal resident can access free healthcare to ANY AMOUNT. The ‘meagre’ health insurance we pay as immigrants guarantees us access to free childbirth, access to free operations and check-ups in the same hospitals accessed by the MPs, government officials and ordinary citizens. Even Boris Johnson recently spent some time in one of them.

Another reason why I want to network with these other folks is to learn the arts of contentment and service to humanity. In the UK, people are very contented with their lives – they have a job, get a mortgage, have a partner and 1/2 kids and they are fine. They could be librarians, government workers, lecturers, sales rep, office supervisor/manager, cleaners, professionals etc. Irrespective of the nature of their jobs, they are guaranteed a minimum standard of living and they are very happy with that. The UK glorifies hard work by placing a high premium on it and people are always proud of their accomplishments no matter how little. I stroll to the parks and I see kids taking turns at the swing without the need for an adult. In Nigeria, the child is brought up to fight for it. I observe kids at gatherings sharing treats and I see them sharing it among themselves in order. In Nigeria, that kid wants to have it all. I’m in a queue and I see folks moving pregnant women, the elderly and children ahead. In Nigeria, you are on your own. I enter the bus or trains and I see seats specially marked for the elderly and disabled. In Nigeria, we have no respect for the weak – they can be cheated, abused and neglected. The UK has less churches/parishes than those in Lagos state but exudes more values, ideals and character worthy of emulation than Nigeria.

The Brits and Europeans I studied with during my masters made up less than 25% of my entire cohort. They didn’t need it. There were those among them whose parents were well-off and paid the fees of their wards effortlessly. For those from average homes, they had accessed student loans and scholarships and were cool. Those on loans made up for their living expenses by working 20 hours weekly at shops around school and in the city centre. They all used the latest MacBook and iPhone. They chatted together, built friendship among themselves, went clubbing together and went on to great jobs – the likes of Jaguar, BAE, HSBC, BoA, WSP, DfiD, Costain, Shell, Barclays, Esso, Eni, GIZ, Rolls Royce, Airbus, Boeing, SSE etc while the majority of us returned HOME. Those who were up for it got full funding for PhD and research associate positions (EPSRC, ESRC, CDT programs etc.). The system didn’t discriminate among them – it provided the weakest of them multiple opportunities to thrive and reserved the best jobs for them. It wasn’t about a first, no, it was about competence and minimum requirements. The top students were Africans in my cohort, heck, my 2 course mates and myself were the top 3 ranking students within our option (77% - 81% weighted average), yet we were only good enough for cleaning jobs and cutting vegetables in warehouses.

Fast forward to my first job post PhD in the UK – I still hadn’t learned fully. While I had some few external relationships outside, I concentrated my effort within the folks I felt comfortable with – Nigerians. Do I have issues with Nigerians, no. Do I have inferiority complex, no. Do non-Nigerians have a lot to offer me than Nigerians – YES. It took a physical confrontation with my line manager (a Nigerian) in that employment before I had my brain reset. Our confrontation clearly showed me why I had a lot to learn from non-Nigerians. Nigerians are great people, but many are unknowingly suffering from mental trauma. We have been brought up in Nigeria under inhuman conditions and mentally conditioned ourselves to believe that’s how it should be done. We have suffered abuses and bullying from our parents, seniors, teachers, lecturers, bosses at work, government officials, security personnel, clerics and even elected office holders that we have now come to mentally accept it as normal. I have worked with Nigerians who feel their being older gives them some authority over me. I have worked with Nigerians and for Nigerians who despite being older and ahead still feel threatened by subordinates – sincerely, I have worked with Nigerians who could be very petty.

You see, friends are like advisers and information source. The wider the diversity of your friends, the better informed you would be, and the better informed you are, the better the quality of decisions you will make and living you will have.

