By Olaniyi Abiola (Able..)
It is very sardonic to observe that at 57th independence anniversary of this nation, many minds are still walking in the dark, lacking the understanding of where they are, let alone of where they are going. Living in absolute dependence on others, including the government. The staff of dependency syndrome has beaten many to the level of crippling their minds not to walk in the way of liberty.
My piece is not to scold anybody but to enlighten us on the level to which our illusive education has amputated the mind of many of us not to walk in the light of our expected height of success in life. I will like to state that education in this part of the world actually looks like a scam, if not really. This is due to the inability of the system to reveal that truth of the current situation but instead profess and prepare our minds for condition that has being in extinction for decades.
Education is good but only the true form of it and not this order-following concept used to blindfold many of us in school. As a matter of fact, the true education has nothing to do with schools and colleges.
Lilian Smith said " Education is a private matter between the word of knowledge and experience, and has nothing to do with school and college.
The word education is from the Latin word 'educo', which means to develop from within. According to dictionary. Com, Educate means to develop the faculties (plural) and powers (plural) of a person.
Many of us in school have believed that the only way to get educated is to be in school. That's why we feel like we are better than our colleagues with lower grades.
George Santayana said " A child educated only at school is an uneducated child ." The true education does not have anything to do with certificate or school, it is your mind that makes you rich.
Someone was discussing with me how he received ten appointment letters for job from different organizations and industries while he was in the early stage of his final year in school.
That was the time when the world population was about two billion and not the current over seven billion people. That was the time when human resources was very vital and paramount in every organization and not now that technology has swept the onetime over qualified workers out of their comfort zone. *We have to be wise*
How long are we going to stay in the trick of the system that prepares us for slavery in the name of the unavailable white collar job instead of teaching us how to catch fish through the effective equipment of our minds to bring out the entrepreneurial prowess that is in us. Education has taught us to be independently dependent on what is not currently dependable.
Here is Nigeria, a man of 57 years old expecting to reap from the seeds he planted sometimes ago, but the seed has not been able to yield due to the caged system of development.
What is the way forward for these Able Minds?
The only feasible and dependable solution is to think outside of education and white collar job. Let us do something novel. Let us think business, read business, speak business and run business. When I say business, I don't mean the business administration courses given in school in which a PhD holder is still begging for jobs around. I mean we lay our hands on something that proffer solution to at least a problem in our immediate or extended environment. Invent something worthwhile. Do not be afraid of failure, start something. No matter how little it may look, start it. Be an entrepreneur. Be a boss. The difference between the presently small and the latter big business is Planning. Start small, but after sometimes, plan something bigger, after that, plan bigger and bigger and bigger. Before you know it you are an employer of many. Never get discouraged with your current level of resources. The truth is if you can not start something when you have small, you won't start at all when you have big.
School teaches how to count money (accounting), but never taught us how to make money. Don't rely on the trick of an elective course in our schools, teaching us the theories of entrepreneurship by those that have never applied those theories to make money for themselves.
Let us all wake up and stand to this call to advancement through effectual preparation and prioritization of our minds to the development and strategic improvement of our entrepreneurial capability and strengthen our interest in the business and financing world.
This is a reliable way for this 57 years old man to be filled with true honey that comes from our productive minds.
God Bless Nigeria!!!
