Timeless lesson from ‘the academy of ants’

With an estimated population of 200 million people, the 7.96 percent unemployment rate in Nigeria, as at 2020, is high. The development is uncomfortable for the self-acclaimed giant of Africa.

Of course, this implies that joblessness is still a very big issue presently facing the country.

Desperate white collar job seekers should reflect on this and decide whether or not they will still continue to wait on government to provide jobs for them. Honestly, there are jobs out there for skilled people.

We all know that politicians and government officials, at various levels, are always fond of promising us heaven on earth during campaigns.

At the end of the day, they deliver near to nothing. This has brought us to where we are today.

So, like others before him, President Muhammed Buhari vowed during his many campaigns to fix the country. But, years down the line, what is his scorecard now?

The reality is that today, Nigeria is still being faced with many seemingly insurmountable challenges that are threatening the peace, unity and progress of the country.

In fairness to the Buhari, he has successfully fixed some of the rots, even as he is also thinking of returning to his hometown, Daura, in Katsina State, after his tenure.

Buhari is not a miracle worker. No leader, past or present is. Therefore, he is not expected to perform American wonders. But, insecurity seems to be a big issue for this retired military top-shot to tackle.

Has democracy tied the hands of Buhari? Remember when he was military head of state in his younger days, with the late Tunde Idiagbon as his second in command, there was order in the country. Today, it seems to be a different ball game.

Unemployment, galloping economy, poverty, lack of adequate social amenities, among others are also critical issues the federal government must tackle.

Penultimate Sunday, I was down in spirit and decided to worship at Kind David Miniseries International, Shogunle Lagos, where I listened to Davidson Isibor Akhimien, a security expert, pastor, presidential aspirant in the last general election, and the founder of the church.

Akhimien registered Grassroots Democratic Party of Nigeria and contested the presidential election with Buhari.

I listened to Akhimien and at the end of the sermon I was sufficiently pumped up to fly. He spoke on ‘The Academy of Ants’, which basically urged most of us living below poverty lines to look within us and discover our special skills.

No government anywhere can provide jobs to all of their citizens. Buhari does not have the capacity to give jobs to the teeming jobless persons out there. This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Ants are some of the smallest creatures that work without managers or superiors to gather their food in time of plenty. In time of scarcity, these tiny creatures fall back on their store-house, so to say, to survive.

These tiny ants are wise, with foresight and orderliness. We human beings should emulate ants and gather, save and invest.

I am guilty here, where my expenses are far higher than my income, which comes in trickles, far between. Pretty sure, I am not the only one in this boat. There are lots of us out there, in millions.

This could be one of the many reasons 80 percent Nigerians are living below poverty line.

Akhimien spoke on old age report card and it dawned on me that at 49 years, still a hustler; I need to give more than a passing thought to this angle of his sermon.

Humanity has come to a point where individuals must look within, discover their talents, skills, horn and commercialise these gifts from God to grow.

It is only a fool that will continue to pray till eternity for white collar jobs from government. It is also a fool that will blame outside forces or factors for his or her misfortunes. I am very sorry for being harsh, here.

Introspection could be painful and quite revealing. But, we must individually search to discover our unique selling points. Our today is a manifestation of yesterday and tomorrow, a reflection of today.

I told you I was pumped up, even as we all know that success is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent hard work. There are lots of motivational speakers, writers, out there.

Like Akhimien, these speakers and writers are eager to lift humanity above the poverty level. Some of them know that the road to success has a map and each of us must pay the price, every step of the way.