Why did travelling matter to us – because we were from Nigeria. We got our Schengen visa in less than 10 days. Our US visa interview lasted under 3 minutes and was out in 5 days. My Canada visa was out in less than 11 days. You don’t have such odds in Nigeria. Besides, we felt we needed to have some bit of travel history – now I know better. While my travelling out for masters was great, it was also viewed as some form of comeuppance especially at those who felt “we” would amount to nothing. “So, Sade went to Scotland for her masters last year, well my son is going to England for his next month”. There was that hidden conflict albeit contestation between the “haves and haves not”. Thinking back, I can’t even imagine how my trip abroad for studies could be a form of revenge against any sect – I have no idea how it could have bothered them or affected their finances. Unfortunately, I assumed as well as my folks and friends that such ‘tremendous feat’ created some sort of equalisation between the ‘haves and haves not’. Today, we know better.

Back to England and masters had commenced in earnest. The three of us from the same sponsor decided there was a need to breakout of the norm. We weren’t going to chase grades and all that. We were going to put in the minimum effort and expend our time and efforts discovering life. Ah, you guessed right. First, we sailed off to Amsterdam via France and Belgium. We had the privilege of visiting the red-light district and the famous sex museum! It was a nice bonding time between us albeit limited to fellow Nigerians. Next, we visited the US (Chicago and Atlanta). Last, we visited Canada (Montreal) and that concluded masters for us with distinctions in all our course works including dissertation. Now here comes the kicker. While we were travelling and seeing new places and working on our coursework, there were other of our course mates who just had minimum scores and went about OTHER THINGS. They were Nigerians, Brits and Chinese and Kenyans and Ghanaians amongst other nationalities and while we had to return back to Nigeria, these guys were moving on into graduate positions in the UK.

Yes, it was easy to feel unbothered. Afterall, I had turned down PhD funding for a UK university to head to South Africa fully funded by the South African government. My other 2 course mates had gotten management trainee jobs in a major FMCG company in Nigeria and were headed back home to resume and earn ‘mega bucks’. Life seemed fair only if we knew. Not all of our colleagues had gotten trainee jobs. While most did get trainee jobs, a few others had explored the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa. How could we have known – after all we thought intelligence trumps all. In addition to all these, we didn’t even bother to understand how employment worked in the UK neither was obtaining another citizenship on our minds. Our closeted mindset further reinforced by our self-conceited belief that were doing alright and blinded us to the enormous opportunities that were available beyond travelling. We unknowingly built a shield around us thus blocking our chances of redemption.

I come from what could be then termed a middle-income home. My parents are both university educated and hold professional qualifications. So, while they couldn’t afford me summer trips abroad or fancy clothes, they ensured I attended the topmost private schools in the state with lesson teachers/tutors. The support they provided me meant I could get into Nigeria’s premier university and study my desired course. Of course, I grew up with kids around the block who had access to things my parents couldn’t afford. Yes, I had Shakespeare and Dickens and Dante’s, however, I didn’t have access to coloured television to watch my favourite cartoons like Godzilla, Scooby Doo, the Smurfs etc. or local programmes like Village headmaster or Basi and Company. Yes, I visited the fair during Christmas and went to Mr Biggs growing up, but it wasn’t regular like my neighbours next door or around the corner. My parents tried – Lord knows they did, but their limitations and actions had unknowingly seeded a deep resentment for those who were well off than me. Unbeknown to me, I was daily cultivating a deep-seated hate for rich and comfortable folks. This here was the mindset that influenced my early days in England.

I would have you remember that to avoid having to drink in the sight of others’ financial success and interact with them, I dedicated myself to study. Education as I presumed was going to be my ticket to limelight. By so doing, I ignorantly lost the early opportunity to learn how to build and preserve the most important and valuable treasure any human can have in life – NETWORK. Forget about your ideas about network and all those sessions you have attended where you had drinks and exchanged cards, NETWORK in its unsullied state would have afforded me early enough a bailout by influencing my reasoning and thinking capabilities to see the world differently. I had to leave Nigeria to know that.

