Adebola A. Oni
When I was in the University, I was always scared looking at the day I will leave the system. The prevalent thought then was that things are difficult out there, that there are no jobs for those that have graduated talk less of those that are about graduating.
Coupled with the quality of education I was getting then, I was really scared stiff because I couldn’t see how I will be able to compete favourably with those that have undergone quality education. I was always praying to God to help me out of my dilemma.
A day came that my mindset changed. Just as you have been reading my articles, I read a book, Unleashing The Tremendous Potentials Within You, by an author I didn’t even know until then. Some people have told me they have never been encouraged or read any inspirational article until they came across NaijaMotivation.com and the same was true for me then.
Before that fateful day, sometimes in 1999, I have NEVER read any inspirational book or article. I always see those kind of books as a waste of time, though I knew when Success Power by Revd. Sam Adeyemi started on radio in 1995, the message never made any meaning to me. Just give me Complete Football, Complete Sports and Sporting Champion then and you will be my friend for life.
After reading this book, I was shocked to the marrow. I was crying internally because it dawned on me that I have wasted about 20 years of my life chasing shadows. I never knew there is something called potential and though people knew I have a lot within me, it NEVER occurred to me how to make use of those things.
By carrying out the exercise in the book, I was able to discover there was so much I can do. A new lease of life came upon me and instead of looking into the future with trepidation, it was now with hope. I just couldn’t imagine any longer how I could be unemployed when I leave the University.
Immediately I left the University, I was having plans of about 10 things to do! I was seeing my interest in Sports as something I could take advantage of. I love writing then and I saw HUGE opportunities there as well and before I graduated, I have been doing some personal studies in Web Designing and I was also seeing opportunities there as well, so at a point I was even confused as to where to start.
This is a guy that few years ago was thinking there was nothing to do. The fact was stated by somebody when he said, “eyes that look are many and eyes that see are few.” I always wonder why Nigerians are always eager to check out while a lot of foreigners are coming in on a regular basis. I used to see a lot of Lebanese around and I always wonder what they are doing here when our own people believe there are no opportunities here.
I got an insight into this matter when a Lebanese said the streets of Nigeria are lined with gold but that unfortunately, Nigerians couldn’t see them. That is why the foreigners come to pick the gold we ought to be keeping. What a PITY!
From my own personal experiences of the past years, I want to tell you that there is so much to do here. The green pasture we are all searching for is right HERE. We need not go any where to search for it. If only we can open our eyes to see the opportunities within and outside of us, we will NEVER run short of ideas to work on or with.
The problems we have around us are enough opportunities waiting to be tapped into. Instead of complaining about all the problems, let us look at how we can provide solutions to them. There is this case of two guys I heard years ago. After their Youth Service, they couldn’t get any job to do and they sat down to look at what they can do together. They agreed on starting a cleaning service in their area in Ibadan.
They started with cleaning the drainage on their street and at a point people started paying them for it. People on the adjourning streets started taking note of them and started patronising them. From then, they got patronages from everyone in their area. They started going little by little to the point that they couldn’t manage the tasks all by themselves.
These guys started employing other guys to help them out. At a point, they started hiring a truck to help them move the dirt from the drainages because they had gotten so big by then. It got to another point that they had to buy their own trucks and as it is for every dreamer, there is a point when your dream turns to reality and something too huge for you to handle alone, these guys got to the point that they stopped going out with the boys, they rented an office and started sending their boys out. I wonder what it would have been if they have sat down indulging in self pity and wondering how their lives will turn out.
I don’t know what you have been thinking up till this moment. All I want you to realise is that there is so much within and around you for you never to complain about unemployment. There are so many illiterates around you that will gladly pay anything to be taught how to read and write. What if you become the solution to their challenge?
A lot of guys are loafing around with nothing to do. Don’t you think you can start your own PSP from their own challenge. Those pure water sachets that are always nuisance on the streets are golden opportunities for someone to exploit. In some localities, water is a major challenge. Don’t you think you have a great business at your disposal if you know of such places?
Think hard enough and you will see so much to do. Other people’s challenges can be your own stepping stone. What you need is an idea and you will see so much to do. When you see an opportunity, take advantage of it and you will be surprised where it will lead you to.
I am where I am today because I dared to act on the idea of starting a Web Designing business then. You never can tell where you will end up if you don’t start. Get started today and I am sure when your tomorrow comes, you will have enough reasons to celebrate.
Enough of complaining about not having jobs to do. See yourself more as a job creator and employer of labour instead of having to spend years out of school still searching for that elusive job.
This is to your success as you lay your hands on that idea NOW!