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CHANGING THE UNREALISTIC NARRATIVE OF THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION




CHANGING THE UNREALISTIC NARRATIVE OF THE NIGERIAN EDUCATION

“Your education is your meal ticket in life.” Those were the words of my father and like every other child present in the socioeconomic jungle called Nigeria; we believe that education will solve our life problems. My over two-decades-and-a-half-life journey as a Nigerian, in Nigeria clearly shows that this view is totally unrealistic to the contemporary average Nigerian Youth’s reality.  After all, I have gone through the errors of reciting multiplication tables, to never understanding the reason why I have to take 16  subjects in Secondary school and settling for what my country; through Jamb, feels is best for me to study (I was lucky I loved English).

Not to disrepute our educational system, but I must say that what is taught in our schools is totally different from the reality we meet outside. We were never trained to think like problem solvers, there was more reputation placed on grades rather than assimilation and practicability which is the sole aim of getting educated. This for me may explain among every other thing why the Nigerian youth will remain unemployed or underemployed because I do not understand the value of an education meant for Nigeria’s Independence, still being taught in a century focused on post digital revolution.

A very few of us understand this reality so we have prepared ourselves somehow. For me, I took a pause after my university education to reflect on the fact that I have never had real life experiences. Particularly, I have never solved real life issues. The typical Nigerian youth has his life structured: from Nursery, Primary Secondary, University, NYSC and Job, then depending on the potency rate of the demons in your family members you are called upon to get married. There has never been a moment of self-discovery and permit me to say that self-discovery is a step towards fulfilling life purpose.
Back to me, I took up a job as a Research Analyst in a Real Estate Firm and guess what! We had no office for we practically built the space ourselves; cemented, painted , just name it… we did all ourselves. That was the beginning of learning for me and I learnt the DIY (Do It Yourself) culture. I was very happy to have created something from the scratch. Was I earning anything fantastic? No, I lived in Mushin and worked in Victoria Island and earned just N40, 000. Permit me to say I already made close to a million as an undergraduate from my analytical skill (story for another time, if my editor permits me).

I enjoyed my job and learnt personal and business lessons as I was in the midst of millennial like me, my boss was barely 27. Four months later, I had to move to a sister company which happens to be the first of its kind in West Africa as someone was leaving for NYSC. Interestingly, the job was an administrative one while I was a research analyst. For me I saw that as an opportunity to gain more knowledge and of course it came with additional pay (lol).  I can remember vividly what my boss said when I was about to take up the role: “Adura I see only you doing this job, I trust you and I can see the quest for knowledge coupled with your ability to pay attention to details.” I eventually became the highest paid after my boss while I had a Master Degree holder beneath me in terms of remuneration.  My new job came with greater responsibilities and even exposure to a field I dreaded, ACCOUNTING lol! I was responsible for computing and disbursing everyone’s salary and attended to tax matters. I had to interact with company suppliers and clients which have helped in sharpening my negotiation skills. All this was happening within the space of 6 months after graduation.

The big task sometime in May: we wanted to create more exposure for a new culture in the country (Skateboarding) and the lead fell on my table; from project research, development, stakeholders liaising, sponsorship tracking, logistics, I was the go-between-with my boss. We were able to stage the first Go Skateboarding Day in West Africa on June 24th 2017 with Exposures from BBC, CNN, Reuters and Al Jazeera and over 600 participants with my very humble self as the project manager or let me rephrase with some little pride Project Manager for the First Go Skateboarding Day in West Africa.  I needed to solve life’s problems and I just solved one. I just contributed my quota as a pioneer in showcasing the skateboarding culture of Nigeria to the world. The sense of fulfillment was there, I was at peace with myself. Sometime in August, I was fortunate to have led the poetry category for an exhibition which was organized by the firm. I published my anthology of sixteen poems. I had a sense of fulfillment.

At this point, I realized that I had fulfilled my quest for self-discovery; I already discovered other sides of me that I never knew existed. Particularly, the fire of entrepreneurship was ignited in me especially as it relates to a dire need of a misdirected nation such as Nigeria. I took a bow exactly a year after I joined and proceeded for my NYSC down North East Taraba. Of course, I did not stay back as my exposure will have be limited plus frustrated in a state where  you could be on the road for four hours without coming in contact with anybody.
I found myself in Lagos, I feared ending up in a school as a teacher, not because I never wanted to teach but because what I must teach must be different from what has been taught. As destiny would have it, I found myself in a marketing communication firm. Let me say I was not supposed to be accepted as I had to wait till I met with the MD who interviewed me and told me he wanted someone with knowledge on content development and strategy. He asked if I had a prior experience working (an opportunity for me to sell myself) I said yes that I was previously a project manager for the First Go Skate Boarding Day (in his words ‘great’) and that I am also a poet with published works (another word from him ‘ you would be good at copywriting’).

My degree in English did not sell me more than my experiences and problem solving abilities. Within the space of two years I am beginning to shape my life purpose in relation to my career choice. I see myself as a problem solver more than a job seeker which reflects in my total esteem as a person. Do I have the millions? Not yet but I have recognized my path in life and I am following through. I advise that unemployment/underemployment ends when we begin to understand the essence of our existence. The narrative of education without inclusion on self-discovery is suicidal. Let’s change the narrative!!

A SHARED EXPERIENCE…








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