₦airaland Forum

Let's talk about the problem of unwillingness to work

The primary issue facing Nigeria today is the lack of willingness among young people to engage in any real, productive work outside of activities like phone usage or entertainment.

Last week, Kwara Must Change took an important step by selling our farm produce, specifically yam, at a discounted rate directly to the public. In just three days, 40,000 tubers of yam was sold out, first to the university community inside University of Ilorin, then to others from outside, including sellers from alapa market.

This was the product of months of hard work on our part.

Interestingly, some of those who bought the yams were from Alapa market, which is known as the primary yam market in Kwara State, where prices are typically lower. Despite this, some main sellers from the market wanted to buy up all of our stock at once, but we chose not to sell to them.

Instead, we opted to make these goods available to consumers, small-scale buyers and sellers at reduced prices, ensuring fair access.

In planning our journey into agriculture, we faced a major obstacle, which is the lack of willing workers among the Nigerian youth.

Even in rural areas, finding young people ready to work on farms is rare. Despite high youth unemployment, there’s an equally high unwillingness to engage in serious, productive labor.

Many young people prefer activities such as rent-seeking, begging, or other unproductive means of making a living.

Due to this shortage of willing local labor, many farmers are turning to workers from neighboring countries like Togo and Benin Republic.

These foreign workers are deducted, reliable and typically engaged year-round and earn between N700,000 and N1 million annually.

In addition to this income, they receive food, shelter, and other daily essentials provided by the farm owner.

Their entire payment is saved and given to them in bulk at the end of the year.

To put this into perspective, with Nigeria’s minimum wage set at N30,000 per month last year, these workers’ annual income equates to approximately N65,000 per month.

Moreover, they incur no costs for food, transportation, or housing, as these are covered by the farm.

Over five years period, they can save around N4 million, enabling them to start a business or support their families upon returning home.

This situation is a call to action for young Nigerians to reevaluate their priorities.

With a shift in mindset, we can begin to harness the true potential of our youthful population. We need to embrace hard work and look toward productive ventures like agriculture that offer not only income but also long-term stability.

As young people in Nigeria, it’s time to step up and build a sustainable future.

They wont listen. They dont want to work

I don't think you're entirely right...

Cuz,as a young man,I have tried my best........ Hustling all year round......The truth is that since the day I dropped my Ssce pen,I haven't rested for a second,cuz the society and family which I was born into had always taught me that a lazy man has no business with food when it's being placed on the table......

But then again, sometimes,and perhaps most times everything seems to be crashing especially when my best seems not be paying off.....But we move......

Cuz las las,no food for lazy man.... That's my driving force at this moment...

Sonnobax15:

I don't think you're entirely right...

Cuz,as a young man,I have tried my best........ Hustling all year round......The truth is that since the day I dropped my Ssce pen,I haven't rested for a second,cuz the society and family which I was born into had always taught me that a lazy man has no business with food when it's being placed on the table......

But then again, sometimes,and perhaps most times everything seems to be crashing especially when my best seems not be paying off.....But we move......

Cuz las las,no food for lazy man.... That's my driving force at this moment...

Work young man. The isnt making a mistake

While i agree that many are unwilling to work, one must not forget the system that leaves many good-intentioned people and ventures open to exploitation and oppression.

We live in a world where they can steal even a house from a house owner. Where they even give you notice before robbery date and rob successfully. A world where the majority is opinion is the standard in any given vicinity.

bilms:
Let's talk about the problem of unwillingness to work

The primary issue facing Nigeria today is the lack of willingness among young people to engage in any real, productive work outside of activities like phone usage or entertainment.

Last week, Kwara Must Change took an important step by selling our farm produce, specifically yam, at a discounted rate directly to the public. In just three days, 40,000 tubers of yam was sold out, first to the university community inside University of Ilorin, then to others from outside, including sellers from alapa market.

This was the product of months of hard work on our part.

Interestingly, some of those who bought the yams were from Alapa market, which is known as the primary yam market in Kwara State, where prices are typically lower. Despite this, some main sellers from the market wanted to buy up all of our stock at once, but we chose not to sell to them.

Instead, we opted to make these goods available to consumers, small-scale buyers and sellers at reduced prices, ensuring fair access.

In planning our journey into agriculture, we faced a major obstacle, which is the lack of willing workers among the Nigerian youth.

Even in rural areas, finding young people ready to work on farms is rare. Despite high youth unemployment, there’s an equally high unwillingness to engage in serious, productive labor.

Many young people prefer activities such as rent-seeking, begging, or other unproductive means of making a living.

Due to this shortage of willing local labor, many farmers are turning to workers from neighboring countries like Togo and Benin Republic.

These foreign workers are deducted, reliable and typically engaged year-round and earn between N700,000 and N1 million annually.

In addition to this income, they receive food, shelter, and other daily essentials provided by the farm owner.

Their entire payment is saved and given to them in bulk at the end of the year.

To put this into perspective, with Nigeria’s minimum wage set at N30,000 per month last year, these workers’ annual income equates to approximately N65,000 per month.

Moreover, they incur no costs for food, transportation, or housing, as these are covered by the farm.

Over five years period, they can save around N4 million, enabling them to start a business or support their families upon returning home.

This situation is a call to action for young Nigerians to reevaluate their priorities.

With a shift in mindset, we can begin to harness the true potential of our youthful population. We need to embrace hard work and look toward productive ventures like agriculture that offer not only income but also long-term stability.

As young people in Nigeria, it’s time to step up and build a sustainable future.

You guys should do well to mechanize the farming
The traditional methods make it look unattractive to the youths

Free2Fly:
You guys should do well to mechanize the farming
The traditional methods make it look unattractive to the youths

And you have been to modern farms and they are not mechanized. Nigerians, excuses merchandisers