It is very apparent that the ravaging effect of the Boko Haram insurgency has done great harm to the people of Borno, politically, socially and economically.
Millions of people have lost their livelihoods due to the enormous destruction of properties by the insurgent groups resulting in lack of employment among the people of the state, especially the youth.
Many were displaced and had to move to IDP camps while children were turned beggars and girls, into commercial sex workers.
However, the insurgency, on the other hand has caused many of our young men and women to be occupied, doing one thing or the other to earn a living unlike in those days when youths relied on parents to provide their daily feeding and other needs.
The setting up of skills acquisition centres by the Borno State government, through the aid of the federal government, has undoubtedly provided a lot of youths with occupation.
This is in addition to the intervention of non-governmental organisations, which provided the citizens with huge opportunities especially the widows. Many women got engaged in small businesses to cater for their needs without anybody’s intervention.
Today, in Maiduguri, countless youths are tailors, fashion designers, carpenters, plumbers, auto mechanics, electricians, builders, painters and many more. Most importantly, these youths are now employing others. As such, the high number of jobless youths has been reduced to a minimal level. Presently, only a few youths are jobless in the state.
So, it is safe to say there is another side to the insurgency in that the people took up their destinies and with the help of governments and other organisations rose to face the challenges of life.
Finally, I wish to call on the youth to embrace small-scale and medium businesses to bring an end to the economic hardship in the state and Nigeria as a whole.
I also, call on the state and federal governments to create additional entrepreneurship centres to provide employment opportunities to other youths that are still unemployed.
Nasimatu Adamu Musa, Department of Mass Communication, Borno State University
