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HALF A LOAF & A BAKERY

Learning by doing before graduation

By: Jennifer Ehidiamen Interview by: Funso Bukoye

Foreword by Oby Ezekwesili

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! Copyright 2013 Click Weavers Communication Limited. CWC Books. All rights reserved. You can reproduce, store into retrieval system or transmit, in any form, or by any means ONLY after the publisher grants permission. Requests for permission should be directed to info@clickweavers.com or mail CWC P.O Box 8101 Ikeja Lagos Nigeria.

ISBN: 978-978-936-307-0

For information regarding the publication or purchase of this book, readings, trainings and other public communication services, contact: Click Weavers Communication Limited (CWC) Email: info@clickweavers.com Telephone: +234 (0)8054503875 Website: www.clickweavers.com Produced in Lagos Nigeria. Tel: 08168422858.

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Dedication
In memory of Ogunyemi Bankole Taiwo, a young Nigerian who dared to dream BIG. www.taiwobankole.com @BankoleTaiwo

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CONTENTS
Foreword Acknowledgement Authors note What is your story? Getting Started Money Matters Overcoming Fear Stay in school Transition Wisely About Before Graduation Authors Profile

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If we dont take care of our future, if we dont make sure that young people are really given opportunities to realise their potential then we cannot hope to develop our continent, Mo Ibrahim.

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Foreword
My young friends on Twitter are familiar with the way I describe myself a fiercely passionate believer in the public good of nations, serving before leading, validated by God and my Dad who taught me to never dignify nonsense. It is no longer news that there is a globalized generation of youth often referred to as the Millennial Generation. I call their Nigerian variant the Turning Point Generation. The members of this generation mostly believe that they can change the world for the better. They are optimistic and idealistic with a deep desire to make their mark in the world. They dream of what can be, and follow their dreams with passion and perseverance. They are no longer prepared to be spectators watching the world go by, but want to be players, to get their hands dirty, to make a difference. They are knowledgeable about the affairs of the world, very mobile and committed to being agents of change especially in nation building. Nation-builders are those with an entrepreneurial mind; that is, those with a problem solving mindset - whose passion is to solve any problem they are faced with by the right application of knowledge and experience. I am convinced that there is hope for Nigeria, especially when I am privileged to meet not just innovative and passionate young people but ones that are determined to blaze the trail. They are of such mettle that they are not deterred by the limiting socio-economic and political
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conditions of their country, but who against all odds, strive daily to carve their niche and impact their community. Considering how poorly resource endowment has performed in transforming our nation, there is general agitation for a new approach. Entrepreneurship is certainly that way forward for economic prosperity in a nation with huge human resources and untapped entrepreneurial potentials like Nigeria. The act of collaborating and coordinating like-minded youths to author the book you are about to read, is characteristic of leaders and nation-builders. So, I salute Jennifer Ehidiamens assiduity and tenacity in seeing this dream Half a Loaf & a Bakery become a reality. Half a Loaf & a Bakery is a collection of concise but detailed and thought-provoking write-ups by youths who share real-life exposs with the aim of inspiring youths like them to embrace the myriad of opportunities that abound in Nigeria. Half a Loaf & a Bakery has been neatly organized into five sections. The first section focuses on the challenges of Getting Started in the world of entrepreneurship and proffers practicable solutions for young people who wish to thrive in their entrepreneurial endeavours. The next section, which tackles Money Matters discusses the financial constraints youth volunteers face and how they have circumvented them to attain set objectives. ! (!

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Dale Carnegie advises that Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy. After you read the section on Overcoming Fear you will become an unstoppable youth in the passionate pursuit of your noble dreams and vision. Education is the bedrock for development in any society. Therefore, it is important for young entrepreneurs to Stay in School and acquire a good education base, especially when they seem to be succeeding at what they do. With a good education, each individual stands a chance of becoming the best in their chosen field. The last section of the book Transition Wisely, considers a critical issue in our society, which is the transition of youth to adulthood. The need to prepare for a responsible adulthood cannot be over-emphasized, especially if we pray to see a Nigeria where the lifestyle of adults in positions of leadership and the decisions they make is a reflection of their age group. I highly recommend this book to every young person desirous of information that can help them chart their unique path to making an impact. So, obviously to me therefore, Half a Loaf & a Bakery makes so much sense beyond the ordinary and compels me to always dignify the authors...

