My advice to youths

Some people easily get impressed upon hearing about some other persons’ achievements without minding how they got there. In life you must struggle hard to be independent. When I was in secondary school I did some jobs, mostly during holidays and weekends. I also taught in private school when I completed my first degree before […]

Some people easily get impressed upon hearing about some other persons’ achievements without minding how they got there. In life you must struggle hard to be independent.

When I was in secondary school I did some jobs, mostly during holidays and weekends. I also taught in private school when I completed my first degree before I was posted for the NYSC and similarly while I was in India I worked with a company at Noida during both my MSc and some part of my PhD periods. In fact, I used the money (salary) I earned to buy tickets for myself, wife and my only daughter at that time.

You see we need not to be too lazy. There are a lot of things one can do during the weekends and holidays to support himself. Even the daughters of Obama when he was US President were going to work while they resided in the White House.

Recently, during an official assignment (Students Industrial Training Experience Scheme) I met a young man (a 200 level Biochemistry student of our department) at Aku village, Karu LGA, Nasarawa State. After the formal interaction I asked him this question, ‘what influenced you to leave so many places in the Northwest to come to this place for your industrial attachment? The young man said “Sir, after closing from work and at weekends, I go to a shop to get some clothes that I go round the village to sell and the profit is mine.”

He added, “I do generate at times N15,000 in a week”. He also told me “it was through this I pay my university registration fees every year”. He added “I have brothers that are rich but I don’t depend on them for my registration fees and other things”. Thereafter, a lot of things kept on coming to my mind, why is it that many young people are too lazy to do things like this? Many of the lazy boys are waiting for their poor parents, uncles or brothers to pay for their registration fees.

I think it is our society that is making them lazy. We always try to pay our relatives’ registration fees. We should instead, show them a small job for them to do to take care of minor things they want to do for themselves. Though I was awarded scholarship for both MSc and PhD degrees but I struggled for it. However, I paid for my first degree registration fees from year 1 to 4. I go to farm to work even after my PhD degree; my friends can attest this. Gentleman or lady, you must not rely solely on your degree certificate but look for something to do before you get a job; be humble.

There are so many things you can do even at home to earn some money. Many are having PhD degree certificates without job. Our youth should strive hard to become financially independent. If you complete your degree programme and you can’t find a job, please go and do some business or learn how to do something that will keep you busy and give you some income for your basic needs.

Dr Tijjani Salihu Shinkafi, Department of Biochemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto