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Continued from Part 7
Unemployment is like a headache or a high temperature - unpleasant and exhausting but not carrying in itself any explanation of its cause (William Henry Beveridge)
I do not believe we can repair the basic fabric of society until people who are willing to work have work. Work organizes life. It gives structure and discipline to life (Bill Clinton)
The hardship and suffering caused by unemployment penetrates every area of life. While politicians are tallying up the economic costs of unemployment, I wish they'd be more aware of the social and moral consequences which are unparalleled (Eva Burrows)
he government is overwhelmed by the unemployment problem, and still, the education sector, through the universities, is not helping matters either. The federal government, through the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), has decried the escalating unemployment problem in Nigeria. The Director-General of the NDE, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, late last week, stated that school leavers and graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions appear to be most adversely hit by this development, adding that most Nigerian youths are unable to secure job because they do not have requisite skills. Who is to be blamed for this? The government of course! George H. White (1852–1918) was right when he said “It is rather hard to be accused of shiftlessness and idleness when the accuser closes the avenue of labour and industrial pursuits to us”. Education in Nigeria now is in shambles and can’t equip the graduates with the needed skills. It’s regrettable that a country that boasted of good citadels of learning some years back, is now a shadow of itself. From Primary School to University level, quality education is no longer available in Nigeria. Who can bring back the lost glory associated with our education in the 1960s, 70s and 80s? Many Nigerian graduates of those years outshined others in every field of human endeavor all over the world.
Professor Christopher I. Chalokwu (1952), the first black professor of Auburn University, a US university, who is now the Vice President for Academic Affairs and professor of geochemistry and physical science at Saint Xavier University, Chicago, United States, analyzed the problems of the education sector and more, in an interview he granted the Vanguard. As a co -founder of Three Rivers Academic Consulting and Assessment Group, a group that rates universities in Africa, he said that “it is unfortunate that Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, cannot produce a single university that ranks in the top 30 or 40 of universities in Africa by most measures. Universities in Nigeria are competitively disadvantaged by the lack of adequate infrastructure to support teaching and research mission. Brain drain of both faculty and talented students and mismanagement of scarce resources are contributory factors in the poor ranking of universities in Nigeria compared to other universities in Africa. I see a glimmer of hope in the private universities in Nigeria. The new private universities in Nigeria should develop curricula that are innovative and timely instead of curricula that are merely duplicative of programs at other universities in Nigeria. The private universities have a potential for improved ranking if their resource base can be sustained”.
When asked of his assessment of strikes every time in the education sector in Nigeria? Prof. Chalokwu said: The crisis rocking the education sector in Nigeria is not different from the crisis in the petroleum sector, power sector, aviation sector and many other governmental sectors. It pains me to admit that a great part of the problem stems from corruption, centralization of power at the federal level and leadership appointments based on nepotism with very little consideration for merit. University leadership appointments are currently politicized with little or no expectations on performance, transparency and accountability. This often breeds discontent between university leadership, the academic and non academic staff and ultimately results in a lack of trust. What is needed is a paradigm shift in the governance structure of Nigerian universities from a centralized top heavy administrative model to a structure based on shared governance whereby administrators, academic and non -academic staff and students collectively develop a shared vision for their institution.
On brain drain as a result of the crisis in the education sector in Nigeria, the country is experiencing, Prof. Chalokwu said that most qualified Nigerians who leave Nigeria do so for a number of reasons which may include but is not limited to the academic environment. People generally seek opportunities to better their life and that of their families. Faculty leaves the country to pursue their research in more stable, conducive, productive, and competitive environments. In order to minimize the brain drain, government must confront the lack of incentives to work in Nigeria, for example, overcrowded, poorly equipped classrooms; inconsistent electricity, inadequate facilities, and generally unpleasant, dilapidated infrastructure. There’s no real reason for such disincentives to exist. Adequately funding research opportunities that contribute to the overall well- being of the nation would also appeal to Nigerians and other professionals who wish to contribute to the national good. The brain drain also applies to talented students who seek admission to study abroad. Therefore, to slow the brain drain, all academic and non-academic needs must be addressed to improve the learning and working environment and enhance the quality of lives of Nigerians. Nigerians are hungry for a well-developed, transparent, and reliable funding strategy and mechanism that provide enough accountability at funding levels that can seriously address the sagging infrastructural and material needs of the entire educational system.
In May 2013, this writer, in one of his articles, wrote that “most of those who could have changed Nigeria for the better are outside the country; their kinds still in Nigeria are infinitesimal (in number) to make any impact. That’s why the generation of 1950-1959 is still holding sway in the country, messing everything up and jeopardizing the political, economic, social and cultural growth of the country. To add to this point: few days ago, Prince Bola Ajibola (1934) urged the government at all levels to do more in developing the system, saying, some Nigerians were more developed than Nigeria. In his words: "We have several Nigeria technocrats scattered all over the world and developing developed countries. For example, in Malaysia, 18 Nigerians are working in their oil sector as we also had hundreds in different capacities across the globe. On another point: Chief Emeka Anyaoku (1933), a former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, said: I was in Papua New Guinea in 1995 and met 19 Nigerian professionals there. In a country like that, most Nigerians don't expect to see our professionals there. It shows the quality of manpower that we have in this country. All they need is the right infrastructure."
Wikipedia wrote that Nigerians in the Diaspora, including in Britain and the United States, have become well-known for their educational prowess, as witnessed by the academic accomplishments of many Diaspora Nigerians, such as Paula and Peter Imafidon, nine year-old twins who are the youngest students ever to be admitted to high school in England. The “Wonder Twins” and other members of their family have accomplished incredible rare feats, passing advanced examinations and being accepted into institutions with students twice their age. Similar to England, there exists a large percentage of degree holders among Nigerian Americans. According to census data, almost 40% of Nigerian Americans hold bachelor’s degrees, 17% hold master’s degrees, and 4% hold doctorates, more than any racial group in the nation. Many cite a combination of factors that have contributed to the large number of educated Nigerians in America. Seeking chances for better job opportunities and economic stability has led many educated Nigerian professionals to migrate to America over the years. Similarly, the Diversity Lottery Program increased the number of Nigerians who were able to receive visas in America in order to study. Finally, Nigerian culture has long emphasized education, placing value on pursuing education as a means to financial success and personal fulfillment. Nigerian immigrants have the highest education attainment level in the United States, surpassing every other ethnic group in the country, according to U.S Bureau Census data.
Despite the fact that many Nigerians have excelled in the United States, United Kingdom and elsewhere, they haven’t broken the glass ceiling due to institutionalized discrimination against the black race. This confirms the saying that “there’s no place like home”; had successive Nigerian rulers made the place “habitable”, at least on the average, many Nigerians abroad would have stayed or returned to the country. BET National News of 03/20/2012 wrote that the Analysis of U.S. Census data and other surveys show Nigerian immigrants and their descendants score highest when it comes to earning degrees. According to it: Nigerian Americans have long been known for their community’s intense cultural emphasis on education, and now an analysis of Census data coupled with several local surveys shows that Nigerians don't just value education, but surpass all other U.S. ethnic groups when it comes to obtaining degrees. According to 2006 census data, 37 percent of Nigerians in the U.S. had bachelor's degrees, 17 percent held master's degrees and 4 percent had doctorates. In contrast, the same census data showed only 19 percent of white Americans had bachelor’s degrees, 8 percent held master’s degrees and only 1 percent held doctorates, the paper reports”. BET further noted that “However, despite the strides in education made by many African immigrants, including Nigerian-Americans, discrimination still colors their prospects for employment. A study of 2010 employment data by the Economic Policy Institute showed that, across nationalities and ethnic groups, Black immigrants carried the highest unemployment rate of all foreign-born workers”.
Nairaland of Sep 11, 2009, wrote that “Not One Nigerian on the List of Most Successful Immigrants”, where Canuck posted: “I was surprised to see that not ONE black African made it to Business Week’s list of the "World's Most Successful Immigrants." Doubly shocked that no Nigerian made the list, despite being "Obodo-Oyinbo Junkies"!
Possible reasons:
1) Not pulling our weight in visible sectors - Fortune 500, Forbes 100, etc companies
2) We have a different definition of success - e.g. regular Western Union transfers for various purposes
3) Too many of us are undocumented - Submarine residents
4) Racism”
A ThisDay columnist writing on “Nigeria: Diasporas Are the Most Educated Immigrants in the United States”, posited: “If India and China encouraged their Diasporans to return home- a development that has led those countries to move from agrarian and underdeveloped entities they were once consigned into, to becoming leading economies today-earning membership in the famous (BRIC)-Brazil, Russia, India and China), I think Nigeria could, someday join that group and expand it to (BRICN-Brazil, Russia, India, China and Nigeria.) We must use what we have to get to where we desire. Donating our best brains to other countries and not doing something to encourage reverse migration, I think is a bad strategic move. When Ireland became a member of the European Union (EU) I can vividly remember the number of my friends and colleagues who went back to that country because government in Dublin and other parts of the country needed their expertise and did everything to encourage them to come back. These Irish Diasporas helped heat up the engine of economic growth that catapulted Ireland into a major economic power within the EU nations. Even though lately the country had experienced some stress in its economic growth, most analysts believe given the deep talents of its people, the country will get over those challenges soon. Governments at both the center and the states level should do all it can to encourage the Diaspora Nigerians to come home and contribute towards national development. We cannot have all the educated workforce contributing hugely towards the growth of other societies while we watch those countries celebrate the skills set our Diasporan population has brought into their workforce. As Dr. Okonta-a Delta State born physician who runs Rapid MD-a major medical facility in Queens, New York told me the other day “most of us here have had all the success and financial security we ever needed. Our kids have graduated from college or are getting into colleges-thus freeing us to pursue other desires and areas of giving back to the society that nurtured us- Nigeria” People like Dr. Okonta should be courted and encouraged to return home and help design some new approaches in our health-care delivery. Seeking chances for better job opportunities and economic stability has led many educated Nigerian professionals to migrate to America over the years”.
After all that have been said or written, the Nigerian rulers are not ready to initiate policies to reverse the brain drain. Take the health sector for an instance: The ruling class in Nigeria has made Nigeria unbearable that even the professionals, who are supposed to be courted, are forced to leave the shores of the country for greener pastures abroad. One would marvel when one documents all the Nigerian professionals who are contributing to the well being and development of their host nations abroad. Today, well to do Nigerians run to India, Europe, South Africa and North America for medicals, and the irony is that some of the doctors and nurses who would treat them there are Nigerians. If the ruling class has made life conducive and worth living in Nigeria, so many Nigerian medical professionals, who treat them, in European and North American hospitals, would have stayed put in Nigeria, and by now, Nigeria could have been a medical Mecca of a sort for the well to do from other countries. Today, just like education, the health care system in Nigeria is non-existent. The hospitals in Nigeria are in shameful conditions. To deliver a superb health care system to the people of Nigeria, whether rich or poor, specialist hospitals should be built in all the geo-political zones, so that people don't have to travel far to get the medical care they need. It’s regrettable that many Nigerian doctors and nurses are among the best in the world, but, are working in hospitals in US, Canada, England, Germany etc; these people acquired their training in Nigeria before moving overseas for greener pastures. Who would improve the working conditions in our hospitals by re-equipping all the government hospitals with modern gadgets and equipment if not the government? A vibrant National Health Insurance Policy, so that the poor and the rich can have the medical cares they need, is elusive in Nigeria, an oil exporting country. Truly, Eamon de Valera (1882 –1975) was right that “We cannot afford (these) idleness, waste or inefficiency”.
Do you know that about 3,936 Nigerian doctors are now practicing in the United Kingdom; in addition, another 4,000 Nigerian doctors are practicing in the USA, and most of them were trained in Nigeria?
Read more:
https://www.huhuonline.com/index.php/opinions/2287-editorial-migrating-nigerian-medical-doctors
https://odili.net/news/source/2013/sep/25/507.html
In Part 7 of this article, this writer mentioned about the insults Nigerians receive abroad. This is one of the latest:
https://saharareporters.com/article/anyone-cares-bitch-ann-coulter-qansy-salako
To be continued!
TIT BITS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9lq3LiqdII
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAPiQJI6OJU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLwW7ZDWn5Y&list=RD02P9lq3LiqdII
THE THANX IS ALL YOURS!!!
Continued from Part 7
