Still Unemployed, Afraid -By Yusuf Abdulkadir

“Bran thought about it ‘Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?’

‘That is the only time a man can be brave’ his father told him.”

R.R Martin (A song of Fire and Ice)

This was the statement of Ned Stark to Bran Stark his son in the now cult classic Game of Thrones. Ned Stark made Bran realize that in the face of fear is the only time we have to be courageous and brave.

This statement rings through for all but most especially for Nigerians, the New Year started in a very scarce manner (my attempt at a joke) and was entered into amidst darkness. The Darkness of  Power, Fuel Scarcity, Policy mis-direction and alignment, Political Machinations, Fulani Herdsmen flying machetes and bullets just to name a few.

We as a people, a nation of Huts (attributed to Donald Trump) are accustomed to some of this being mainstream at very different periods, but the total appearance of these events all at the same time give credence to the phrase “…It pours”.

Some figures make for grim reading, I will endeavor to make them clear for you to see:

Nigeria’s misery index worsened to 56.0% in September 2017, up from 51.5% in

September 2016

Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that both unemployment

and underemployment rates, summed up as unemployment rate in the index’s calculation,

rose in Q3 2017. While underemployment rate rose from 15.4% in Q3 2014 to 17.4% in

Q3 2015, to 19.7% in Q3 2016, and 21.2% in Q3 2017; unemployment rate increased

from 9.7% to 9.9%, to 13.9%, and 18.8%, respectively, during the periods.

The 21.2% underemployment and 18.8% unemployment rates translate to 18.03

million underemployed and 16.0 million unemployed people in Q3 2017. Put differently, two out

of every five economically active Nigerian (15-64 years) able to work and actively

searching for work were either unemployed or underemployed as at Q3 2017.

28.42 million people (equivalent to 83.5%) fell into the 15-44 years’ age group. This means,

four out of every five underemployed/unemployed persons within the labour force

population as at Q3 2017 belonged to 15-44 years’ age group.

                                                                                                 Sources: Research Weekly Vol 7, Issue 1

                                                                                                                        Nigeria Bureau of Statistics

                                                                                                                        Brandspurng.com

I ran into Dumiebi (not his real name of course!) a close friend whom I graduated from university with a couple of days back, and we went somewhere to cool down and have a chat. It was horrible. He graduated with a 2.1 (Second Class Upper Division) and for over 7 years has been unable to get a Job. He has applied for everything, I mean everything! He has given up and was contemplating moving to Ghana. The situation we find ourselves in as a country is a terrible one. Two out of Five Nigerians willing and able to work (i.e 40%) is unable to find adequate work.

Our problem is simple: It’s the economy stupid! Therein lies the problem, our economic planning is fuelled by incompetence, greed, extreme partisan politics and federal character.

The politics involved, extreme partisan politics is what deeply concerns me, we have individuals who were elected to represent us now looking down at the electorate with disdain, the look reserved for the pitiable, the hopeless, the scum. Until the next election then they start frying roadside yam and selling groundnuts. We need to see them for who they are: Charlatans! The lots of them are.

My New Year resolution is to be brave. To be heard. To be counted. I decide to be brave, You know you can too? You deserve to be heard, you deserve to be counted and yes you do matter!

Have a brave year.

yusufabdulkadir89@gmail.com