Oby Ezekwesili
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Acknowledgement
We thank God almighty for the enabling grace to make this book project a reality. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to our family members, for their love and prayers. We also appreciate Mrs Oby Ezekwesili and Mr Lekan Otufodunrin. Thank you for living your lives so positively in a way young people find inspiring and worthy of emulating. This book would not be complete without the support of amazing youth leaders who willingly agreed to share their thoughts when approached to be featured in this book. Thank you Gossy, Fego, Leke, Saadu and Toyosi. Please keep blazing the trail and keep flourishing. To all our friends, teachers, critics and well-wishers, too numerous to list out on this page- thank you, thank you and thank you!
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A big thank you to Temitayo Olofinlua of Wordsmithy Media who volunteered as an editor for this book. We also appreciate Okechukwu Ofili for publishing this book on OkadaBooks.com Well like to use this opportunity to appreciate all the organizations that gave us a chance to learn by doing, see how good we are turning out. We found inspiration everywhere. The best is yet to come! -Jen & Funso.

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Authors note
Half a loaf & a Bakery was created and published out of necessity. We want to encourage youths who have no loaf today to step out of their comfort zone and aspire. We want to inspire those with half a loaf to make the best use of what they have been given. We want to tell all young people in Nigeria that have their backs pushed against the wall by circumstances beyond their control, to arise, dare to dream bigger and take action towards greatness everyday. We have shared articles on education, entrepreneurship and related issues to stimulate positive enduring actions. We have also shared interview responses from youths who are leading by example. It is our hope that this book will inspire young people to embrace the culture of hands-on experiential learning and be prepared for the labour force, as entrepreneurs or employees before graduation. Owning a bakery and feeding others is within the reach of everyone who believes in the beauty of their dreams.
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My dear young people, I see the light in your eyes, the energy of your bodies, and the hope that is in your spirits. I know it is you, not I, who will make the future, I know it is you, not I, who will fix our wrongs, and carry forward all that is right with the world. Nelson Mandela

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What Is Your Story?

Being a volunteer is like being in the army. After you sign up, you must be ready to drop everything else and take action for a passionate cause. Except, volunteers dont carry guns or explosives, they serve with hearts full of grace. Being a volunteer is a calling. Once in a while, I try to picture my life if I didnt embrace the culture of volunteering. Who knows, maybe I might not even have a life by now. My volunteering experience took me out of my comfort zone; questioned and challenged my norms. Volunteerism has been a life-defining and lifechanging experience for me. On this volunteer journey, advice comes in waves; one stuck: go to school and know when to stop. I have also learnt some lessons through the years. Let me share some with you. Lesson One: Dont Start an NGO! Despite the abundant advice, no one advised me not to start an NGO. As young people, we all have different ways of expressing our youthful exuberance.
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With two friends, I started an NGO called Creative Ambassadors. That was our way of being youthful however, youthful energy is not enough to run an NGO We lovedand still lovecreative arts and sought ways to impact our society positively through it. The idea was to merge the art of writing and painting with the art of taking action. On paper, the idea looked so good. So, like many ignorant youths, without prior experience and resources, we succumbed to starting an organisation instead of looking for other active ways of getting involved with existing platforms. We organised one or two programmes, then closed shop. Like many youths growing up in a developing country where everything always seems to be in shortage, all my friends and I really wanted was an opportunity to find our paths in life, to do things that will make us come alive. Key lesson learnt: You dont need to have an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation) to make a difference.

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Lesson Two: Volunteering Opens Doors

