I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU - Education

I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU - Education - Nairaland

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I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by MANDIPUTIN(op): 10:50am On May 15, 2022

I begged to feed, graduated with first class, yet no meaningful job –Bashir, ABU graduate

Twenty-six-year-old Abdulmalik Bashir, who graduated with a first class in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, tells GBENGA ODOGUN how financial challenges pushed him to academic success

Can you walk us through your academic background?

I attended primary school in the Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State. I attended the UBE Secondary School, Idatochi, and thereafter, attended the Egbira Community Secondary School, Ogaminana, where I completed my secondary education in 2012. After leaving secondary school, I had to stay at home for two years before I got admission into the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for the 2014/2015 session, and studied Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. I graduated in 2019 with a first class degree and was the best student in my department.

Do you have a copy of your degree certificate?

I have yet to collect my certificate. I am currently using a statement of result in place of a certificate.

Why haven’t you collected your certificate?

I have been to the school several times without success to collect my certificate. The last time I was there, the Non-Academic Staff Union was on strike and is still on strike as I speak. There is no one to attend to me.

How did your parents support your education and upkeep?

When I got admission in 2014, my parents took care of me. But in 2016, I started facing financial challenges because my father, Ohieku Siyaka, is a teacher in a primary school in the Adavi Local Government Area before the long period of screening was carried out by the state government. He fell into the category of un-cleared teachers and since then, which is more than seven years now, my father, who is the breadwinner of our family, has not been paid a dime!

My mother is a petty trader, but two years after my admission, she developed health challenges that later resulted in a partial stroke and she could no longer trade. In my 300 level, things became extremely difficult for me. I had to resort to begging and meeting a few friends to solicit their assistance. Only a few of them assisted me and from what I got from them, I had to send money home to my parents because the situation at home was piteous.

How did you manage to forge ahead?

I encountered serious financial challenges that almost forced me out of school but for the grace of God and some friends, who lent me money that I later paid back during my service year. My mother’s health challenges affected my academic studies a lot, because before she fell sick, she ensured that I lacked nothing; but when she became sick, I had to turn myself into a beggar on campus before I could feed. There was one particular day I packed my belongings and wanted to abandon my studies, because I could no longer cope but I summoned courage and stayed behind to see what God would do for me. The suffering and financial challenges I faced while in school motivated me to aim for a first class degree. So, I decided to put hunger aside and concentrate on my studies. With severe hunger, I ensured that I read my book to meet my target.

At what point did you start working towards graduating with a first class degree?

It started in my first year. I had vowed to graduate with a first class degree so that I could free my parents from poverty and that I achieved at the end of my studies. However, I have been greeted with unemployment since I graduated and completed the National Youth Service Corps. I am appealing to the government at all levels, private individuals and corporate organisations to assist me with a job so that I can take care of my sick mother and my father, who has remained on the un-cleared list for the last seven years, and my siblings, who can no longer go to school because of the financial challenges my parents are facing. With my qualification, I can work in the ministries of water resources and environment. I can as well work in any oil company. If I have the resources, I can as well set up a business.
I dedicate my academic success to my father and mother, who deprived themselves of the comfort of life to see me through school, especially at the primary and secondary levels, before the challenges came. Their efforts posed a bigger challenge to me and made me decide to become the best student in my department and faculty. Today, I am partially happy that I have achieved the feat and I will be completely happy when God Almighty, individuals and the government assist me to secure a job and start taking care of my parents.

Where did you undergo national service and where was your place of primary assignment?

I underwent national service at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

How did you fund your movement to the state and community you were posted to?

I didn’t fund any movement. My father managed to squeeze out some money for me for my transportation.

Did you make efforts to be retained at your place of primary assignment?

Yes, but as of that time, the institution was facing serious financial challenges, which led to a delay in the payment of salaries to their employees, hence, my application was declined.

Have you applied to other academic and corporate institutions for a job?

Yes, I applied to the Nasarawa State University for a job when I saw the advertisement for recruitment online but I couldn’t complete the process because I was still serving. I completed service at the end of October 2021.

What do you currently do to earn a living?

I work at a private construction company. I joined the firm last December on an ongoing water supply and sanitation project, which is about to reach completion. My take-home pay is nothing to write home about. I am just doing it to avoid boredom.