While serving as a youth corps member, I had the privilege of living in the NCCF family house. Mind you, I was the “Uncle” or general secretary for my local government and that office gave me some deep insight that has shaped my life going forward. Please try to keep up as I attempt to seamlessly integrate stochastic life experiences that have chronologically helped in shaping my ideals about life and living.

As an “Uncle” (“Unkulu” as the Bible study secretary would say), I took my role quite seriously. I interacted with a lot of the corps members in my LGA and visited the PPA/residence of all registered NCCF members in my LGA. However, my interaction and everyday living with these folks taught me some valuable lessons. I used to be a very ambitious person – I used to love challenges and conquests that were intellectual. I also loved this idea of group success and was always making that mistake of imposing my ideas and beliefs on those around me.

When corps members would talk about their passion for cake making or cloth sewing or farming – I was always aghast! Why would you have your degree and want to end up as a farmer or tailor or caterer? Have you considered the option of a masters? Have you thought about applying for a role in a famous organisation? Why is your thinking this mediocre? Aim high, be ambitious, aspire for the best and all that were my famous slogans. As I think back at those years, I smile as I finally see how life can indeed transform one when we allow it. To ‘assist’ these ‘simplistic’ fellows, I even organised empowerment sessions for NCCF corps members and tried to facilitate that environment of information exchange and knowledge sharing. I had a ‘good’ heart or so I thought. Years later, I know better.

When I got selected to go over to England for postgraduate studies by one of the oil majors, I still harboured the belief that my hard work was finally paying off. It wasn’t uncommon to hear me say often to folks “study hard and make a first and the world would be your oyster”. Studies in England was an eye opener as that was the beginning of my transformation. At first, my meeting with fellow Nigerians further reinforced my perverse belief as most of them on scholarships had a first. The usual deviations were either females (mostly) or those who had been smuggled in via a politician’s influence (042 – Uche comes to mind). Others were self-sponsored and that in itself awoke my prejudice and bias – the reason I shall present shortly.

It is often said that the greatness of something is always determined by its weakest part. Nowhere was this more evident than in England and Europe and North America and South Africa (places I would later visit).

It’s Sunday morning and a great day at that. Yeah, the world is going through a tough spell as we grapple with the hard realities of coronavirus; but this too shall pass.

Sunday five months ago, I wouldn’t have written this piece because I would have been in Church – indeed there is nothing as constant as change.

In setting the pace for this write-up, it is necessary to provide some context. I’m a young Nigerian who was brought up to believe in the “Nigerian dream”. I did and do believe in that dream. As a matter of fact, I did play my own part. I behaved well, studied hard, shunned crime except the usually expected deviations as is normal for a youth. As I grew older, I became a Christian – something I cherish and as life went on, I got married. In summary, I’ll say that I’ve had no major hiccups with my progression in life – NONE! Now, this here was my MAJOR problem in life – the simplistic assumption that folks in Nigeria were having hiccups in life because they didn’t do alright by themselves. You see, this mindset would have led me to destruction if God hadn’t allowed me experience life and living from some other perspectives.

As I conclude, I am thinking back on some of the painful experiences one has been forced to go through all because one wanted to go the path of self-discovery. No one makes the rules in life except God and it will always be foolishness for anyone to believe that they can influence what becomes of another person. When leaders understand how ephemeral and frail they are and that they are only a minute/infinitesimal part of a very long process, then they must be humble enough to do their part and move on. The concept of someone assuming the role of baale in one’s life and waiting for regular sacrifices and other ego massaging acts must be done away with. Academics are in the education business to enlighten folks and put them in the path of usefulness/self-discovery.

We are running out of time in Nigeria. Let’s begin looking inwards and start reassessing our modus operandi. The best time to have started was yesterday and by tomorrow, the best time would have been today.

What makes leadership is its ability to offer you a model and a platform for self-discovery. Leadership need not be a formal relationship, in fact, leadership can be modelled unknowingly or from far. However, the leader modelling leadership ensures that every prospective candidate enjoys that serenity and platform for self-discovery. The leader acknowledges that the candidate must own the process and drive his progress. The leader doesn’t aim to reproduce himself in the candidate – then it becomes exertion.