I could not find what I searched for within the four walls of a classroom and in textbooks, so I went online. The Internet opened up to me a worldwide web of knowledge. In my search of a living example of a youth living with purpose, I stumbled on Dayo Israels website. His life, his story of youth activism inspired me. I sent him an email and we kept in touch. In April 2005, Dayo organised African Diaspora Youth Forum Summer Camp in Sango Ota, Ogun state, Nigeria; I volunteered as a youth/peer facilitator for the week-long programme. I did not understand why I needed to spend all my pocket moneywhich was not muchvolunteering for this project. The need to be involved was weightier than any logic could explain, so I did it anyway. The experience ignited my passion to serve and be actively involved in youth development work. I kept in touch with the people I met at the camp. In June 2005, one of the youth activists, Tunde
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Rosanwo, forwarded an email about an internship opportunity with Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) to me. I was immediately enthralled by the idea of working with JAAIDS on project implementation and other related tasks including interfacing with the organisation's stakeholders and implementing youthrelated projects. I sent in my application and required essay titled: My Commitment to an HIV-free youth population. JAAIDS invited me for an interview. I got the job. . Looking back, the six-month internship experience exposed me to a variety of skill development and learning opportunities. I became more informed in many areas of HIV/AIDS interventions and youth development projects. Key lesson learnt: Like Dayo and his team, if many youths live their lives positively, they will shine light for others to follow. Like Tunde, we must never be afraid to share information. This is an era of open source and generosity; like never before, we must freely give unto others that which we have freely received. Hoarding information will be to the detriment of our society.
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My Internship Years JAAIDS: Working towards an HIV-free world As part of my contribution to the emergence of an HIV-free population, I sought first to learn about the issue in order to disseminate the knowledge to other young people. In Nigeria, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) get a lot of attention. It is all over the media; there are many NGOs working in that area; there are TV shows dedicated to information dissemination yet many young people still engage in high-risk behaviour that exposes them to HIV. Serving as an intern at Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS), a Nigerian media resource centre on HIV/AIDS and reproductive health, empowered me with leadership and advocacy skills. After my first three months, I organised a youthoriented project: a roundtable forum that engaged youth advocates and young people living with HIV.
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We discussed ways of achieving behavioural change in our community in order to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS in our generation. At the end of my internship, I built a network of young people fully committed to sharing their knowledge towards the emergence of an HIV-free population. A yahoo group named Youth Making Change was formed; it became an online collaboration space for youth activists. Key lesson learnt: Rather than rolling up their sleeves and working, volunteers fall into some easy traps: self-praise; lip service; much talk and less action. Working for human good is driven by passion; it transcends personal interest. Today, I am happy to see so many young people home and abroad recognising the importance of volunteering and dedicating their time and skills towards building a fairer world.

Global Xchange

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I submitted a late application to participate in Global xchange. The email simply read: I sincerely apologise for my late entry/submission. Please kindly consider my application. Thank you. At Your service, Jennifer Ehidiamen

A few weeks later, I was informed by Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) that I was shortlisted for an interview. After a rigorous screening exercise in Abuja, I went back home to Lagos, dismayed because I thought I would not be selected. The stakes were very high and I was the least qualified. But as always, God showed Himself faithful. I was called. I made the final list! During the six-month volunteer programme sponsored by the British Council, VSO and Life Vanguarda team of nine Nigerian youths, eight British youths and two supervisors spent three
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months in Birmingham, UK and another three months in Jos, Nigeria. This was my first trip out of the country and the experience broadened my horizon; I saw things from a different perspective. I saw firsthand how young people face similar challenges irrespective of their backgrounds. Just as there is poverty in a Nigerian village, so there is on London streets, only in shades do they differ. Many young people in developing countries think that real life is outside their country; they cross borders in search of greener pastures, only to be faced with brown dry grasses of harsh reality that our challenges are global. Key lesson learnt: Organisations need to see youth, the posterity of our society, as partners. They must continue to initiate different learning opportunities to engage them. Corporate Nigeria needs to channel their CSR towards more capacity-building opportunities and not limit them to jamborees and mega-shows.