Does the ABU not retain first class graduates as some other Nigerian universities do?

Did you take up extra jobs to make ends meet during your service year?

No, the institution paid corps members a monthly stipend of N7,500 only and the nature of the work didn’t allow free time to take up extra jobs.

Did you make efforts to be retained at your place of primary assignment?

Yes, but as of that time, the institution was facing serious financial challenges, which led to a delay in the payment of salaries to their employees, hence, my application was declined.

Have you applied to other academic and corporate institutions for a job?

Yes, I applied to the Nasarawa State University for a job when I saw the advertisement for recruitment online but I couldn’t complete the process because I was still serving. I completed service at the end of October 2021.

What do you currently do to earn a living?

I work at a private construction company. I joined the firm last December on an ongoing water supply and sanitation project, which is about to reach completion. My take-home pay is nothing to write home about. I am just doing it to avoid boredom.

Does the ABU not retain first class graduates as some other Nigerian universities do?

They do but not always. I think for some time now, they’ve stopped retaining their first class graduates.

What lessons can young Nigerians who face similar challenges learn from you?

I am calling on the Nigerian youth to be focused and not allow any challenges to push them into committing a crime. Rather, they should convert the challenges to success through seriousness, focus, and determination in whatever lawful enterprise they are engaged in because with determination, a lot can be achieved in the end.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/i-begged-to-feed-graduated-with-first-class-yet-no-meaningful-job-bashir-abu-graduate/%3famp

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Amerengues2: 10:53am On May 15, 2022*

This resonates with me being a first-class graduate; It takes a lot in this tottering economy to graduate well and not get a job.

We keep saying that the ills suffered by lecturers have started permeating the fabrics of the society. His father is a teacher and he couldn't afford to take care of his family. This is what ASUU is fighting for.

Even 65% of the first class graduates retained have sought greener pastures and about 10% on their processing while the remaining 25% is undecided.

Do you expect this boy to stay in this corntree if he sees a better offer abroad? Even the question of being retained in his alma Mata is because he doesn't have a job. He can't be paid less than 110k as a graduate assistant.

Why can't the government just employ him with his grade? Because he isn't well connected.

Modified: That's why the society must change the narrative of certificate rather enjoin people to pick up entrepreneurial skills to liberate them in the eventuality of no job.

IamMichael

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Fasindo: 10:55am On May 15, 2022

Abdulmalik Bashir,

By the way with what northerners did during Endsars and now the killing of Deborah and the support the killers get from their fellow northerners I don't have any more pity to any northern headslammer.

Maybe he should go into farming, that's Buhari wish for Nigerian youths

1 Like 1 Share

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by sreamsense: 12:33pm On May 15, 2022

Amerengues2:
This resonates with me being a first-class graduate; It takes a lot in this tottering economy to graduate well and not get a job.

We keep saying that the ills suffered by lecturers have started permeating the fabrics of the society. His father is a teacher and he couldn't afford to take care of his family. This is what ASUU is fighting for.

Even 65% of the first class graduates retained have sought greener pastures and about 10% on their processing while the remaining 25% is undecided.

Do you expect this boy to stay in this corntree if he sees a better offer abroad? Even the question of being retained in his alma Mata is because he doesn't have a job. He can't be paid less than 110k as a graduate assistant.

Why can't the government just employ him with his grade? Because he isn't well connected.

IamMichael

Don't compare this scenario to speak for ASSU. ASSU is on another lane, for you to even get job, you have to thank God because millions of graduated and graduating students never secured any job. However, don't expect government to pay you millions of Naira on monthly basis due to greediness because you manage to secure job with state or federal by frustrating government with incessant strikes which can never be tolerated with private establishment.

No one is saying you shouldn't fight for your right, but it shouldn't be abused. Someone weeping, begging for any job yesterday from government will resume protest following day fighting for salary increase and ridiculous selfish conditions because he believes politicians are getting jumbo pay, such person should go and join politics also so he/she can get jumbo pay instead of holding government at ransom

Employers can only give you money to feed your family, they can't make you rich. If you want to become rich, you must work it out yourself. When you are in school, seek for skill in your field that can properly put food on your table in future and not just first class. No salary can ever be enough, the more you get higher pay, the more your taste and responsibility become higher.

