Survival: The Nigerian Dream

I know you.

You grew up in a flat on a side street in a quiet neighborhood. It wasn’t a terrible time. You played with your friends; you ate Okin biscuits and watched Road Runner. All you cared about then was looking sharp in your Kito sandals, having enough money for Robot gum and who had watched the latest episodes of Super Story last Thursday. Things weren’t always good but the folks pulled through.

“Read your books and make me proud”. You were told. “In my days I was top of my class.”

Hmmm. Top of the class? But Uncle John said the same thing. I thought you people were in the same cl-

You swallow your thoughts. You’re not ready for “Do Good”, the koboko this evening.

Very soon you start to play outside less. You hear “Go to where? Stay at home. You’re a girl you can’t do that. You’re a boy do this. It’s not even safe these days.” You go along with it.

You’re moving up o. Primary school and then secondary. It’s now time for university. You can’t remember how it happened but your jamb form has been filled and your first choice is medicine or engineering. Or law. You have no interest in any of those things- you only like to paint and sing; things you are good at. Oh well, you think. I can always transfer later. You go along with it

You’re in the university now. You try to switch majors but you don’t make the cut. You decide it’s not so bad. It’s probably for the best anyway. All you’re sure of is that you’ll hammer one way or the other. You go along with it. Those 5 years pass quickly.

“Graduate with first class” turns into “try and make a 2.1” turns into “manage your 2.2 and further your studies” turns into “please try and graduate” turns into celebrations on your NYSC call up. At last you’re now an engineer/lawyer/doctor. You go along with it

You’re in NYSC camp. You’re discussing your plans and dreams about what you’ll do after this. The world is your oyster. At the back of your mind somewhere is the idea that you’d still get a post graduate degree; you can’t explain why though. “Jobs are scarce o” you hear. You don’t really care because you’re determined you’d get a nice job first at that big company you like. “Who do you know there?” someone asks. “You have to have connections. I know a guy that can help you but you’ll pay…” You ignore them. You’re smart and hard working. You see no reason why you don’t deserve a job that pays 200k a month at least. Besides, you can’t resort to bribing for a job. That’s corruption! — The same vice that is killing this country. You will never be a part of it. You tell yourself that soon you’ll find your own way and start balling.

Service year is a blur.

You’re out of camp. Jobs are scarce o. This thing wasn’t a joke. Inflation. Recession. Commotion. Big, big grammar you don’t understand. Interview upon boring interview; CV after CV. You start to wonder if maybe you’re aiming too high. You apply to a job vacancy in some bank with lower pay, half hoping they don’t call back. But of course they liked your application and think you’re great for the job. How soon can you resume? “Tomorrow” you say. 80k/month pay. 9–5 from Monday to Saturday. You’re desperate so you begin to look on the bright side. Well, it’s closer to where you live. At least it can pay rent and gas. You will still find a better job. Or you’ll save up for that Masters. You go along with it.

5 years have passed. You can’t believe how time flies. You still work at that bank although your pay is a little higher now. Your parents are asking you when you will marry. Your uncles and aunties are asking for ‘our wife’. Strangers “cannot believe you’re still single”. So you meet a nice girl in church. You date her for a few months and she seems okay — there are no good ones anyway. You marry her and soon have a son. Everyone is happy for you but you that things are going according to plan. Whose plan?

You move to your very own flat, on a side street in a new quiet neighborhood. It’s not a terrible time. Your kids never play outside with friends but they get to stay indoors watching Disney channel or whatever the kids watch these days.

“In my days I was top of the class” you lie. “Read your books and make me proud”

Did You Know?

-Average Nigerian statistics-

Nigeria is the richest country in Africa with a GDP of almost 600 billion; almost double that of South Africa, the 2nd richest country.

11.2 million People in the Nigerian Labour force of 182 million, are currently unemployed. That is, an unemployment rate of 13.9% and a youth unemployment rate of 25%

Side note: You may be surprised but compared to many other countries, this figure isn’t that terrible.

What’s shocking is that out of these employed people, the Nigerian middle class (people earning between 75,000–100,000 in a month) make up just about 11% of the entire population of the country.

45% of the middle class do not own a car.

92% of this middle class has a post- secondary/higher education (great!)

How come the literacy rate in Nigeria (59.6% in 2015) is almost half of that in South Africa, and much lower than in Kenya and Ghana? Almost as though outside this educated middle class, majority of the adult populace of Nigeria is uneducated.

The majority of the population falls under that category.

Who exactly is the Average Nigerian?