It is a common mantra and a popular parlance my upbringing was filled with, a reason why many of us did everything in our capacity to be serious and studious in the course of our academic sojourn dreaming of attending some of the first and second generation high institution then studying not just any course but professional courses that made many of us believe that we are already out of shadow of ignorance and mediocrity.
Gradually, changes in the reality of Nigeria socio-economic reality started making things to turn around as the spread of unemployment and under-employment became a reality that many are still struggling to get a way out of it.
It became a doldrum that is gradually evolving as a trans-generational issue been a story that every family think about and engages as a source of discussion from ages to ages.
Without any iota of doubt, the best legacy any parent can grant their offspring is education as it is the fastest channel of destroying the stronghold of ignorance and making the shacked of mediocrity valueless in the life of everyone.
A highly educated society or an educated nation is the one that has successfully destroyed the grip of darkness, thereby having access to human and physical development that will make such nation to be referenced among the comity of developed nation.
While the development of education should have been a genuine drive to usher in development of the society, the reverse is the case in Nigeria as one could see in practical terms how our educational sector has become dead in terms of quality.
The continuous and almost constant industrial action that has made our ivory tower to be on strike couples of months now is quite worrisome and a confirmation of the lip service we paid to quality education in this part of the world.
In the course of my official obligation, I have been able to be in charge of many industrial trainees from different academic institutions including Private Universities but there is still a grave mark on the quality of students we have at this moment.
Many undergraduates and graduates–NYSC that I have supervised struggled to put their line of thought down in just sentence.
This is quite worrisome.
Without any iota of doubt, every parent desired that their wards becomes successful educationally after spending many years in school but my experience after graduating gave me a concern that trigger this write-up.
The difficulty of having a child after graduation been at home looking for jobs is stressful, insulting and depressing.
It makes someone to be out of place when you look around and see how far your mates that are oportuned have gone.
Even after experiencing this years ago, while in a chat with one of the NYSC lady working with me, I understand that nothing has changed. It is even worse as it is difficult to get a place for Industrial training now and you will marvel when you heard of NYSC member being rejected by the company they are posted to.
Is this not insulting, depressing and worrisome seeing your child struggling to get a place to get trained as an industrial trainee or a corp member?
This cast a deep aspersion on the beauty of the Nigeria society that has gone into irredeemable abyss of no return.
As a parent, as we are looking for ways to make our children better in life, one of the best way someone can give them a brighter future is to introduce them to other means of survival apart from educational certification that is becoming irrelevant as the reality of the Nigeria economy bites harder on a daily basis.
It is imperative for every concerned parent to put the mantra of education being the best legacy aside a little bit and think about means by which their children can be empowered after schooling.
One of the best way I am dreaming of us to put something down that when they finished their academic schooling, none of them will be running and begging for jobs. My desire is for them to take over businesses from me and start managing it so that as properties are willed to them, they will also be in charge of businesses that will enhance their empowerment on time.
This is what every parent should be thinking about as the best legacy because there are many children with good certificates now but they are not opportuned to make their desired landmark in life as available opportunity kept striking and marginally available to people who are connected to the corridor of power.
Education is no longer the only best legacy as it turns out to be a regret when the educated cannot get something out of it as a source of empowerment that will grant the beauty of their desired future.
Parents should try as much as possible to invest to the point that their children will come back to manage it when they are through studying .
Happy Children’s Day.
©Fadeyi Felix Femi
27th of May 2022.
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