When your parents finished school can't be compared with today's economic reality and over population among school graduates competing for few vacancies. When you are in school, stop chasing irrelevant skills,; when you know you are not going to end up as football players, why wasting all your productive times chasing after Ronado, Messi, Chelsea, Man u arguments, computer games, addition to unproductive video, music series in schools while you can spend the time to improve yourself skillfully in your field using YouTube and internet resources to improve your skill?

Stop abusing laptop to watch only video series, social media and chasing Facebook girls, use it to your positive advantage to learn skill and conduct useful researches. Not that you won't do all those things mentioned above, but they should be in your secondary and not primary Todo list. Higher institutions are many now in Nigeria, numbers of graduates are increasing on yearly basis, but vacancies are minimal.

Even those that secured job don't want to hear retirement, ASSU lecturers don't want to retire at 65/70 to give room to younger ones, just as politicians want to finish as governors and go straight to Senate. You can't blame any of them for this because if you find yourself in their shoes, you will do the same because most of them are breadwinners.

Get relevant skills in your field that can put food on your table as plan B when you are in school remains the best option to avoid super-story of no job. Count getting job with your certificate as plan-A if you are lucky to get one when you graduate, but if good job fails to come forth as expected, switch to your plan-B. Don't just aim for first class alone, but first class and relevant skill. Commiting crime in the name of no job can lead to regret if one is caught.

8 Likes

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Ceenachi: 12:39pm On May 15, 2022

"No meaningful job" that's the problem. Any time as a fresh graduate or experienced professional you can't find a job, create one. That is the true test of your intelligence and ingenuity not reading someone's idea and repeating same in an exam...this is good but not sufficient in our current milliux

Come down to South if you will graduate with even second class lower, all of una just dey joke for that una North grin

3 Likes

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Amerengues2: 12:48pm On May 15, 2022

Whatever you say, you are right. Don't always assume everyone who supports the struggle of ASUU is ASUU member. Some well meaning members of the public still aligns with the struggle. The fact that his father is a teacher but couldn't take care of his family speaks volume and signals the rot in education.

The same way people who are against Tinubu are tagged IGBO because of a contrasting view. Stop assumptions. By the way, I didn't read what you typed but you are right on whatever thing you posted. I don't engage in back-and-forth on nairaland.

The key remains that getting relevant skills should be preached above certificate. Don't quote me back because you are right.

sreamsense:
Don't compare this scenario to speak for ASSU. ASSU is on another lane, for you to even get job, you have to thank God because millions of graduated and graduating students never secured any job. However, don't expect government to pay you millions of Naira on monthly basis due to greediness because you manage to secure job with state or federal by frustrating government with incessant strikes which can never be tolerated with private establishment.

No one is saying you shouldn't fight for your right, but it shouldn't be abused. Someone weeping, begging for any job yesterday from government will resume protest following day fighting for salary increase and ridiculous selfish conditions because he believes politicians are getting jumbo pay, such person should go and join politics also so he/she can get jumbo pay instead of holding government at ransom

Employers can only give you money to feed your family, they can't make you rich. If you want to become rich, you must work it out yourself. When you are in school, seek for skill in your field that can properly put food on your table in future and not just first class. No salary can ever be enough, the more you get higher pay, the more your taste and responsibility become higher.

When your parents finished school can't be compared with today's economic reality and over population among school graduates competing for few vacancies. When you are in school, stop chasing irrelevant skills,; when you know you are not going to end up as football players, why wasting all your productive times chasing after Ronado, Messi, Chelsea, Man u arguments, computer games, addition to unproductive video, music series in schools while you can spend the time to improve yourself skillfully in your field using YouTube and internet resources to improve your skill?

Stop abusing laptop to watch only video series, social media and chasing Facebook girls, use it to your positive advantage to learn skill and conduct useful researches. Not that you won't do all those things mentioned above, but they should be in your secondary and not primary Todo list. Higher institutions are many now in Nigeria, numbers of graduates are increasing on yearly basis, but vacancies are minimal.

