Encomium
-‘We want jobs, not stipends’
The National Conference’s Committee on Law, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Reform has recommended that each unemployed graduate should be paid a monthly allowance, equivalent to the allowance of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
The recommendation has generated loads of reactions, and ENCOMIUM Weekly sought the thoughts of unemployed graduates, who shared their frustration since graduating and skepticism about the recommendation.
ADESEWA FALUBI
Institution: Lagos State University (LASU)
Year of Grad: 2012
Course: Business Administration
Ever since I graduated from the LASU four years ago, I have been searching for a job but all proved abortive. I would be very happy if the Federal Government can keep to its word on the payment of N19,000 to each unemployed graduate because it will curb a lot of violence in the state.
OMOBOLANLE IYANDA
School: University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Year of Grad: 2009
Course: Mass Communication
Searching for a job in Nigeria is a very difficult task. I have been job hunting for five years and I am not seeing any green light ahead. If the government is serious about the monthly payment of unemployed graduates in the state, I feel it is a brilliant idea and a very thoughtful one because we are all out there jobless and creating nuisance not only on the street but in our various homes.
GBENGA SHOYEMI
School: Tai Solarin College of Education
Year of Grad: 2012
Course: Business Administration
I really don’t have lots of experience when it comes to job search because I feel I’m still fresh in the Unemployed League. Although, unemployment is everywhere but rampant in this side of the country. I will be happy if the government can keep to its word on the payment of unemployment graduates. But the basic question is, for how long will they keep to this and how many unemployed graduates would benefit from this exercise.
SHADE ADAMS
School: Babcock University
Year of grad: 2012
Course: Mass Communication
In terms of experience, I have submitted my CV to so many organizations within three years but they have all proved abortive. I still find it hard to believe that the government want to come up with something like this. Although, it is a brilliant idea.
OLANIYI TAIWO
School: Olabisi Onabanjo University (O.A.U)
Year of Grad: 2007
Course: Accounting
Searching for job for seven years is not enough and it feels so sad that after all these years, you are yet to get an employment letter or phone call. It will be great if the government can do this as a way of assisting the youths. But for how long will they continue to give us money. So, I feel the government still need to provide employment in each state.
ROMANUS OBIOKOR
School: Enugu State University of Science and Technology
Year of Grad: 2000
Course: Estate Management
I have been managing to make ends meet ever since graduation. Staying idle and doing nothing is bad. Paying unemployed or under employed graduates like me for doing nothing will not eradicate poverty. We have important issues plaguing us. It would be counter-productive. Government should instead use the money to create more job opportunities, create policies and laws that will allow graduate access loans.
Improve infrastructure and encourage small business owners. I am a proponent of self employment, rather than waiting for a white collar job.
BABAJIDE ADEOYE
School: Olabisi Onabanjo University (O.A.U)
Year of Grad: 2010
Course: Philosophy
I run a rental outfit to keep myself occupied. Though I still look forward to a dream job. The allowance initiative is commendable, but it is a two-edged sword. The process might be prone to corruption and we may witness multiple registration as well as monies being paid to faceless people. They may ignore the actual graduates unless biometrics are introduced and proper background checks carried out to ensure that they are no ghost unemployed graduates. I only hope it’s intended to be a stop gap measure, while they create jobs for us.
DAPO HAMMED
School: University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
Year of Grad: 2007
Course: Soil Science
I have applied to countless organizations, both related and not related to my field. It’s been one story to another. “Sorry, you do not have the requisite experience for this job.” But how do I get the experience without working. I dream to own a huge farm someday.
Paying unemployed graduates or under-employed, like some will say, will not solve the issues confronting us as a nation. Instead, create multiple jobs by setting up factories, build new infrastructure and upgrade existing ones that are obsolete. Also, creating enabling environment for self employment, which everyone is preaching.
DAVID ADENULE
School: University of Benin
Year of Grad: 2010
Course: Sociology and Anthropology
Frustration has been the order of the day for us unemployed graduates. I should say that the proposal by the Confab to pay unemployed graduates some allowance is, without prejudice, a welcomed development. In fact, if the matter is frankly considered, it is long overdue.
The mass of social problems (especially terrorism, kidnapping and pipeline vandalism) threatening Nigeria today have some connections, with the alarming rate of unemployment in Nigeria, especially among the unemployed graduates.
The professionalism and brilliance with which crimes are committed in modern Nigeria should have, by now, sent a signal to the security agencies and the government that most of those crimes are not committed by illiterates, like it was in the early 90s. Presently, they are committed by frustrated graduates, graduates who have been jobless for years.
I hold the view that government should collaborate with the NYSC, so that it will help provide an authentic list of graduates who have passed through it.
My candid opinion if the proposal is rejected, which is not unlikely, Nigeria will, of course, face greater social problems than we have it now. And you can guess what will happen more crisis, more commotion and more catastrophe.
BABATUNDE ORUNMILE
School: The Polytechnic, Ibadan
Year of Grad: 2010
Course: Marketing
To put it plainly, this initiative cannot work. Let’ be realistic. We know it’s another ploy to steal money. We the graduates would be denied the money. For instance, take a look at pensioners, are they paid their gratuities as at when due? Do you know how many unemployed graduates that are out there. So, it cannot work. Simple!
– DOLAPO AMODENI and MICHAEL NWOKIKE
Please you people should stop posting what the public can rise into different conflict, already we know the country is at highly inflammable that a small thing can ignite fire, the most problem in the country is between christain and muslim, and we know is politics that bring all this crieses. as democracy every one can contest, any one that win is okay.