Nigerian youths: Certificates alone not enough

It is quite disheartening and disappointing to realise that some youth (Nigerians) still place much importance on certificates in this contemporary period.

Recently, I had a heated debate with a very close friend of mine about my feelings with regards to educational certificates. Although I only have less than three months (God’s willing) to be done with my four years course which eventually dragged to six years; I will in a heartbeat not hesitate to drop out of school when faced with a dilemma of either finishing my few months left of school or pursue a promising opportunity.

I don’t believe any certificate can validate or invalidate the knowledge and experience I have gathered over this six years’ journey in my academic pursuit. I have certainly learnt and still learning that some things have been overrated and given more importance, whereas there are things a lot more important than certificates.

Whatever we learn within the four walls of the classrooms should be reflected in our lives, attitudes and daily decisions but not necessarily measured based on certificates we acquired.

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Skills are much more important than certificates now to live a better life. The earlier we realize this as youths, the better it will be for us to be independent and improve our ways of thinking.

One of the richest men in the world, Bill Gates, dropped out of Harvard to focus on his goal and invention but still managed to be the world’s biggest success.

Mr. Zuckerberg, whom we spend a greater part of our day as youth on his social platform (facebook) liking, sharing memes and lolling our lives away, is also not successful today because of his certificate, neither did late Alhaji Alhassan Dantata – a kolanut trader, who was the wealthiest man in West Africa during his time. He started the Dantata dynasty and his descendants are some of the richest people in Nigeria (Dangote/Dantata family).

The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has encouraged youths and students to be engaged in skills and not just depend on certificates that they may not be able to defend when required to.

China, as one of the developing nations with the highest population in the world, is improving daily because it did not make certificates a priority but rather, the skills every individual can offer.

Nigeria is the sixth most populous country in the world and is estimated to be third most populous country in the world by 2050.

Here is a message to youths to wake up and start giving less priority to certificates and start thinking about how they can contribute to the country’s development; increase our GDP/GNP as well as per capital income of the country through various productive skills and inventions that will enable them to be independent.

It is time we stop asking what the government can do for us and start asking how we can contribute to the country positively to be enjoyed nationally and internationally for better economic growth.

It is important that parents, teachers, government and the media start to change the narrative and mindsets of the upcoming generations either directly or indirectly. Parents must encourage their children to understand that there are other paths to success in life that do not necessarily involve advanced education alone.

They should encourage their children to give as much importance to being creative and skilful as they strive to produce best results in class. Teachers should teach their students not to only think that success is bound to class room activities alone and that those who did not further their education can still make it in life when they take the right path.

Government should create more skill acquisition centres in the nation so as to encourage youth to be creative and explore their talents for the betterment of the country.

Lastly, the media must participate by showing to the world and the upcoming generation that education is important but the ability to be independent and self employed is awesome, by creating role models out of those who successfully accomplished their dreams without higher education or any certificates.

Also, support should be given to talented and skilled youth in the country to encourage others to try similar things. Doing this will help change the mindset and perception of upcoming generations on the importance of being skilful and independent.

The major concern and dream of most Nigerian parents is to ensure their children go through school; get a degree, get employed with a high paying job and live a fantastic life.

Unfortunately, this process and expectation are no longer realizeable and oftentimes, it has become nothing but a fairy tale to the average Nigerian youth.

The country is filled up with millions of unemployed graduates; we must all wakeup to the reality that having a degree certificate is not a pass mark to escape the hardship and difficulties of life.

Certificate is just an award signifying that one passed through the educational system and not a ticket to having a good life.

Ahmad Affan wrote from the Bayero University Kano