My phone rang early one morning, around 6.30 am. I checked and it was one of my distant relatives who just finished his National Diploma exam and is working on his project. A lot of things went through my mind because I felt it odd that he should call me by that time of the day.

I picked the call and didn’t waste time to ask him if all was well. He told me that he couldn’t sleep throughout the night because he was thinking of the way forward. His parents reside in the village and he doesn’t want to go back there when he graduates. All his close relatives that live in town do not want him to come over because they can’t afford to harbour him till he finds his bearings.

My heart goes out to him because I know what it feels like to be lost. I don’t blame him because our education system doesn’t prepare students for life after school. Our schools only admit and release students after some years without bothering to find out where they will go to. That was the situation this young man found himself. He really needed my help.

Some people may wonder why he chose to call me. Anyway, I facilitated his admission into the school I work with. In fact I was the person that encouraged him to further his education instead of being idle in the village. So I guess he believes that I have the right ‘connection’ that will secure a job for him. How I wish he knows better.

Well, back to my story. I called him later in the day and told him to prepare his CV and start sending them out. I also told him that he should make sure that all the private schools close to his residence have his CV. His response to this later suggestion was what prompted me to write this article.

This young man said, and I quote, “Aunty, school kwa? So, ntacha afufu na FSS mbia kuzibe na school?” Translated, it reads “Aunty, school? So after all the stress and sufferings I passed through in FSS I will end up as a school teacher?”

Don’t worry about him; I’m still working on his psyche. He’s not the first person that has given me this type of response and finally ended up a teacher, albeit a temporary one.

I know it is not advisable for people to go into a profession they don’t like. But if I may ask, how many Nigerian youths know the different professions that exist not to talk of the ones they like? All they know is that they want to be gainfully employed, make money, buy a car, live in a comfortable apartment, marry, have children and live goes on.

And for those that know what they really want, is it easy for them to land their dream jobs? We know the rate of unemployment in Nigeria so we don’t need to discuss that now. The thing I actually want to bring here is one of the ways we can reduce the number of our unemployed confused youths on the street. That one way is the teaching job.

There are so many reasons why teaching profession will keep reducing the number of the unemployed in Nigeria. The first is that private schools are springing up everyday, and they all have students. Someone once said that private sector will soon take over the Nigerian education sector, and I agree with this. Just take a look around you and tell me if you didn’t see the signboard of a private school. These schools need teachers. And some of them need marketers too (in case you have an interest in that area).

The second reason is that the population of the country is increasing. That means that the birth rate is increasing. These children must go to school, and somebody must teach them. Therefore, teachers must always be gainfully employed.

The third reason is that because of competition, schools have started including special subjects and extra-curricular activities to their curricula. For example, when we were in primary school, we only faced our regular English, Mathematics, Igbo and ‘Note’ (*wink*. If you know you know. Lol). Ok, ‘Note’ was actually the name we pupils call General Studies (Basic Science, PHE and co) because we copy notes on them. So, back to where I was. Today, in our primary schools, we have subjects like Music, French, Phonics and so many others. Some schools even hire separate teachers for Mathematics and English. These are new developments that kept removing people from the labour market.

The last reason I want to give here is that on-the-job-training is prevalent in school system. I know that those with teaching certificates will debate this. But I want to make something very clear here. See, some of the best and most devoted teachers I’ve known didn’t study any teaching certificate course. I have seen trained teachers that are good, and I have the ones that are so bad that they are not fit to have the teaching license. I believe that what is most important here is that the person should have a sound knowledge of the subject and the willingness to learn the intricacies associated with the job.

I’ll like to suggest here that while you are waiting for those jobs that you are not sure of when they will come, pick up a teaching appointment from a nearby school. Most schools are busy conducting interviews because they need to fill some vacancies by September. So why don’t you apply for a position before the term begins?

You have so many things to gain as a teacher. To start with, you have access to different existing knowledge from the research works of others. All you need to do is find them, take them down into your notes and then pass them on to your students. This will even help you if you go for tests and interviews in related industries.

Teaching profession makes it possible for people to have plenty of time for side hustles. I mean, you are in school by 7.30 in the morning, and by 3.00 in the afternoon you are on your way home. Besides, you don’t work during the weekends, and you have your holidays. So all you have to do is look for something else you can do within those spare times. For a list of some side hustles you can go into, click here.

Those that can teach special subjects can decide to go into part time jobs which will allow them to cover as many schools as possible. A friend of mine that teaches phonics covers four schools in Onitsha. And they use the textbooks written by her. So you can imagine.

I always tell people I encouraged to look for teaching jobs to relax and try out the job first. If they don’t like the profession, they can always leave. Nobody is going to force them to stay. But at least, they won’t keep asking, or should I say begging for financial assistance during their waiting period.

Please, tell that unemployed youth you know to send his or her application letter to schools. Our schools need young vibrant and intelligent teachers.

The ordeal of the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheik El-zakzaky, took another interesting turn on Wednesday, in India. El-zakzaky who was recently granted bail by a Federal High Court in Kaduna for a medical treatment overseas was about to be sent back home without the needed treatment.

