North in Nigeria’s Workforce: Priority determines motivation
By Abdulrazaq O Hamzat
In 2014/2015, a highly respected mentor offered me a fortuity to pursue a Master’s degree programme in United Kingdom.
The interesting part of this was that, the mentor did not just want me to pursue a master’s degree in UK; he wanted me to do it in the same institution he attended (University of Buckingham), where he emerged as the best graduating student in his class. He also wanted me to do the same course as him (Global Affairs) so I can possibly advance the reputation of Nigeria in that department.
According to him, he believed am luminous and effulgent enough to excel not only in that institution, but also in the course like he did and having Studied Peace and Conflict Resolution (PCR) in my first degree, I also thought that going for Global Affairs (G.A) as master’s degree concentration in a posh institution like The University of Buckingham isn’t a bad idea. Though, I had my reservation about working or studying abroad.
My mentor wasn’t joking about this, he wanted to single handedly sponsor the entire program and every cost associated with it.
He gave me the institutions website, asked me to send in my application immediately because the admission period is almost elapsing and in the portion that asked about the sponsor, he asked me to put his name.
Before that period, I am one of those who don’t really fancy studying abroad. Apart from when I was in secondary school (Ilorin Grammar School), I have never seen myself going abroad for studies or work. However, having such a mentor who is ready to sponsor your foreign education is too tempting an offer to reject or even question. So I applied at the die minute.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I was informed that the application period had expired before I submitted mine and i had to wait till 6 months’ time to reactivate my application, if i am still interested in the admission.
To make matter worse, they also informed me that they will no longer be offering Global Affairs as course, that it has been replaced with one other course like that, I think ‘’Security and Diplomacy’’. Right there, I made up my mind to do away with the idea of traveling abroad for study. After all, it wasn’t my idea in the first place.
A day after that notification, precisely on 21st January 2015, I reapplied to National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for Masters Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (PCR).
At the time, a friend had asked me how easy it was for me to move from almost securing admission to travel to UK to suddenly enrolling in NOUN almost immediately; I guess the perspective of Gimba Kakanda on the conversation started by Adamu Tilde answers this question.
Few days ago, a thought provoking piece, concerning the sharp difference between the North and South in the workforce of the country, particularly in the private sector by Adamu Tilde sparked an interesting conversation online. In the publication made on his wall without a title, Adamu Tilde narrated a conversation he had with a mentor, who happens to be a former National Economic Adviser.
According to Adamu’s mentor, ‘’the combined workforce of the major oil companies around amount to roughly ten thousand staff, of which 70% are Yorubas with an average income of fifty million/annum’’. The use of the term Yoruba in Adamu’s piece doesn’t factor in the Yoruba’s in the North central who are also part of this generalization.
Adamu’s mentor had argued that, intellectual laziness of the north is responsible for this disparity and what he described as ‘’our penchant for easy money and rent seeking’’.
However, many did not agree with this perspective.
In adding a twist to the conversation from an insider’s point of view, Suraj Tunji Oyewale listed 4 points he believes to be responsible for the situation and those points include Limited ambition, Limited information, Over selectivity and Lack of hustling spirit.
Suraj clarified that, he doesn’t believe intellectual laziness played any role in this matter. ‘’This is why I really don’t believe an average graduate of southern origin is smarter than a compatriot from the north. The difference is just limited information, ambition and spirit’’ he concluded.
Yesterday, Gimba Kakanda joined the conversation with another perspective that greatly appeals to me. Gimba’s perspective appealed to me because I could personally connect with some of the points he raised.
The question my friend had asked me after my UK application, about how easy it was for me to move from almost securing admission in UK to enrolling in Nigeria can simply be explained by that ‘’sentimental attachment’’. I have become someone who is sentimentally attached to Nigeria and having missed the deadline of my UK admission, I easily switched back to my area of sentiment.
Even though I could have waited for 6 months to re-apply and head for UK, I didn’t think it was worthy to be waiting to apply to a foreign institution, when I could easily secure an admission in Nigeria and considering the fact the course I find attractive has been replaced, there was no motivation to make UK my priority.
After some months, when I eventually told my mentor that I am already running an Msc in Open University, he understood me and wished me luck. Although, I am yet to graduate from this same NOUN since 2015 because I and a colleague were unlawfully expelled in November 2015 for exercising our right to free association and leading the formation of a student association (Congress of NOUN Students), but the matter have been in court ever since and I believe that no matter how long it takes, justice shall be served.
The point I am trying to make here is that, motivation determines priority. While some people , in the process of seeking wealth, recognition and prestige could go anywhere they can get it, irrespective of what they are leaving behind, others on the other hand can only pursue their quest for wealth and achievement, not at the detriment of other things they hold dear.
This is not just about the North, i think it is more about the total life experience of every individual, which include culture, tradition, motivation and priority.
