By Lamid Azeez
The underlying objective of virtually every person on getting education is to become successful in life. Most of us chose to be educated with the substantial desire of securing a noble and better future. We believe that education is the key to changing the course of our lives and the destiny of our people.
With determination, we embarked on a challenging journey, traversing miles of harsh terrain and braving the scorching sun. We studied hard to come out with good grades; grades that could afford us to secure better opportunities in the labor market, after our graduation.
We all struggled to be a better person in the corporate world. But when reality struck after school, we came to realize that life is not as imagined. Reality reflected and presented an entirely different world, as against the world we had desired. We ultimately came to the realization that the dream of gigantic buildings, exotic official cars, and constant executive meetings, are not meant for all of us.
After all the preconceived notions of becoming a better person in life have been smashed by the country, it becomes clearer that our country has no package for us. Hence, the need to adapt to the harsh conditions and survive against all odds that burden man’s heart.
It is the result of the uncertainty with which the journey of our lives is tainted that turns the event of the life of a first- class graduate to become a point of sale(POS) attendant and someone with a pass, an employer of academically excellent people. We have seen where an unlettered man, an entrepreneur, employs different excellent certificate holders working under him. This explains how life beats the imaginations and expectations of the people.
Meanwhile, with these twisted experiences, I have had to ask myself if education is truly the bedrock of success or if I should buy into the lingo of some Nigerian youth that ‘education na scam’. I think things through. Hence, I came to realize that while it is the function of higher institutions to produce graduates with creative minds, it’s unfortunate that the higher institutions in this country are not adequately equipped to that standard. This, in no quantifiable measure, invariably demeans the productive qualities of the Nigerian graduates. Students who are to create their niche in the global world; seduce the labor market with manpower and provide solutions to the national economy, are now left with an unsuitable option of survival, due to lack of personal creativity.
Even though the academic setting of the Nigerian higher institutions is an unfavorable factor to this result, the contributory negligence of many students cannot be overemphasized. Most students, while in school, do not plan themselves for life after school. They do not explore new skills and learn beyond what is in the books, which is practically antithetical to reality.
Hilda Baci, for example, is a resourceful educated young woman. She carved her niche in cooking, which is why she became a millionaire in the blink of an eye. What about Linda Ikeji, Abiola Olaniran, and Igho Sanomi? None of these people is a politician nor a robber, but they share the same thing in common; they are goal-getters, they know their onions, and most importantly, when to play their balls. They achieved these goals and success because they are creative minds with critical productive ideas.
It is on this note I encourage that every student be diversely resourceful, so as not to be a liability to society. The labor market is extremely competitive; it is only the smartest people who control the board. Smart people are those who are creative in mind and heart. The time of achieving success is not too late. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.