Graduates

By Ishaka Mohammed

In 2019, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) honoured Oluwaseyi Ajibade as the best PhD graduate of the year. Interestingly, 13 years earlier, he had graduated with a third-class bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Lagos State University (LASU). His story exemplifies persistence.

Although Dr Oluwaseyi Ajibade’s story became news due to his exceptional performance at the PhD level, there are other third-class graduates around who proceed to obtain higher academic degrees. I recently met one, and he discussed his academic journey and an unfortunate situation with me.

His third-class bachelor’s degree necessitated his acquisition of a postgraduate diploma (PGD) before he enrolled in a Master’s programme. He received his PhD in 2020.

In addition to his academic qualifications and publications in reputable journals, he is an experienced teacher who once became vice-principal in a public school.

However, his weak first degree has so far blocked his aspiration to lecture at university. Two Nigerian universities have pointed this out to him, making reference to the minimum requirements set by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The above revelation is akin to being denied admission to higher institutions because of one’s poor grades in primary school. I understand that a first-class or an upper second-class bachelor’s degree is a requirement for the position of graduate assistant in Nigerian universities, but the man’s case is different. Apart from his PGD and master’s degree, he also holds a PhD, the highest academic degree in Nigeria.

If his rejection is genuinely based on the NUC’s standards, the commission must review its standards. Aspiring lecturers’ previous qualifications should be checked only to ascertain a connection to the latest ones. Nonetheless, the grades in the latest qualifications may be considered a testament to the holders’ intellectual capacity.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Hundreds of job seekers from different parts of Nigeria trooped into Kano State Thursday to jostle for the West African Examinations Council (WEAC) jobs.

The examination body was hiring assistant registrar, accountant, quantity surveyor, registered builder and network administrator, among other posts.

The job seekers sat for a computer-based aptitude test organized by the examination body at a CBT centre along Gwarzo Raod in Kano.

Unemployment is one of the lingering issues currently flogging the Nigerian graduates, making it a serious challenge, especially to the government.

A recent Bloomberg report shows that unemployment in Nigeria has surged to the second-highest on the global list, jumping to 33.3%.

Unemployment alarming

Musa Musa Dangwangwani, surprised by the number of applicants who trooped into the state to sit for the CBT, said the unemployment rate in the country is alarming.

Dangwangwani, an applicant from Katsina State, said, “Despite the high unemployment rate, job opportunities are very scarce. I’m therefore pleading with the government to provide job opportunities in the country.

Another applicant from Kogi State told our reporter that the issue of unemployment in Nigeria is seriously killing graduates, urging the government to do the needful to mitigate the problem.

‘The future is bleak’

“We have a lot of graduates out there that already lost hope. If you speak to them about any job opportunity, they will tell you they don’t want to apply for any because they are rigged out.

“One has to have a godfather before he secures a job now. But I have been trying my best. Wherever I heard of any opportunity, I apply, believing that one day I will succeed,” Dangwangwani said.

A female applicant from Kaduna State, who did not want her name in print, said the gathering was suggestive of the country’s high unemployment rate.

She said, “The way people gathered here tells me about the high rate of unemployment in the country. The government needs to do something to end this issue.

“Government should revive the number of factories shut down over the years. I think that will really help.

I lost my job due to insecurity – Applicant

An applicant from Bauchi State told The Daily Reality how he lost his job to the security challenge in Nigeria.

He said that was the reason he was now seeking another job.

He said, “I had my business. I’m a network engineer. My job was to provide internet service to the people mining in the bushes, but because of the current insecurity in the country, we can’t risk our lives; thus, I am jobless now.”

The Daily Reality recalls that professionals have argued that there is a need for urgent intervention to save the country from an impending danger posed by the exponential increase in unemployment.

By Muhammad Sabiu

FrieslandCampina WAMCO, otherwise known as Peak Milk in Nigeria, has opened its job application portal for recent graduates.

The company, on its website, stated that an ideal candidate for the job offer should have a bachelor’s degree or a Higher National Diploma, also abbreviated as HND, and must have graduated with an upper second class honours degree or an upper credit.

An ideal candidate must have also completed the NYSC and should not have more than two years’ work experience.

Leading worldwide dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina strives to cultivate high-potential new people so they may contribute to something greater and take on leadership roles in the future, enabling us all to succeed in the market both today and in the future.

Interested candidates are advised to click this link and apply: https://careers.frieslandcampina.com/global/en/page/graduate-professional-scheme-gps

By Muhammad Sabiu

The Flutterwave Graduate Trainee Programme has officially been launched, according to Flutterwave, a top African payments technology firm.

Through the training of technical and soft skills, exposure to Flutterwave’s solutions and products, and hands-on work experience at a large corporation, this program seeks to develop 200 young Nigerians. 

Additionally, the training will educate students on the culture, values, vision, and mission of Flutterwave, as well as its network of past and present workers.

With the primary goal of boosting the economy by producing skilled employment for young Nigerian graduates, Flutterwave published the application portal earlier in July 2022 to allow fresh graduates from all around Nigeria to apply for desirable roles in the company.

Chief Operating Officer of Flutterwave, Bode Abifarin, was quoted as saying:

“Flutterwave is an African company built to solve African challenges with African solutions. Some of the biggest challenges we have faced at Flutterwave have been solved by enlightened African tech experts with African needs in mind. Therefore, we would not be living up to our company’s ethos if we did not offer a leg-up to the young talent available and inspire and train them to ensure that the next future challenges in Africa’s tech scene are solved by talented young Africans.

“The graduate trainee programme and the job fair represent Flutterwave’s commitment to offering these talented individuals the opportunity to share their innovations and expertise with leading experts and tech entrepreneurs not only in Nigeria but across the continent. We hope that by powering the youth’s dreams, we power the continent’s tech scene as well.’’

Applications are expected to close on July 15, 2022.

Applicants for the upcoming Graduate trainee programme should apply via this link (https://flutterwave.com/gb/careers/graduates)

Applicants applying for the Flutterwave Job Fair are to apply through this link (https://flutterwavejobfair.disha.page/)