By Isah Taiye A
Unemployment is a generic term referring to individuals who are employable and seeking for job but unable to find a job.
However, Tejuan Pettinger (2019) gave a classical definition that best capture the term, according to him, unemployment is defined as a situation where someone of a working age is not able to get a job but would like to be in full time employment.
Despite the robust economy of Nigeria, it is so pathetic and heat wrenching to still decry the menace ravaging the country. The economy of this country cannot be compared to any other country in Africa, hence the title ‘giant of Africa’. But come to think of it, what is so giant about us? Is it about the poor living condition of the entire citizenry, the upsurge rise in unemployment or the social vices rocking the country from different angles? Despite the avalanche of wealth domiciled in this country, it is so sad that we are still in this backward owing to negligence and misappropriation of the country’s resources by the same leaders who promises to safeguard our wellbeing. How ironical! Week in- week out, unemployment is steadily on the rise like Ijebu Garri, as graduates from the higher institutions across the country keeps adding up in their numbers.
Additionally, after the oil boom in the 1970s that led to massive employment in the country, it is so sad to admit that such fate has not occurred again after several decades. Most times, it is not as if these graduates are not employable, but the greed on the part of those wielding powers, coupled with the corrupt tradition in the country, the chances of these innocent graduates are been sacrificed for money. Is it annoying and absurd to be commercializing employment offers. Now, the same person struggling to feed and meet up with his daily need, is been asked to cuff up a million naira for a job offer. This is preposterous!
In another glance, most of the recruiting firms in Nigeria as at today are privately owned firms. Most of the times, the political instability laced with varying economic policies as a result of change in power discourages the smooth running of these firms; thereby leading to bankruptcy, and to survive this pressure, they will have to retrench some staff and this will add up to the already deteriorating figures in the country.
On the part of some youths, truth be told, some graduates are not employable. This is owing to their poor academic performance as made visible in their certificates, and also their inabilities to measure up with their acquired certificates. This is made evident in their failure to perform well in any scheduled interview and also their poor performances in aptitude tests when they finally secured a spot.
On this note, one would be free to submit that, the issue of unemployment in Nigeria is like a ‘two edged sword’.
In a nutshell, one wouldn’t be wrong by submitting that, the concept of ‘unemployment’ is as old as my grandmother, hence, its stale.
Therefore, considerable energy should be placed on over flogging the issue, rather it should be on how to swim out of this deep ocean crippling development in our dear country.
Having clearly examined this concept, the following solutions should form part of the ways to walk out of this menace bedevilling the country:
1. Placing premium on oneself: Often times, we hulled blames on the government for not providing job for the youths, not minding our own part of the blame. Some of our youths are not ready to make impact by effecting the necessary changes for their betterment and the society at large. This boils down to their inability to develop themselves. There are potentials that are inherent in us. Some are aware of these potentials and have since utilized it, others are aware and have failed to utilize it, while others are not even aware of their own existence. They are just living without purpose.
Let us take a swipe at the richest man in Africa currently, Alh. Aliko Dangote. Rumours had it that he borrowed $3000 from his uncle at age 21, and invest it in agriculture. He was never the most brilliant students amongst his peers, but now, he employs first class graduates and even has people with PhDs working for him.
This is the time we should imbibe the potency of this statement, ‘stop thinking of what your country will do for you, rather think of what you can do for your country’.
One of the major way to curb this issue of unemployment is by taking full responsibilities of your life/existence.
2. Creativity and innovativeness: When you are creative and innovative, you tend to draw attention to yourself. Going to school to acquire a degree in a certain discipline is one thing; another thing is to be highly proficient and efficient in such field of endeavour.
Most people in our world today got employed through their social media handles without even having to attend any interview or write aptitude tests. This owes to the display of their excellent skills on their social media pages to attract the necessary firms or people in need of such services.
I know of a seasoned writer who got employed by vanguard newspaper as a result of his excellent writing skills as expressed through his articles published on his facebook page. The list is endless. If we must be wealthy, we should be ready to create the wealth ourselves without having to depend on the government to decide our fate for us. Ever heard of this phrase ‘only you can make your dreams comes true’? we need to adopt its tenets.
3. Establishing and facilitating entrepreneurship education in secondary schools: It is no longer news that unemployment is on a steady rise our dear country, but however high it may seem, it could still be nibbled in the bud.
Entrepreneurship education should be introduced and encouraged in our secondary schools, in order to educate the young ones to widen their horoscope with which they view the world, thereby making them to be adept at the circumstances in their immediate environment and how to respond to meeting their needs that will further translate to source of income on their part.
Having broaden their horizon at this level, this should be followed up with an intensified and more aggressive entrepreneurship development schemes in our tertiary institution of learning and upon graduation, they should be tipped by the federal government to start up a business on their own, or better still, be made legible to acquire a start up loan from the various microfinance banks, to be paid in instalments.
4. Continuation of N-power scheme: Upon assumption of office, the Buhari led administration introduced the N-power scheme on 8th June, 2016 to address the issues of unemployment. This scheme was created for unemployed graduates and non-graduates between the age of 18 and 35. The duration of this program spans for two years, this means that, the old benefactors are been disengaged to engage new beneficiaries. To a considerable extent, it has helped in annihilating unemployment to some extent as at the time of its inception.
To our greatest dismay, this program has been halted since last year, leaving the old benefactors stranded and the new applicants, hopeless. This is a clarion call to the presidency, through the ministry of human affairs, disaster management and social development as headed by Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouk to as a matter of urgency and necessity swing into action towards revitalizing the n-power scheme so that the heap of unemployment could be trimmed off a bit.