One Foot In Front Of the Other

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Earlier on, I mentioned two pieces of advice I was given. One was for me not to forget to go to school. The other was for me to know when to stop. By this, the person meant that I must never be lost in the euphoria of conferences and roundtable discussions. These conferences sometimes come with travel. Travel could come with excitement, which may be strong enough to make one lose focus. For anyone keen about getting involved in volunteering, especially from a developing country, it is paramount not to allow the idea of globetrotting derail you. The butterfly is attractive; the nectar is sweet but do not abandon the work at hand and pursue the butterfly because of the taste of the nectar; or else you may just follow any insect into the spiders web. If you are diligent with little opportunities, more doors will open up for you. You only need to do two things: stay on course and remain true to the cause. Jess Rimington once said, It is a myth that in order to be a change maker, one has to give up a part of ones life. We ask youth to imagine using their passion as a way to affect change. We ask youth to
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live their passions in a way that makes a positive impact in the world. I agree. We do not need to give up our life, career and passion to create the positive change we want to see in the world. For example, if you are into entertainment, live it positively in a way that it will right the wrong in our world. You can never tell how much you will gain just by giving a little of your time in service. Organisations should also encourage this culture by creating volunteering opportunities for youths everywhere. Volunteering could be tiring especially when it seems that despite your efforts the challenges in the world are on the increase. There will be times you would want to give up. There will be times when your empty wallet will cause you to lose hope. In such times, just look back on your priceless experience, on how your journey amidst the challenges has kept you ahead of the curve; you will be inspired to stay committed to the cause, learn, serve and impact lives positively. Nothing in life comes easy. We fail. We learn. We fall. We rise and keep pushing. Not losing focus, not losing faith.
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Different youth volunteers inspired and helped me get started. Some have moved on to pursue professional careers; others have stayed on, combining their paid jobs with volunteering. In this book, you will read some of their stories. I hope these stories touch you some way. It is my hope that it will be a source of inspiration to you. I hope that it pushes you to look for your own place to stand, your own space to serve and build synergy with others to impact the world positively. You dont have to be fulltime volunteer. All roads lead to Rome. Somehow, you will find your ahamoment by just setting a standard and living by good and godly principles. Get started! Find your passion! Run your race!

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Getting Started
The best way of learning about anything is by doing, Richard Branson.

What is your passion?

"How can I find my passion? This is a question many young people often ask me. Finding ones passion often times appears daunting, especially in cases where people think having a passion should automatically translate into monetary gain. Peer pressure or companionship that erodes originality also makes the course flaky. In reality, it is not difficult to find ones passionespecially since it was not lost in the first place. To turn your passion to action, you need to first reflect and identify what that passion is.

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A passion is something that arouses excitement. Everyone has something they are excited about, something that gets them out of bed in the morning or something they feel naturally drawn to do. Sincere answers to some questions can be helpful. What am I excited about? What gets me out of bed? What stirs my interest? What is my talent? The reason why passion seems so evasive is because not everyone takes time to explore, concentrate and develop this passion- it could be a talent or skill we need to hone. It could be something we are naturally excellent at doing, but which needs the right platform of expression. Our passion is never out of reach or beyond what we are capable of doing. What matters most is our willingness to commit to maximizing that potential. But passion is not an end in itself. What happens if your passion is different from your profession? For example, you could be passionate about sports but studying to become a medical doctor. You could be passionate about fashion design but studying to become an Aeronautic Engineer. Or
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you could be passionate about facial make-up but professionally inclined towards Banking and Finance. What do you do? In such a situation where your passion conflicts with your profession, it is crucial never to be discouraged. The conflict could help develop your skill on how to harmonise. Where it proves extremely difficult to harmonise your passion with profession, you can pursue the one that brings you more fulfilment and a sense of completeness, without turning you into a pauper. Giving up football or music for the banking sector does not invalidate your passion for football or vice versa. Here is how my colleague, Temitayo Olofinlua puts it, sometimes we need to choose. Choose between survival and following our passions. Choose between pursuing our passions full time and making ends meet with another job. Truth is, a passion never dies, may lie low, but death? Never. May be rusty for a while but does not go into oblivion. So, your priority while managing a clashing passion and profession is balance, is finding time to develop that passion.
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Sometimes, your profession can be your passion! Then, you are lucky. If you are passionate about music, write lyrics that will inspire, offer hope or impact. But do not stop there. Get the words out. Turn the lyrics into songs, if you cannot sing, locate an artist who can. As a passionate designer, create innovative designs that make people look better, feel good about themselves and boost their selfconfidence. So, what is your passion?