Even those that secured job don't want to hear retirement, ASSU lecturers don't want to retire at 65/70 to give room to younger ones, just as politicians want to finish as governors and go straight to Senate. You can't blame any of them for this because if you find yourself in their shoes, you will do the same because most of them are breadwinners.

Get relevant skills in your field that can put food on your table as plan B when you are in school remains the best option to avoid super-story of no job. Count getting job with your certificate as plan-A if you are lucky to get one when you graduate, but if good job fails to come forth as expected, switch to your plan-B. Don't just aim for first class alone, but first class and relevant skill. Commiting crime in the name of no job can lead to regret if one is caught.

2 Likes

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by RepoMan007: 1:06pm On May 15, 2022

Fasindo:

Abdulmalik Bashir,

By the way with what northerners did during Endsars and now the killing of Deborah and the support the killers get from their fellow northerners I don't have any more pity to any northern headslammer.

Maybe he should go into farming, that's Buhari wish for Nigerian youths

Funny enough, he will be deeply islamized according to customs and given a job. Something I can't say for a southerner.

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by NwaAmaikpe: 1:12pm On May 15, 2022

Bashir must be a very lazy abok youth.

How can he complain that there were no jobs when his brothers are gainfully employed and have surplus job opportunities as okada riders and gatemen down in the South?

Is he too big to sell suya at Ramat Park?

24 Likes 3 Shares

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Rastaramsey(m): 1:15pm On May 15, 2022

Damn damn damn

This life is hard...

I graduated finally from uniben after 8 years of series of games I played during my prime....

I commot from Benin, enter Lagos hustle hard.... Money no dey to chop...
I suffer, Niggars abandon me..

Na him I carry myself go Alfa place, baff soap..

Omo nah him I use gbera like this oo..

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by securitywatch50: 1:19pm On May 15, 2022

You are deeper thinker

sreamsense:
Don't compare this scenario to speak for ASSU. ASSU is on another lane, for you to even get job, you have to thank God because millions of graduated and graduating students never secured any job. However, don't expect government to pay you millions of Naira on monthly basis due to greediness because you manage to secure job with state or federal by frustrating government with incessant strikes which can never be tolerated with private establishment.

No one is saying you shouldn't fight for your right, but it shouldn't be abused. Someone weeping, begging for any job yesterday from government will resume protest following day fighting for salary increase and ridiculous selfish conditions because he believes politicians are getting jumbo pay, such person should go and join politics also so he/she can get jumbo pay instead of holding government at ransom

Employers can only give you money to feed your family, they can't make you rich. If you want to become rich, you must work it out yourself. When you are in school, seek for skill in your field that can properly put food on your table in future and not just first class. No salary can ever be enough, the more you get higher pay, the more your taste and responsibility become higher.

When your parents finished school can't be compared with today's economic reality and over population among school graduates competing for few vacancies. When you are in school, stop chasing irrelevant skills,; when you know you are not going to end up as football players, why wasting all your productive times chasing after Ronado, Messi, Chelsea, Man u arguments, computer games, addition to unproductive video, music series in schools while you can spend the time to improve yourself skillfully in your field using YouTube and internet resources to improve your skill?

Stop abusing laptop to watch only video series, social media and chasing Facebook girls, use it to your positive advantage to learn skill and conduct useful researches. Not that you won't do all those things mentioned above, but they should be in your secondary and not primary Todo list. Higher institutions are many now in Nigeria, numbers of graduates are increasing on yearly basis, but vacancies are minimal.

Even those that secured job don't want to hear retirement, ASSU lecturers don't want to retire at 65/70 to give room to younger ones, just as politicians want to finish as governors and go straight to Senate. You can't blame any of them for this because if you find yourself in their shoes, you will do the same because most of them are breadwinners.

Get relevant skills in your field that can put food on your table as plan B when you are in school remains the best option to avoid super-story of no job. Count getting job with your certificate as plan-A if you are lucky to get one when you graduate, but if good job fails to come forth as expected, switch to your plan-B. Don't just aim for first class alone, but first class and relevant skill. Commiting crime in the name of no job can lead to regret if one is caught.

The bitter truth about life.

