Diary of an unemployed graduate!!

Every undergraduate's dream is to excel in his academics, graduate from higher institution and start a career.

The need to write this Diary Of An Unemployed Graduate (DOAUG) was necessitated because of the high level of unemployed graduates and the disparity it has created between the middle class and the elite.

Unemployment has reduced Nigerian youths to liabilities and burden, this makes us vulnerable to the society, pressures from families and desperation has made many succumb to any available job to keep body and soul together.

Wednesday, Oct. 07, 2014

On this day, I read the editorial of Guardian News paper on the topic “Confronting Graduate Unemployment Crisis”.

According to Guardian News paper, The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) recently posted 54 per cent of Nigerian youths as unemployed in 2012, going by the “2012 National Baseline Youth Survey Report’’ issued in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development. Official research has also put the figure of unemployed at 23.90 per cent of total population (as at 2013), about 34 million, a figure said to be exclusive of about 40 million other Nigerian youths captured in World Bank statistics in 2013.

With this alarming figure and with the influx of graduates coming out of our higher institutions yearly, it leaves us with this question, Which Way Nigeria?

Monday Nov. 5th 2012:

Was the day I wrote my final paper as undergraduate of History & International Studies, Imo State University Owerri. Such days normally come with lots of anxieties, mine wasn’t an exception, heavily armed police men and school security guards were on guard to avoid breakdown of law and order. Every Nigerian graduate understands what I’m saying.

After the last paper, the celebration started right inside the exam hall. Some of my course mates defied all security warnings to express their excitement, after the school jubilation and gyration. Some relocated to various venues for the next rendezvous. I went straight to my hostel off campus to the waiting arms of my hostel mates, who in turns welcomed me by pouring dirty water, others preferred to soak me with all kinds of drinks, its a ritual that must be carried out, they must baptize you with water and drinks on the day you write your final exam, I don’t know the origin. I saw it when I came, I partook in it each year till it got to my turn.

After the ritual, I rushed into my bathroom and freshened up. I was about coming out from the bathroom when my phone rang. It was my course mate inviting me over to a lounge for another round of party, I obliged. It was worth going, everything was in excess ranging from ladies, drinks, barbecue etc. The DJ was ecstatic, he kept us dancing all night with varieties of songs, all the graduates at the Lounge sang Styl Plus’ song “four years” in unison. That night was memorable.

The jubilation signals end of life as an undergraduate and a step to our dream job.

Monday, Jan. 7th 2013

After studying tirelessly at University to get a Bachelor Of Arts for four years, I worked for a Consultancy firm for five months doing more of voluntary writing and gathering work experience as much as I could before going to serve my fatherland.

Thursday, 5th June 2014:

A special day in the life of every national youth corp member. It was the day I passed out from the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. Its been four months and counting, no job yet. I have re written my CV and Cover Letter countless times, adapted them to suit all the different roles I have applied for these past months, no meaningful response yet.

The employment test for recruitment into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) conducted across the country that claimed the lives of many people and injured several others following a stampede during the exercise March this year is still fresh in our hearts and also shows the desperation for jobs in the largest growing economy in Africa where oil wealth has enriched the elite who has failed to create jobs for the unemployed youths.

This has shown a failure at all levels of government to stimulate growth and development that will encourage and empower youths to get self employed.

The private sector cannot employ more than they need, when they advertise for jobs, the kind of experience needed is most times near impossible for young graduates like me. My dream of becoming an envoy representing and negotiating for my country outside the shores of Nigeria is still alive, my dream of also serving humanity by working in International Organizations is still intact.

I have finally got my foot onto the writer’s ladder and started my career as a freelance writer both as a career and as a hobby, it may not be paying but its an avenue to express myself and acquire more knowledge.

I will for ever remain grateful to the following Newspapers for appreciating and publishing my articles, Guardian, African Herald Express, The Sun, The Nation, Leadership and Paradigm and others that are yet to publish. My gratitude also goes to the following online blogs, Sahara Reporters, Sky trend news, Eagle Reporters, Elombah.com, Nigerian Voice and Naij.com.

I also wish to congratulate all the 2013/14 Batch C NYSC members that passed out Thursday, 16th Oct. 2014. Don’t be discouraged, think of what you can do while waiting for white collar jobs and I pray you all will have the zeal to hold on when the reality begins to dawn on you.

Before I close my DOAUG and retire for the day, who knows what the end of this year and the start of 2015 will have in store for me, but it sure will be an interesting ride to find out.

Joe Onwukeme: An Idealist wrote from Enugu
Unjoeratedjoe@gmail.com