Bag a degree and an impressive work experience

My niece came home the other day, brimming with excitement as she screamed, We will soon start our exams and afterwards go on holiday! Well, for a primary school age kid, holiday brings an exciting freedom with lots of opportunities to have fun until school calls again. But it is different when you are in university because most holidays are spent carrying out different school-related projects or working. The beauty about taking up jobs during your university years is that by the time you graduate, you
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would have bagged a degree as well as the minimum years of work experience required by most prospective employers. You may even have enough experience to start your own business. My holiday was once interrupted by an interesting job offer. While some of my peers were job-hunting, I was already in the field putting into practice what I learned in the four walls of the ivory tower. I wont say I was so fortunate because I was academically conscientious. The opportunity was created from the chain of work experience I built while maximising my potential through previous holiday jobs. For example, after graduating from secondary school, I took up different jobs while awaiting admission into the University. Trust me, it was a long wait. Working as a teenager was not so chic then, but for me it was an exciting trend that I kept up even while in college. However, I consciously made an effort to only embrace opportunities that were in tune with my area of interest. For example, there was no point working as a make-up artist when I had no direct interest in the fashion business.
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The holiday jobs provided me avenues to engage myself positively, learn new things, shape my perspective about life, build my character and network to broaden my sphere of influence. The work I enjoyed most is the one that employed my talent and innovative ideas. In the process of working, they challenged my norms and increased my knowledge. There were some that had depressing working conditions and rarely encouraged my active participation but all the same I learned to persevere where possible because the jobs gave me a complete education. But in cases where the conditions were extremely hazardous to my peace of mind, I did not hesitate to turn in my resignation letter. In this age of global competitiveness, obtaining a degree from university alone has become inconsequential as a parameter for finding or creating an ideal job. You need to have good knowledge and competent experience to be seen as an asset by a prospective employer. Taking up holiday jobs is not synonymous to truancy or shirking your responsibilities as a student, thus the need to strive for a good result as well as a pleasant work experience. At the end, your CV/Resume will not only
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stand out, the experience will also help you discover your place of comparative advantage in the marketplace. Some might say the concept of holiday job is foreign, others might argue that it does exists in Nigeria but with limited opportunities. In a brief survey to find out what some young Nigerians think about the subject of discourse, I asked if they believe holiday jobs don't exist in Nigeria? Are there opportunities to engage young people? Are they embracing these opportunities? Here are some responses: Holiday jobs do not really exist in Nigeria compared to the developed countries. Im on holiday right now and have searched for holiday jobs but cant find any. Holiday jobs exist but the Nigerian factor is what hoards it. It is about who knows who, thus this makes the concept seemingly unrealistic. Most young people dont really get the opportunity to work in an organisation so they resort to doing odd jobs, such as working in business centres, during their holidays.
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Our culture does not encourage holiday job. Moreover, there is a shortage of jobs and employers only want employees on long-term basis. But if students are willing to work for the experience without salary, then employers will be motivated to employ them. I believe holiday job is a good way of keeping young people occupied. The experience they gain will expand their capacity and knowledge for life. Holiday jobs exist. These days lecturers even encourage students to embrace such opportunities, at least mine did. You dont necessarily have to look for a 9am-5pm white-collar job. You can engage yourself by modeling, ushering, or other areas of art. These jobs are not regularly available so you must search for them. What else do you want to do with your youth? Youth is about learning to survive and be financially independent. Holiday jobs give youths the opportunity not only to earn a living but gain experience, build to their self-esteem, CV and add to their swagger.

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I do holiday job to gain experience and earn money. But there are only few opportunities available and people who get these opportunities are those that have connection. So if you are not in the system or know someone who is, no holiday job for you! However, your performance while carrying out your task matters. A good performance opens more doors, but a poor performance shuts the door to future opportunities. Need I say more? Holiday jobs exist in Nigeria. It is left for young people to search them out and engage themselves positively! Living in Nigeria is no limitation. Well, how about starting out by volunteering?

Volunteer. But dont burn yourself out.