Leadership appreciates diversity in idea, approach, manner and makes lengthy room for the candidate to experiment. A leader is a sponsor whose role is to bear the repercussions of the candidate’s misdeeds for only in such misdeeds can the candidate learn responsibility. A leader doesn’t seek to build followers but other leaders. It is our failure to understand this that informs the poor outcomes in today’s development process in Nigeria (especially in our education system). Little wonder today, there is no difference between our academics in Nigeria and the legislooters in parliament. Just as we have crimes of sexual harassment, nepotism, forgery and embezzlement among our parliamentarians, the very same is prevalent in our hallowed educational sector. Why? Bad academic leaders have reproduced themselves!

It is always shocking to realise how easily we default to the thinking that leadership must always be associated with a position (based on age/seniority or attainment by structure – note that I never said merit). As a Nigerian, it isn’t uncommon to see my seniors attempting to exert some influence over me. In fact, in my life as an adult, I do get to be challenged from time to time by folks older than me on how I must behave. Sometimes I get into lengthy conversations with senior folks and they chip in their advice and I smile – if they only knew. Of course, no one knows it all, but if you have been able to achieve anything interesting with your life (career, marriage, a job or business, anything) that you are very proud of, then you are capable of determining how your life goes.

The Nigerian nation has thrived on a culture of bullying. Younger folks cannot question or criticise the elder ones because the elder ones are always right. The nonsense culture has now metamorphosed into an entitlement mentality as routinely displayed by these folks in public gathering – think constituted authority. You see religious clerics who feel they can’t be questioned because they read the bible or pray or can join two words together to tell me about Moses. This attitude of bullying and non-recognition of the opinions of youths is what has led to lost values today. Youths today now believe that they can only be heard when they have money or wield some influence. The rising cases of advanced fee fraud, rituals, stealing, drug courier etc. among youths is tied largely to their desire to be recognised. Leadership must recognise the candidate!

Leadership is influence – J. Oswald Sanders

I love simple definitions because they communicate volumes.

As growing up kids, it wasn’t uncommon for us to desire to be like someone in our vicinity – doctor, engineer, police or even a traffic warden! Why? Those folks influenced us. I always thought about being a military man as a kid. I loved the respect and fear they generated from folks around. They exerted leadership without moving an inch!

As an undergrad, there was just a minute crop of persons whose influence continued to fan my love for academics – yes, I have my issues (many they are it seems) but these folks exemplified something unique that made me desire being an academic.

On the political scene, it is not any different. The clowns who parade themselves as leaders are in essence thieves masquerading in sheep’s clothing. They have thrown aside any sense of humanity and have settled to fleece and inflict maximum pains on the masses. The elected officials from the presidency to the legislature to the judiciary are made up almost totally of these nuisances who are a total deviation from the norms and values so exhibited by our founding fathers.

In education, your guess is as good as mine. Fela sums it up – “teacher, don’t teach me nonsense.” When we realise that years after, education in Nigeria is characterised by gross nepotism and cabalised by a cohort of despots who are devoid of any iota of intelligence, then we shouldn’t be shocked by the calibre of graduates being churned out from our institutions of higher learning.

The bedrock of education in the South West and Cocoa development in the Western region could be traced to the vision of a leader – Awolowo. Seeing the future, he began consciously setting up the Western region to become the education hub of Nigeria. Today, the leading institutions of higher education (private and public) are domiciled in the West.

Over time, as they died and a new breed of fathers evolved, we have had cause to wonder if the current fathers are off springs of the past fathers or perhaps these current fathers have been fathered by a beast. The tales and sights we are treated to daily are quite painful and sad. The qualities of sacrifice, care, patience, foresight, competence etc. that were visible in the late fathers are nowhere to be seen among the new fathers.