In 2014/2015, a highly respected mentor offered me a fortuity to pursue a Master’s degree programme in United Kingdom.
The interesting part of this was that, the mentor did not just want me to pursue a master’s degree in UK; he wanted me to do it in the same institution he attended (University of Buckingham), where he emerged as the best graduating student in his class. He also wanted me to do the same course as him (Global Affairs) so I can possibly advance the reputation of Nigeria in that department.
According to him, he believed am luminous and effulgent enough to excel not only in that institution, but also in the course like he did and having Studied Peace and Conflict Resolution (PCR) in my first degree, I also thought that going for Global Affairs (G.A) as master’s degree concentration in a posh institution like The University of Buckingham isn’t a bad idea. Though, I had my reservation about working or studying abroad.
My mentor wasn’t joking about this, he wanted to single handedly sponsor the entire program and every cost associated with it.
He gave me the institutions website, asked me to send in my application immediately because the admission period is almost elapsing and in the portion that asked about the sponsor, he asked me to put his name.
Before that period, I am one of those who don’t really fancy studying abroad. Apart from when I was in secondary school (Ilorin Grammar School), I have never seen myself going abroad for studies or work. However, having such a mentor who is ready to sponsor your foreign education is too tempting an offer to reject or even question. So I applied at the die minute.
Fortunately or unfortunately, I was informed that the application period had expired before I submitted mine and i had to wait till 6 months’ time to reactivate my application, if i am still interested in the admission.
To make matter worse, they also informed me that they will no longer be offering Global Affairs as course, that it has been replaced with one other course like that, I think ‘’Security and Diplomacy’’. Right there, I made up my mind to do away with the idea of traveling abroad for study. After all, it wasn’t my idea in the first place.
A day after that notification, precisely on 21st January 2015, I reapplied to National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) for Masters Degree in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution (PCR).
At the time, a friend had asked me how easy it was for me to move from almost securing admission to travel to UK to suddenly enrolling in NOUN almost immediately; I guess the perspective of Gimba Kakanda on the conversation started by Adamu Tilde answers this question.
Few days ago, a thought provoking piece, concerning the sharp difference between the North and South in the workforce of the country, particularly in the private sector by Adamu Tilde sparked an interesting conversation online. In the publication made on his wall without a title, Adamu Tilde narrated a conversation he had with a mentor, who happens to be a former National Economic Adviser.
According to Adamu’s mentor, ‘’the combined workforce of the major oil companies around amount to roughly ten thousand staff, of which 70% are Yorubas with an average income of fifty million/annum’’. The use of the term Yoruba in Adamu’s piece doesn’t factor in the Yoruba’s in the North central who are also part of this generalization.
Adamu’s mentor had argued that, intellectual laziness of the north is responsible for this disparity and what he described as ‘’our penchant for easy money and rent seeking’’.
However, many did not agree with this perspective.
In adding a twist to the conversation from an insider’s point of view, Suraj Tunji Oyewale listed 4 points he believes to be responsible for the situation and those points include Limited ambition, Limited information, Over selectivity and Lack of hustling spirit.
Suraj clarified that, he doesn’t believe intellectual laziness played any role in this matter. ‘’This is why I really don’t believe an average graduate of southern origin is smarter than a compatriot from the north. The difference is just limited information, ambition and spirit’’ he concluded.
Yesterday, Gimba Kakanda joined the conversation with another perspective that greatly appeals to me. Gimba’s perspective appealed to me because I could personally connect with some of the points he raised.
The question my friend had asked me after my UK application, about how easy it was for me to move from almost securing admission in UK to enrolling in Nigeria can simply be explained by that ‘’sentimental attachment’’. I have become someone who is sentimentally attached to Nigeria and having missed the deadline of my UK admission, I easily switched back to my area of sentiment.
Even though I could have waited for 6 months to re-apply and head for UK, I didn’t think it was worthy to be waiting to apply to a foreign institution, when I could easily secure an admission in Nigeria and considering the fact the course I find attractive has been replaced, there was no motivation to make UK my priority.
After some months, when I eventually told my mentor that I am already running an Msc in Open University, he understood me and wished me luck. Although, I am yet to graduate from this same NOUN since 2015 because I and a colleague were unlawfully expelled in November 2015 for exercising our right to free association and leading the formation of a student association (Congress of NOUN Students), but the matter have been in court ever since and I believe that no matter how long it takes, justice shall be served.
The point I am trying to make here is that, motivation determines priority. While some people , in the process of seeking wealth, recognition and prestige could go anywhere they can get it, irrespective of what they are leaving behind, others on the other hand can only pursue their quest for wealth and achievement, not at the detriment of other things they hold dear.
This is not just about the North, i think it is more about the total life experience of every individual, which include culture, tradition, motivation and priority.
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