PERILS OF A GRADUATE

Why not? I do love my country, Nigeria.

How can I not?

With the everyday drama, from snakes to monkeys. 

Interestingly, these 'animals' allegedly had no formal education, but confidently boast of tens of millions; while learned individuals have found a way to struggle with employment.

It's either you shouldn't be less than 22 years, not older than 26 or not younger than 45.

Okay! So after the hustle and bustle of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams and the Unified Tertiary  Matriculation Examinations (UTME), which are written averagely twice or thrice, no fault of the candidate, I might add; you get admitted to study a course that wasn't your initial choice, but you cannot fault a system that has been gracious enough to grant you admission, after years of failed trials.

A course of study runs for not less than 4 years, within which the ugly hand of either Academic  Staff (ASUU), Senior Staff (SSANU) or Non-academic Staff (NASU) unions strike are somewhat inevitable; running for at least, a fifth of your study period.

Finally, it's done! 

You have successfully completed your studies, bagging a Bachelors. 

Clearance for convocation; we shouldn't even talk about that. 

Very well then, you proudly celebrate your convocation with your family and friends. Never mind the staring eyes filled with expectations of the workings of the "latest graduate in town".

But first!

You have to serve your fatherland. 10-12 months of largely, scarcely productive activities, and most times, irrelevant work experience. 

But diligently and patiently ( I might add), you painstaking endure the irksome service year, with comforting thoughts of "it will get better".

Now, few weeks to its completion, it hits you!

The dilemma of many!

"What the heck! I'm moving into the favour market", you say to yourself.

"Sorry Sir, do you know anybody in this company? If you don't, there is no vacancy", the 6th security guard tells you. 
 
 "I'll subscribe to LinkedIn and just drop applications online", you say say to yourself.

  Subscriptions to different job seeking sites become a hobby.

Mails, mostly scam, flood your inbox; you can hardly sort them out.
 

Finally!

 The mail you have been waiting for; actually 2 of them; bank and oil servicing firm; White collar jobs, aren't they? 

Good enough, the interviews are days apart.

You're optimistic. "I got this", rings in your head.

You get all dressed up on the said dates...

The bank needs a 26 year old graduate trainee and the oil servicing firm needs an experienced 45 year old executive.


Guess what?! You are "only" 28.

And suddenly, you become too young and too old to be employed.

THE  PERILS OF A GRADUATE.


By: Sowah Sowizi Emmanuel