Where are our engineering graduates? Where are our first class and second class upper graduates in all disciplines? What have we innovated in the last 10-20 decades that was globally accepted? How much support do our entrepreneurs get? Who empowers our youths? When will the brain-drain system in all level of our education stop?

Nowadays, many of us only attend schools and training for certificates. Before enrolling for the training, some of us have it at the back of our minds that the certificate is only needed to make CVs shine brighter. Nobody cares about gaining employability or entrepreneurial skills. We place more value in certificates than the course of study itself. Many Computer Science graduates can not write a simple FORTRAN program. Many Business Administration and Finance graduates do not even know the effects of naira devaluation, limited foreign exchange, and global fall in oil price on businesses in Nigeria.

We have seen a lot of viral news of how some persons were able to design aircraft-looking machines that would never fly. Some designed outrageous cars running on tricycle's (Keke Napep) engines. One person even commercialized the use of cooking gas to power electric generators (is that even sustainable and does it sound safe?) The funny thing about these 'unrealistic' innovations is that the innovators get a lot of credits, even from state governors, but after that- you'd not hear of a thing about them again. We have failed to nurture creativity and collective orientation.

There are over 100 government and private universities in Nigeria. Many of these citadels of knowledge are schools of science and technology. Every year, convocations take place reeling out elated graduates, but with no one innovation or discovery. Why? Funny enough, before gaining the degree, many of us had to do research findings (popularly called projects) on various topics. We present and defend it, but none of these findings ever materialised into a tangible thing for Nigerians. Now, projects are even plagiarised.

We call ourselves graduates, scientists, and researchers and are quick at articulating our credentials- I have a PhD in this and that- but we all know all that is bullshit (excuse my French). None of us (civil, electric, mechanical engineers) deemed it fit even to create simple pepper grinders, water filters, affordable lamps, water pump, razor blades, potent insecticides and so on that the poor people in the villages need.

Malaria and HIV are rife here, but where are the research institutions with medical professionals discovering cures? We all are chanting 'diversification' of the economy to Agriculture and so on, who is researching on how to produce fertilisers and herbicides locally? Where are the veterinaries to care for farmers live stocks?

Some of us are in the diaspora, all lazy and apathetic to our country and her people. We are busy touring other countries instead of lifting ideas, formulas, recipes from standard factories over there to our factories. The most some will do is buy these things they find fascinating in large quantities, import to Nigeria and sell at double the price.

Nigeria's literati—the cognoscente, intelligentsia, academics, and scholars in high places in the society all talking irrelevancies. No one can even propose a proper policy to take us out of our present economic woes, but they would rather boast on how they got the highest grades in mathematics and sciences and attained the highest education on the planet. They had been to Harvard, Oxford, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

We as a nation lack a workhorse mentality and would rather be civil servants dependent on governments pay cheque. We believe that development is generated 8-to-5 or 9-to-6 behind a desk wearing a tie with our degrees hanging on the wall. Such a working environment does not offer the opportunity for fellowship, the excitement of competition, and the spectacle of innovative rituals.

But are we graduates and intelligentsia solely or mainly to blame? The larger failure is due to political circumstances over which we have little control. The past governments failed to create an environment of possibility that fosters camaraderie, rewards innovative ideas and encourage resilience. Let’s begin to look for a technologically active environment. That way we can make our pepper grinders, solar power electric generators, water filters, water pumps, razor blades, and harvesters.

Let’s dream big and make tractors, cars, and even planes, or else we will forever be a third-world country. A fundamental transformation of our country from what is essentially non-innovative to a strategic superior African country requires a bold risk-taking educated leader with a positive attitude and we have one in YOU.


Source: http://www.rapportnaija.com/2016/05/nigerian-graduates-what-have-we.html

CC Lalasticlala Mynd44

[b]Seeing the first sensible post this week. I have always been saying this over and over.... most graduate keep on pouring out their frustration on social medias without take a seat to ponder on how they have failed personally. Come to think of it, it is only in Nigeria a 90% of students in higher institution will be dreaming of working in an oil company after graduation. Have you ever thought of the word "creativity" in your field of study?? for the years spent in your institution The money spent on flexing and girlfriends within those yrs, if calculated what figure do you see who has failed who The funniest part of this whole gist is that hardly will you practice exactly what you have studied in school out here, why not start building a future from at least your second year in school?? It is never too late my people, consult your creativity side and come up with something. Its either you struggle to create a future of you help building someone else's dream. My opinion[/b]

"afonjas and Igbos"..

Yawn. Another ridiculous rant about how graduates aren't doing much, and comparing Nigerian graduates to that of the rest of the world.

Want a notable feat? Students of Redeemer's University created a device that can accurately test for and discover Ebola and Lassa Virus under 10 minutes. This was approved by the WHO and is being distributed globally.

There are other key notable examples that I'm not going to bother listing, because I see no need. Our economy does not support this type of growth, it does not allow room for innovative ideas. In the West where key capitalists and entrepreneurs pay attention to university students in order to sponsor brilliant ideas and make profit, our Nigerian entrepreneurs are busy trying to figure out how to cut losses on electricity and water. Who has the time or funds to start keeping a nose down for brilliant student inventions? Is it our inept government that can't so much as fix mere potholes on streets? Is it our politicians who are trying to make it seem as though they are working as they stuff their pockets with tax payers money? Or is it the also struggling and developing entrepreneurs who have to prove to customers that their products are above the bar?

As if that is not enough, the mere idea of locally made things are stigmatized. I am certain if you were to enter a plane and were told that it was made by Nigerians, you would immediately be running out of the airport for your life.

I am honestly tired of hearing this crap about students not being innovative. When the lecturers and professors are downright sadistic and backwards, too egotistical to let their students outshine, and instead fail them with the vehemence of demons whipping sinners. When there are 300 students to a small cramped class where the lecturers can choose to show up once a semester. When there are people being awarded for beauty, looks and appeal, and academic merit is viewed in the positive light only by parents and lecturers and shunned by the youths.

Can you then, in light of all these, ask us to be innovative?

Please, be serious.

The poster above me has said all there is to be said. Nothing more.


How do you want graduates to be innovative when the general flow of things in Nigeria is to just conform with the standard, where lecturers fail students who try to think outside the box



Now before you get all Bill Gates on me, remember that even Mark Zuckerberg in his speech at Harvard acknowledged that he had a fallback in case Facebook failed.

How many students have such here


Blame not the students in the least, blame the system which encourages mediocrity and conformity