
THE JOB OF THE JOBLESS OR WHEN JOBLESSNESS BECOME A JOB: A MEMO OF A SENIOR STAFF IN THE PROFESSION

It is no longer news that most Nigerian youths are jobless, some of them are jobless by choice but most of them are jobless due to the situation of things in the country. Well, if you are not familiar with the trials and tribulations of the jobless (which I doubt), let me tell you.
First of all, if you are jobless in Nigeria you are automatically tagged lazy and unserious; many people will tell you that you are not serious and your joblessness is your fault. If you don’t believe me, here is a proof: not too long ago, the number one citizen of Nigeria made such statement about Nigerian youths in an international summit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJoyjIWxNeU Not just Mr. President alone, so many other Nigerians believe this, especially many of the older ones. The older ones have this belief maybe due to the fact that during their time they will finish from secondary school and have a good job talk less of a graduate. They don’t want to accept and face the reality that Nigeria has become a shadow of itself — even the shadow is now malnourished.
Also if you are jobless in Nigeria, people will tell you different things you can do, they will tell you how to become an entrepreneur, not minding the fact that you might not do well or you have something else in mind to do. Not everybody can or wish to be an entrepreneur, you know. Little wonder then why so many start-up businesses fail in Nigeria. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/eighty-per-cent-smes-fail-within-5-years-finance-experts/
Apart from the taggers and the advisers, there is another set of people you will encounter as a jobless youth: the religious. The religious people will tell you it is because you are not closer to whatever God you are serving that’s why you are jobless. You would then be told to fast and pray for 40 days and 40 nights in spirit and in truth. If you still remain jobless afterwards, they will tell you say you know do am well ni. You will then start to wonder if the person talking to you and shaming your prayer and fasting skill has had all his heart desires met.
They say the idle mind is the Devil’s workshop, but even the Devil’s workshop is not well equipped as that of a jobless Nigerian youth, being jobless, you will start meeting miscreants and start doing cheap drugs. Truly you are jobless and broke but trust me to drink Budweiser, take Refnol, Tramadol, smoke SK and Arizona will not be a difficult thing at all. The elegbons in the area will buy them for you for free but money to buy food — — OYO. At the end of the day you will be hungry but you will be happy because of the cheap drugs, when in reality you are gradually falling into the sunken place and gradually becoming part of the miscreants.
Low self-esteem. This is one common personality trait you will come to develop if you educated and jobless — if you don’t have low self-esteem as a jobless youth then you are still a learner and a junior colleague in this profession of joblessness. Why? Because the society immediately look down on you, and you can’t and you wouldn’t even dare talk in some places because people are waiting to put you in your place — oh, I forgot you don’t even have a place! (Lol) You are either squatting with someone or you are still getting shelter from your parents.
If you are staying with your parents that’s another thing entirely… To be continued