What is volunteerism? It is simply defined by dictionary.com as the policy or practice of volunteering one's time or talents for charitable,
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educational, or other worthwhile activities, especially in one's community. Volunteering is about giving. It is about rolling up our sleeves to get involved, take action and make a positive difference. There is no one person born with distinct volunteering skills. It is a culture we can all imbibe. There are many ways for young people to volunteer. But it is crucial to keep in mind that whatever platform you decide to serve on must be a process of servicelearning. That is, your volunteering must be a process of learning too. Volunteers are not paid. This is not a clich. There are other ways they grow by giving. Most things people learn while volunteering, the experience, the network and the opportunities are worth more than monetary payment. In the process of volunteering, we must not allow other areas of our lives to suffer- we must not use volunteering as an opportunity to escape from the reality of making a living and ensuring that we are psychologically and economically stable. Recently, I was asked to reach out to a young man to take part in a project we were working on. At first he
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sounded willing and enthusiastic. However, on realising it was all based on volunteering, he pulled out. According to him, he was already engaged in a lot of volunteering activities and had no capacity to volunteer any more. Perhaps if we offer a form of monetary payment, he will reconsider. I doff my hat in respect for this young man. Sometimes, the downside of volunteering is that we do not know how to express our interest and worth. As a result we keep jumping from one activity to another, only to feel exhausted and used with no sense of fulfillment. Trust me, there are lots of people willing to use you. In the process of volunteering, it is imperative that we consciously give our time and talent but know our limit, know how far we can go to avoid the volunteer fatigue that so often drains out the real impact we make as volunteers. Volunteering matters. We can all make it a habit to volunteer formally, within an organisation or informally, in our homes/community. For example, as a young person, you can volunteer to teach your younger ones, babysit or clean your neighbourhood.
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It is by serving that we build empathy, learn leadership, light up the paths for others and stay connected to one another. Volunteering also helps you overcome the challenge of age and experience discrimination for new job entrants. From the part of the world where I come from, employers sometimes ask for three to five years experience from job applicants. Now, if you are a new graduate, this might sound unfair. But here is a realistic way to overcome that- become a youth volunteer! Imagine if you start volunteering or interning in professional organisations from your first year in college/university, by the time you are graduating, you will have the required job experience employers often request. But beware of volunteer fatigue and situations where potential employers will want you to keep volunteering or keep you at internship level after you graduate just because they want cheap labour! Aside volunteering, you can also spend time learning a new vocational skill that you can build on.
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Emulate what Oluwaseun did last holiday!

Young Oluwaseun had just finished her Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination (JSSCE) and like most of her mates, she was burdened with the question of what to do with the long holiday. Will she experience the severe depression most people suffer due to idleness? Or better still, will she be gallivanting from one place to another in search of a thrilling holiday experience? It would be nice to take up a holiday job but she is a minor and thus will be considered child-abuse. Well, her mother had a better plan for her. Today, Oluwaseun is a happy teenager, gaining a first-hand experience in a fashion-design school. Hmm, now what better thing could her dear mother have done for her? Oluwaseuns mother is a visionary woman and we certainly need more of her type in todays society. Mind you, one does not have
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to be a full time-stay-at-home-mum to have such wisdom. Every year, millions of young people find themselves at home after graduation, or due to ASUU strike and/or other imposed holidays. Amazingly, only a trickle of these young people have a faint idea of how to maximise their time. Some actually use theirs to experiment what it is like to be young, good for them. Little do we know that we can actually use the opportunity created by these holidays to acquire lifelong skills. Life skills are skills that enable youth to be resilient, active, and productive members of their community. These skills can be in form of academic, personal, social, and/or vocational. Fashion and design school, catering school, mechanic workshop to mention but a few are fields of interest young people can actually explore to acquire practical skills that will empower them for the future. Imagine someone who during a holiday or strike spent valuable time learning hair styling or barbing. Do you think such person will ever go hungry in
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school? Of course not! Unless people stop having hair cut. This is a call, to every young person and parents out there. Grab the moment instead of allowing the economic depression in our country to overwhelm you, create your own market. Empower yourself with life skills. Education + vocational skill = A secured future undaunted by economic instability. Other things you can do: learn a new soft skill. For example: problem solving, conflict management skill, interpersonal skill, planning and organization skill, etc. These are skills that compliment the everyday hard skills (IQ) and in the ever-competitive market, having them will keep you ahead of the curve.

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Before Graduation, Get started!

o Discover your passion o Set your goals and priorities straight o Work towards the set goals o You grow by learning o Do something! Maximize your time as a youth.

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Interview: Before graduation, get started!

Full name: Toyosi Akerele Occupation: Entrepreneur, Communicator and Public speaker Website: www.risenetworks.org Twitter handle: @toyosirise Favorite quote: I am human. Nothing human can be alien to me Maya Angelou. Location: Lagos state 1. Getting started When you started out, did you have no loaf (cashless and connectionless), half a loaf (some what connected and not cashless) or a bakery (fully loaded)? What is your most memorable moment about getting started? And what experience at that point of venturing out prepared you for what you are doing today? I always wanted to do something that was outstanding. I knew it was important for me to make contribution to my generation. Given as a young person, I was observing the
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pulse of our nation and I found out that most of the challenges that bedeviled us at that time will affect the successive generation the most. Issues like high level of unemployment, high level of crime and high level of political instability. I realized as a young person if I did not take a bold step, it would affect our generation. I believed it was important for me to engage young people. I didnt start Rise Network as a business; I started as a social enterprise. I started by publishing a magazine that had a strong media interface. As we moved on, I realize the magazine was not enough to reach out to young people. You have to come out and engage them on one to one basic, feel their pulse, understand their challenges and learn ways to be able to create solutions to challenges that face young people. I registered a small business and started Rise Network. I started youth programmes across the country. Somewhere along the line, I set up a printing business, a PR firm. Right now, Im venturing into digital media especially looking towards how technology can impact different facets of human society. My original passion is education and how to ensure we can use technology to intervene in Nigeria education system Until I left school, there was no tipping point. I just wanted to finish school. I was just a 300 level student, incredible
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ambitious and had great energy. I just wanted an opportunity to accept myself and create a voice of expression for other young people of my generation.

