YOUTH EMPOWERMENT SERIES ONE: Tackling Unemployment

Every year, young, energetic, and vibrant graduates are being pumped out of NYSC in two batches. Many of them travel here and there in search of greener pasture in several multinational companies, private companies, banks etc. but only a few remain lucky after several attempt. I have always wondered how unemployment can be high in a country like Nigeria where barriers to business have not yet been set up (the politicians haven't had time). But how long will people fold their arms and remain hungry waiting for government to give them jobs? Do we really think government can provide jobs for all? What then will happen to the unlucky ones that will never get a job? That’s what pump into my mind, so I made up my mind to write on youth empowerment, for atleast four publications, because I believe the youth need to be empowered, I also believe they are the future of Nigeria and if they fail, the nation would fail. Seriously every time I look on the streets and see the hopelessness on the face of highly qualified but jobless people, it eats at my soul. You know it beats me that here in Nigeria it is becoming the norm to find a whole family where virtually every member of that family is unemployed, not because they don’t have qualified people in that family but they just can not get employment. I believe there are so many opportunities in this country, once you get out of the mindset of getting jobs or ‘just opening a shop and selling things'. People need to be innovative, like the Americans will say 'if life hands you lemon make lemonade'. People need to think 'outside the box, yes we all know the leadership problem, rampant corruption of the nation. I just cannot understand, why a country with the amount of oil it has - the roads, sanitation, and other general infrastructure is so bad and/or not maintained and the unemployment rate is so high. The unemployment situation in the country is unacceptable and is the reason behind the constant social upheavals in the country. The devil they say, finds work for idle hands that’s why Fraudulent practices is fast gaining ground among our youths today , the unemployed took to fraudulent practices like advance fee fraud alias yahoo! yahoo! But can a country be called giant and it continues to accumulate all sort of mass unemployment and Fraudulent acts, I wrote about the Nigerian Youth and their reputation abroad a while back, I believe it’s the state of the nation, that make the youth, find any way to make it abroad, thereby destroying the nations reputation abroad. The ones who are immune from the joblessness sometimes are the Mr know people and Miss Know people (am not generalising), as a matter of fact, now the slogan is “who you know” and knowing the right person to connect you to the final sets in getting the job, sometimes it makes you wonder why you did not go to school to study 'know someone in there' as a first degree so that when you graduate, you would have someone place you somewhere (get you a job) because he has 'connections' in quotes . Another is, when they don’t employ fresh or coarse graduates who have some few years experience. Or none at all, who are we (they) to grab it when they (employers) keep giving excuses? The unemployed need a break, that’s why a lot of graduates after spending years in school reading a course like biochemistry or civil engineering, come out doing something else , like working in banks. 
The truth is that an average young Nigerian has mentality to go school, study well then look for a well paying job. Nobody is thinking of how to create a job and that is why there will always be no job for the job seekers. We have a lot of entrepreneurial drive in this country, far more than any other sub-Saharan black nation. Let me give you some wisdom now that there is no job, and the current financial crisis is an opportunity for you to make some cash. You can create a career school, were people learn some technical stuff, you just have to find a venue, probably a school which you can use in the evening, and find people with skills to teach, and they should be the best in their given field. About money you can get the LGA to sponsor people, or even politician or companies. You never can tell what you can achieve till you start thinking and start acting. Or As a fresh graduate, you can do some manual jobs to get some money for yourself before your NYSC and start up something. You can even make a lot of sacrifices during your service year to be able to make some savings, and if you have the mindset that this country doesn't have anything to offer you on completion of your service, you can then use the little money you were able to save to start up a small business which you know you are good at and if you are focused, I assure you, the top will be your position. And for young entrepneur, this might be an “Expo” The packaging industry in Nigeria is unexplored. Garri packed the same old way, palm oil- you have to take your own bottle along to buy, do you like plantain chips- how is it packaged. The truth is that people will pay abit more for quality especially Nigerians, you know we like style. Remember ice water, over thrown by pure water. The population of Nigeria is over 150 million, if you can satisfy 1% of this population and make =N= 1 .00 profit from each customer, in a year your business would have made =N=1,000,000.00 profit But you have to Do your research well and think of the market you want to satisfy.
 I would keep saying this, that the only solution to unemployment is creating a job, Let us leave the government because they have failed themselves and we owe ourselves a duty to survive even in the midst of confusion. It is only a lazy man that will sit back and continue to complain about a situation instead of finding a solution. The situation in this country is bad beyond description, so we all have to find a way out and the answer remains " VISION AND SACRIFICE" which will lead to you being an entrepreneur of your own, if you don’t have huge cash start small", you don't need to have up to N80, 000 before you can start up a business and you'll also create more jobs for other people through your own business. Through this you contribute to the development of Nigeria. Worst still if you don’t have money at all and you atleast have an idea, all you need to do is look for someone that has money kept in the bank, and sell your Idea, make him a share holder, sure everyone will be happy to own a company that has prospects if you know what you are doing. Be aware that some of them might reject your proposal but don’t give up. One of the greatest problems we have in Nigeria is corruption and greediness amongst the so called privileged rich Nigerians. They only dumped their wealth into bank deposits and never care about how to use their wealth to create job opportunity to the less privilege. Imagine an individual buying a bullet proof car at the rate of Hundred million Naira (N100, 000,000.00) just trying to create security for themselves. That money is big enough to invest where other people will benefit. Look at people like dangote, Otedola’s, mike adenuga; these people created job opportunities. That’s what we need. Rich people who are ready to lend a helping hand. I must also commend what Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola is doing in Lagos State; I mean the Mega City project going on. That is a good example of leadership. The project will create job Opportunity for thousands of lagosian and Nigerians. The project has made the Lagos state government to create jobs like; Latsma, Kai, Lamata, lawma e.t.c. these are all state government initiative, not to mention the B.R.T Bus Drivers that Lagos state employed.
 I would love to tell the youth, please Change your orientation towards creating a job no matter how small you start as long as you are focus within few years you will see yourself at the top. Bishop David Oyedepo started the winners’ chapel with his family as the only congregation. It is time for the youths of Nigeria to speak out their voice and stair this great nation in the right part to go, the ability lies in our hands to do this, Finally I have a piece of advice for you, look for a quite place sit down and think, about ur abilities, there is something God deposited in you to excel, you are unique and whole , there is no two of your kind on earth ,its just you with those special abilities, let me ask , is there anyone who has the same finger print with another ,definitely NO Same apply to ur ability, search there is something about you. Hope this article helps I would continue with the second series next two weeks, if you have any comments or suggestions mail me on wisdomelite@gmail.com...