The court has on the 5th of August, granted El-zakzaky leave to travel to India for medical treatment, an order the Federal Government complied with unlike in the other cases that resulted in him being in prison since 2015.

However, he was to be accompanied by some state officials to ascertain that he comes back and face trial for mass murder and disturbance of public peace.  It was based on this rule that he traveled to India on August 12.

On August 13, in an audio message confirmed by the spokesman of IMN, Ibrahim Musa, El-zakzaky was lamenting about the poor condition of Medanta Hospital, New Dehli,  which he personally chose for his treatment. He complained that his condition in India is worse than it was in Nigeria. The Hospital was heavily militarized and he has been denied access to his personal doctors as agreed upon. Therefore, he wishes to return back to Nigeria, as he would not allow Nigerian doctors or those recommended by them to treat him and his wife.

It was upon this lamentation that the FG tried to clear matters. In a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Grace Isu Gekpe, on the 14th of August, the FG threw light on the events at Medanta Hospital India, respecting El-zakzaky.

The statement reads that the turn in events started as soon the group got to Dubai, and the Sheik started to display attitude of ulterior motive by reneging on laid down rules. He requested that his passport be given back to him, a request that state officials did not yield to. It got worse as soon they got to India, and he refused to submit himself to preliminary medical checks. Additionally, he demanded free movement and access to visitors of all kinds and requested to check into a 5-star Hotel, and be treated from there instead of the hospital.

He also wanted to nominate doctors of his choice to join the ones delegated by Medanta Hospital to administer treatment on him and his wife. It was upon these frivolous demands that the Hospital got frustrated and expressed willingness to send him back to Nigeria with immediate effect. For fear there may be more reasons to his demands than it appears.

The FG has however, reiterated its ready to go on with his prosecution on his return to Nigeria. The statement affirms:

“The Government also wishes to use this opportunity to affirm its readiness to undertake the prosecution of El-zakzaky through due process when he is returned to the country.”

The Government also urged the general public to disregard any foul cry from him or anyone associated with him.

However, Musa confirmed to ThisDay that the issue has been resolved after the initial protest and the intervention of the Islamic Human Right Commission (ISRC), who sponsored El-zakzaky’s medical trip to India. And El-zakzaky and his wife, Zeena have been given access to their medical personnel. Although he is yet to be allowed to move beyond the hospital premises, negotiation is ongoing to that effect.

The negotiation did not work, it only extended the drama to a few more hours until El-zakzaky got tired of it all and called it a day. Musa confirmed that the embattled IMN is on his way to Nigeria, choosing to be left untreated because he can’t accept it the government’s way. The Government has since apologized to India for what it called “needless embarrassment” by El-zakzaky and his entourage.

However, many believe that the Government cannot be trusted, hence, their side of the story should not be taken for the truth. It be could recalled that the same Government has disobeyed bail court orders severally respecting E-zakzaky, which resulted in his incommunicado. While his children and followers were killed for protesting for his release from prison.

Following all these happenings, there is concern that the Government’s way of handling E-zakzaky and his Shiite religious group may escalate to something similar to Boko Haram extremism.

History was made in the history of football. I mean the European Super Cup between Liverpool and Chelsea. We had female officials in an action-filled contest. Stephanie Frappart, a female French referee, officiated the match with the help of her assistants Manuela Nicolosi of Italy and Michelle O’Neill from the Republic of Ireland. 

They became the first women officials to take charge of a major men’s European match. Judging their performances in the game, they didn’t put a foot wrong. Their calls in the match were spot on. 

Could this be the revolution that we’ve been waiting for? 

Gender equality is what we’ve always craved for and it’s a welcome development from the world of sports as we finally saw women being trusted to take part in a men’s game. However, we don’t want this to be limited to sports alone, we want to see this in different spheres of life. 

We want to see many female Presidents, governors, the board of directors, and other sensitive positions in the world.

We want a world where everyone is seen equal irrespective of gender. Of course, it’s a big ask but we can get there gradually. 

Perhaps if we change our mindset, it will change our way of thinking. It will change our view of women, especially in Africa. We need to start seeing women as leaders and not a baby-making factory. We need to start trusting them with sensitive positions. 

I was excited when I saw Obiageli Ezekwesili also known as Oby Ezekwesili contested for the post of presidency in Nigeria, but eventually stepped down to some reasons best known to her. As a Nigerian, I wanted it. 

Would I have voted for her?

Yes, I would have voted for her. If she could be entrusted with the post of Vice President for the World Bank’s Africa Region in 2007, why can’t she build a falling nation like Nigeria? 

A country like Nigeria needs a great leader that understands how to build the country’s economy from scratch, and a candidate like Oby would have been a blessing. But it’s not over yet, Oby has laid a foundation that every woman can build on in the future. 

Hillary Clinton was another strong woman that could have been the American president but lost to Donald Trump. 

Great women like Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Ariana Huffington and many more, have all shown that women can be successful leaders. 

It’s high time Africans overlook gender and give women a chance to also lead nations without bias or prejudice. If they can become successful entrepreneurs, they can also be successful leaders of nations. 

But the big question remains, ”are we ready?”