1 Like

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by WhizdomXX(m): 2:02pm On May 15, 2022

Fasindo:

Abdulmalik Bashir,

By the way with what northerners did during Endsars and now the killing of Deborah and the support the killers get from their fellow northerners I don't have any more pity to any northern headslammer.

Maybe he should go into farming, that's Buhari wish for Nigerian youths

He's from Kogi.

1 Like

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by franchasofficia: 2:04pm On May 15, 2022

lol

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by LilyColin(f): 2:10pm On May 15, 2022

You never see anything bloody terrorist

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by logiccal: 2:33pm On May 15, 2022

Fasindo:

Abdulmalik Bashir,

By the way with what northerners did during Endsars and now the killing of Deborah and the support the killers get from their fellow northerners I don't have any more pity to any northern headslammer.

Maybe he should go into farming, that's Buhari wish for Nigerian youths

Really

Did you know that not anyone in the north supported that?

It's upto you to di whatever you want with your life.

I just wish this country will be dismantled already

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Wazobia2216: 2:51pm On May 15, 2022*

MANDIPUTIN:
I had to resort to begging and meeting a few friends to solicit their assistance. Only a few of them assisted me and from what I got from them, I had to send money home to my parents because the situation at home was piteous.

last December on an ongoing water supply and sanitation project, which is about to reach completion. My take-home pay is nothing to write home about. I am just doing it to avoid boredom.

always. I think for some time now, they’ve stopped retaining their first class graduates.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/i-begged-to-feed-graduated-with-first-class-yet-no-meaningful-job-bashir-abu-graduate/%3famp

No, no and no! I will not have any of this nonsense

Buhari is working!

Even with his nepotism, he has made an average northerner a millionaire

That was the reason he shut our borders for years

Its to raise millionaires

Besides, why are you sending money home Buhari is feeding your siblings don't tell me it is a scam he is a man of integrity

Come to think of it, go back to the farm!!! At least Fulani herdsmen/bandit would have killed you and by now, you will not be here complaining

All of us must get sense by force!

1 Like

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by CivilzedTyger(m): 3:11pm On May 15, 2022

Such a pity. Man's from my hometown and we really share a lot of similarities man. Only that I didn't graduate with a first class. Hustled through school cos my daa retired while I was just resuming 2lvl, school life wasn't the best for me. Finally graduated to a world of no jobs, man's still gotta grind every hour. Smokes blunt

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Wazobia2216: 3:19pm On May 15, 2022

Fasindo:

Maybe he should go into farming, that's Buhari wish for Nigerian youths [/color]

something his children hates to do

Na large scale farmer dey make am for this country

Who go give am money for fertilizer, rent land not to talk about other machines

To borrow self, na man know man, short term repayment with throat cutting interest

Have you ever wondered why they (government) have not being transparent in matters such as this

Who is the minister of Agriculture self

Minister of Agriculture that sits in the office 24/7

1 Like

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by GreaterFuture(m): 3:43pm On May 15, 2022

Hahahaha

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by TheKingsmann(m): 4:52pm On May 15, 2022

LilyColin:
You never see anything bloody terrorist

U are very foolish,,why calling him a terrorist?

1 Like

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by babsayomide6600(m): 5:19pm On May 15, 2022

Unfortunately this is the kind of country we found ourselves.

We have wavered from the purpose of schooling. Schools are meant to make us EDUCATED.

Today school only gives us certificate without education.

In a standard society, you been a first class student, it is assumed you are well educated to be self employed.

Learn a skill. Develop yourself! There's no job anywhere unless you are well connected.

Nigerian youth please learn a skill

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Mammangaddafi(m): 6:00pm On May 15, 2022

LilyColin:
You never see anything bloody terrorist

Take your bitterness somewhere else

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by Mooh247: 6:31pm On May 15, 2022

First class graduate should use his intellects to create a solution to numerous problems in Northern Nigeria and Monitise it

Re: I Begged To Feed, Graduated With First Class, Yet No Meaningful Job –Bashir, ABU by smesi: 8:52pm On May 15, 2022

North university first class degree is equivalent to second class lower or third class because who dash monkey banana of first class in Unilag or UNN except you prove your prof beyond reasonable doubt with book references of some erudite scholars not a copy and paste that happens in quota system of northern university.

1 Reply

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