YOUTH EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SELF EMPLOYMENT

BY PROF. C.P. ALOAMAKA

Today, insecurity in Nigeria has become so much that most people feel so frightened, even in their homes. The insecurity comes in various form-much earlier than now it was so serious in the Niger Delta region, due mainly to the activities of militants, who feel that the nation was exploiting their resources, especially crude petroleum oil at the expense of their well being. Recently, it  has assumed more devastating forms such as Boko Haram killings, kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination. It has become so serious that one is no longer safe anywhere-be it at your office, on the highway, at home.

The question is –what is responsible for all these? The answer to these question is not far fetched. The root cause  of the threat to peace and living is the extreme poverty prevailing in the country. A situation were very many persons can no longer have their essential requirements of life e.g.-decent meals, shelter, clothing, and up-keep for families is detestful and should be rejected.

A recent evidence for the extreme level of poverty in the country was the death of about 100 persons who were burnt to death while they were scooping petrol fuel that spilled from a fallen truck at okogbe, 60 kilometers from Port Harcourt, in River State. This is not the first time people were roasted in petrol fuel fire in Nigeria. The question still remains, why, despite the ugly experience, people still go ahead to risk their life in similar situation? It is simply because they have been blinded by poverty. A similar situation was barely averted at Aba, Abia State, just seven days after the okogbe calamity, when large number of people trooped out to scoop kerosene from a fallen truck .It is not that the people were ‘’blind’’ to the likely risk of being burnt if engulf in a likely fire incidence. It is just that their poverty had reached a level that was worth the risk. In such a situation, there is hardly time to think, as the act will be spontaneous. He sees such as an opportunity to make quick money, and be able to solve some lingering problems. Perhaps his family has not had breakfast by 12.00 noon, and may be their children have been out of school for being able to pay school fees.

It is rather very disturbing that such level of poverty exists side by side with stupendous wealth among very few corrupt persons who divert the wealth of the nation to their personal treasuries. They deliberately mal-govern the country to create avenues to corruptly amass wealth. The obvious consequence of such activities is denial of our youths of employment.

THE REALITY ABOUT SECURING EMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA

The few jobs available in Nigeria are in most cases taken up before the vacancies are made public.

The adverts are mere fulfillment of due process. The ignorant prospective employees will respond to advert and if in fact shortlisted and invited for interview will be wasting his /her time appearing, because no matter the performance at the interview he will remain hopeful indefinitely. What guarantees getting employed is having ones person in very high position in the government or having sponsorship from a politician since you may be having none, it will pay off to start thinking  of some other ways of helping yourselves. If you develop the right attitude, you may at the end regret the whole years you wasted waiting to secure employment,as you may turn out to be a proud employer of labour.If the  experiences of others should be the basis of one’s action, then the earlier the decision to be self employed  is made the better , especially where there is none to guarantee your getting employed.

SELF- EMPLOYMENT

The fact here is that our unemployed youths, despite the prevailing setting, should be able to face the reality and change their fortune-by employing themselves. For how long should one remain unemployed, and must you be employed by others     while there is nothing wrong about securing an employment, if one can, there is everything wrong about remaining unemployed and idle. Since getting employed by someone else has become almost a mirage, it should not be impossible to get employed by oneself. Unfortunately , and until now , the  products of our institution of higher learning  are usually  not having  that attitude necessary  for job creation .That is  why they are usually  helpless  after their NYSC programme.Many are now forced to go back to school  for further training ,believing  that the acquisition  of additional  qualification  will improve his/her chances of securing a job. At the end of the day, the story may remain the same. Some tips may well change the situation, hence I will want to discuss them.

1.            HAVING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE

You should commence your journey towards self-employment by having a positive disposition towards it. It is not an issue of giving it a trial . You have made up your mind and  that’s  all . The word failure should never come to your mind. According to a television programme director,Mo, ‘if you can think it,you can make it’ .  As long  as other persons have gone  into  such business ventures successfully ,you will succeed .The success of  others should  be the right stimuli  you need to start off and keep going on. You only need to be reasonable and take the right steps .Those  you know that failed in their business venture were unreasonable and took the wrong step at some time, and were not ready  to retrace  their steps promptly .Once the right processes are followed , failure is impossible .  Successful business men / women should   be your mentor. Associate with them, read their biographies and learn from their experiences.

2.        HAVING A BUSINESS VISION

A business vision is   not just identifying   business venture you like .There are very many likeable business projects. You   do not just get involved in a business because of the   success   story  of others. It requires more   than just likeness .It has to do   with what you are happy doing. The likeness must   be  associated with passion. Having identified the area ,you extend the likeness into  a goal , which must be really big .The  goal must be big enough to incorporate what you want to do ,and where you want to be .Do not be content with just any  level of achievement. Do not allow your fear  of failure  or wish to avoid risk  limit your goal .sometimes people deceive themselves by  feigning contentment in order  to avoid too much work  or for reason  of avoiding risk .Note that it is the dream you have for yourself that drives you into greater achievement .When your  goal is limited  in scope ,your achievement  will also  be limited .See yourself  as having already  achieved the height you  set  for yourself , and  you will be there.

3     WASTE NO USEFUL TIME

It has always been said that time is precious .In fact   , I say time is gold , and the earlier you realize  this , the better for you . Any one second , one minute or one hour that is lost  can never be recovered .People who succeeded in creating  wealth to the extent  that  they are at the top  recognized this fact , and did not play with time. So if you must join them ,you must adopt the attitude.

It is not only good to take the right decision ,  such decision must be taken  timeously .The  cost  of taking  decision s late  is high. In short, do not procrastinate, even in taking decision  to stop remaining  unemployed . A ‘good ‘  decision taken late  is no longer good . It remains  good only  when the time component of the decision  is right.

One of the reasons why  the time element  of decisions must  be taken seriously  is that  there is time for every thing . It is well known that there is time to plant  and time to harvest.  If  one planted at a wrong time , the yield  will be poor,  whereas the  reverse  will be the case  if planting was done  at the right  time-the harvest  will be abundant.let us then learn  to appreciate time  and respect it . it is supposed to be , and it is , God’s gift  for our control  of circumstances. Many  have been ruined  in life  for just not recognizing the value of time.

3.       GET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT

To be continue in next edition.