Opportunities for Graduates in Nigeria
Above all, the windows of opportunity open and close with dazzling rapidity... we are constantly reminded to seize the moment., wrote Nigerian Writer Oso Oluwaseun on the opportunities that abound in the Nigerian Economy for the graduates, fresh and old.The Nigerian economy is a divinely blessed one that has all it takes to be the world's strongest economy. Looking at the activities of various sectors, it can be seen that resources are available including human resources which have not been fully utilized. Every year, new oil wells are discovered, mineral resources are sought for, agricultural products are also extracted. All these blessings and more has God blessed Nigeria with. Despite these virtues, the economic situation and that of the entire country seems poor and uncomfortable. The majority in the labour market is unemployed, some of those employed are underemployed, some of those not underemployed are underpaid, the inflation rate is increasing faster than normal, and income generation is also low compared to available resources.The population is bursting loose. I have seen new lands and even oceans conquered and turned to land to fill up the unavailable space for new ventures and opportunities. In all, the Nigerian economy is a world of opportunities in itself, only that it is very much segregated a world of the rich so far away from the poor. In Nigeria, it is very hard to have a Middle class as the low class or the poor are tapping on the middle class since they cannot directly link up with the upper class, eventually drawing the innocent middle class to a class lower than where he used to be.Since independence in October 1, 1960, Nigeria has seen many opportunities ranging from the agricultural boost, to oil boom of the 70s, foreign support in terms of human resources well sorted from this part of the world. Thereby, don't be surprised that Nigerians are found in almost all spheres and walks of life, even as you are reading this!Not to deviate, I am very much aware of the opportunities that abound for graduates be it from the technical schools, colleges, polytechnics or the almighty universities as most people think but this all comes down to two factors; LIFE and CHOICES.Life in the fact that as generally known, all animal are not equal even from birth. Some were born with silver spoon and with feet on marble and gold so firm, while some found it hard to even have their birth bills paid in full even after years of birth! The ones with rich or wealthy parents having better opportunities while the poor or paupers have to struggle so hard and eventually go through the stress of undergraduate to become a graduate that is so blinded by circumstances to see the opportunities around him which even if seen might not be utilized for lack of set up capital. Whichever way, equality of opportunity means equal opportunity to be unequal, still a matter of choices.The choices dawn on the self in which you choose who you want to become regardless of the kind of birth or circumstances since you are ready to throw back whatever life throws at you be it rock or sand. It is the price we pay that determines the value we get. Success is inevitable when the required process is followed and the right choices made. I have seen a Nigerian graduate that started with a very small loan and now living in his empire after some twenty to thirty years!A Nigerian graduate has at least hundreds of options for himself which might include self employment, being employed by other institution, agriculture which includes fishery, forestry, poultry and animal keeping, research work and extension or the financial aspect. All agricultural opportunities if seized and used on a large scale will definitely pay off since there is a ready market since it provides the basic needs of man of food, clothing and shelter.Other opportunities include the skills and technical aspect which as well as in entrepreneurship needs more training to upgrade one 's self and meet the challenges therein. Such also involve deviating fully from maybe one's course of study. The advent of the internet and mobile telecommunications has also opened various doors of opportunities. Travelling abroad might not have been an issue here but I am sure this write up will not be complete without chipping in the fact that there is a probability for a young mind to drift to wherever there is or are green lands.It is high time graduates get rid of the dream of being employees after graduation. The labour market is already over populated. Every year, thousands of Nigerians graduate from tertiary institutions and many of them go about seeking jobs after graduation. The best and only way to solve the problem of unemployment and underpayment in Nigeria is to encourage entrepreneurship. Instead of seeking jobs, jobs should be created.Thousands of people are becoming richer daily in the Nigerian economy in a just way and legal means but to be sincere, some issues are denying the graduates the desired and expected speed at utilizing all opportunities that abound. Some of these include;- Erratic electricity or power supply- Political and general unrest- Wealth not well circulated and the bureaucracy in all sectors- Unhealthy environment for business development- Cumbersome and unending stress in registering a business venture and other associated issues- Corruption- Lack of facilities and good infrastructures- Problems of strikes in our tertiary institutions as present in all our universities now and the Nigerian Labour marketTo be sincere, all the slated problems above are specific to Africa and at least one or two to the whole world but as Williams Shakespeare, the English poet and playwright has it;There is a tide in the affairs of menWhich, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;Omitted, all the voyage of their lifeIs bound in shallows and in miseries.On such a full sea are we now afloat,And we must take the current when it serves,Or lose our ventures.I and all the graduates in Nigeria are to take the bull of opportunities by the horns and shift the blame from others to ourselves and try again even if we fail since opportunities abound here.
