By Balogun M. Adewale

What has just became a public discussion today have being a subject that has being costing me sleepless night since graduating in 2002. Before getting admission to study finance which I love, I have my hands as a teen in some entrepreneurial activities immediately after my secondary school (basic education), although not encourage or mentored by anyone, it just one of the passion that I have as a boy raised is a village depending majorly on coconuts, sugarcane and fishing as sources of income.

After graduation, my passion to go into entrepreneurship is so strong that I started selling self development books in front of my school without planning for it. This is as a result of my search for materials to further develop myself after graduation. A visit to my brother at Ajegunle in Lagos is an eye opener, although I have being going there but have never notice I can get such books in those bookshops I pass by along the road to his house. But this very day I made it as part of my plan to search and was amazed that I can’t postpone it till another day. Fortunately, it’s at a wholesale price, I spend all the money in my pocket to by what it can afford.

What actually brought this menace of whether education really matter to people’s attention is the just concluded Big Brother Nigeria and some other social and reality TV shows sponsored with millions and billions of dollars. People started comparing this programme with other educational programme. While those who participated in those social and reality TV shows qualify without any consideration for any formal education and the winners making it in millions, the educational programme counterpart makes stipends with rigorous qualification process. This is posting the major question in peoples mind, does education really matter?

The personal experience in search of entrepreneurial programme commence in 2003, its not until 2005 before I was fortunate to qualify with the programme costing us N25,000 training fee within three months excluding transportation and other logistics. The painful part is that of finance. As it was part of the advertisement slogan that start-up capital will be made available to participants as a loan only to have it stylishly being removed.

This same occurs in another programme I took part in 2016, although absolutely free but like the previous, the financial aspect was scraped. It was later that we got to know they are only trying to recruits marketers and so called partners for their products.

One of the books I came across during my search for self developments materials is the book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert T. Kiyosaki. It was what I have being looking for. I devour the book in less than 3 days amidst my rigorous daily activities. This book and other books by the author get me committed to my entrepreneurial and financial education. The author’s thoughts on education and other ideology including assets and liabilities that keeps people’s in poverty was globally criticized by so called experts, ignorant and those who know the truths but benefits from it directly and indirectly. But today it’s becoming glaring beyond doubt.

In my book “The future is now: Education, Mentoring and Success” I wrote;

The Best Career

I remember in the 90’s when I was still in high school, the brilliant students were expected to be in science class, while average students were expected to be in commercial class and art class were assumed to be for lower level students. Meaning from general interpretation back then which is till somehow applicable today. The best career is science, followed by commercial, and lastly art class. This interpretation also affects the tertiary educational institution we have, but gradually things are changing for good. The college of education was interpreted to be for the unfortunate (less privileged) students, the polytechnic second choice if you are unable to secure university admission.

To me, all this is misconception and misinterpretation for both career and tertiary institution choice. We all know that, in this age, all things being equal, it is easier for art students to make it faster than commercial and commercial students faster than science students. The reason is that, the world have change, formally everyone is going to school to become and employee in the industrial age and there is much work available in the science and commercial than art, and employee in science career such as doctor, engineer, etc. receive higher pay than the commercial and better than art. Success in information age is about the products or services (value) you can create with your talent, passion, skills, idea, and experience and by following the trend. It is easier for a teenage girl or boy still in school to make fame and money from a single album as a musician, just as for a teenager talented in athletic. In fact, people who have the money are ready to promote sport and entertainment than any other business.

It seems I am now in support or in favour of art than commercial and science careers. No! I am only trying to see the light in the career path people think is the worst. For example, in favour of any career in the three fields, if you can learn how to write articles and good books just like this, you are sure to achieve a fulfilled career for being and author and speaker in your area of concentration.

In a nutshell, all careers are good, we only need to specialize. In other words, specialization as we have learnt is really working for us in this age than any other time. Someone is in need of your service and product and now that the world is becoming a global village with the aid of internet, we have over 7 billion people in the world you can showcase; your talent, passion, idea, skill and experience to. If you are able to convince only 0.001% of that to your side, you are sure to achieve your career goals in terms of fame and wealth.

This is really worrisome, and is not excluding those who are ruling us rather than leading us since we the so called educated ones shy away from participating in politics. Unfortunately those who manage to pass through school among them are not even helping issues.

Even before now during many of my discussion, mentoring and training session, I always obliged the participants to search within their community of those who are financially free. Are they the so called educated ones?

As written from the extract from my book, it’s as a result of trends. Few years back, no parents will ever encourage their children to go into sports, music or acting, but today, the trends favour them above many professions, while we cannot do away from entertainment, this might not go on till eternity.

If you are not talented in athlete, singing or acting, then think of providing solution inform of products or services to solve multiple challenges and problems around the world. Unfortunately those who will be left behind are those who continue depending on their academic qualification and certificate to earn a leaving. Of course, they may make a leaving but not fortune.