2. Money matters Money is considered a necessity to start up most ventures, how did you deal with finance issue at the beginning? And did you ever experience the talented but broke syndrome? How did you overcome this? There is a difference between nobody supported me and nobody gave me money. I do not think that money is the greatest investment that anybody can make in the life of another. The ability to be able to help people access quality knowledge, quality mentoring, the ability to help people develop a sense of creative thinking and develop their creative energy in a way they can turn around their generation. Nobody gave me money but they taught me to think. The fact that they taught me to think earned me endless opportunities and opened doors. And opportunities usually come with great prices and rewards. Whether that reward translates into money is dependent on my ability
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to turn my talent into wealth. Real successful entrepreneurs are people who are genuinely passionate about solving problems in their different sectors. There are some businesses that are so poor because all they have is money. Money is not enough to run a sustainable business. You need to have great ideas, incredible structure in place, ensure that you have a flowing system of monitoring and evaluation, checks and balances. You need to ensure that you submit yourself to continual consistent scrutiny by exiting successful entrepreneurs that you look up to. As much as a lot of people did not give me money, I made a deliberate effort to connect with the right mentors, to mix with people who to a large extent could help shape my life. Mentoring has played an incredible role in my life because I have challenges in the course of my business. There were days there were questions about my business, I could not answer; many days we had money, I didnt know what to do with the money; many days we had great ideas and didnt know how to raise money to finance those ideas; days we had both money and ides, we did not have the right people to execute those ideas. There were many days we had the ideas, the money, and the people but didnt know how to ensure we can

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maximize the potential of our environment to support the ideas we want to execute. I may not have gotten the money from people but I got great support. Entrepreneurship in Nigeria is not for the faint hearted. Sometimes you need to find your own space, be sure of where you can play and play from an advantage position.

3. Stay in school Most youth tend to forget about education when the money and/or opportunities roll in, what is your take on this? In your opinion, what is the value of education? I studied civil law and made sure I came out top in my class with 2:1. I think education will be by all means the bedrock that lays a small solid foundation for anyone that wants to succeed at any point. But the fact, in my opinion, I think that education is greater than school because education works to create a well rounded individual with a more holistic broad perspective of what life requires for you to be able to succeed or be outstanding. And that is why you find people like Steve Job, Bill Gates are people who are incredibly great legendary entrepreneur may not be people who did very well in school. Being smart has
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nothing to do with school. I made a deliberate decision that I had to go and pull through school because being a role model is not by things you say but by things you do. And I understood again, Nigeria environment is not the America environment. The average America young person is inspired just by waking up and looking at the morning sun. The environment, the system, what you see when you turn on the television, everything round you makes you want to dream and hope. In my own country, I wake up, there is no light, I wake up, there is no water, they are fighting in the next compound, Boko Haram has just killed people, and a plane has just crashed. If I do not get an education, its going to be very difficult for me to face the partition that the society brings my way and it will be difficult to face these challenges with this knowledge. It not so much about getting education at the level of acquiring a degree at the university cause I have done much more than acquiring just a degree. I ensure that I am permanently seeking knowledge about different things because an educated individual is not one who is able to go through the four walls of school and acquire documents to be able to earn his/her own validation. An educated individual is a person who possesses an adept sense of discernment, a person who is able to relate with people irrespective of colour, tribe
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and social status with the highest degree of respect for their person. A person who understands that the capacity to create wealth is suppose to be commiserates with the capacity to be able to empower your community and its people. An educated person is a person who understands that leadership is not a grand standing of excellence, that the hallmark of effective leadership is self-delivery, active engagement, truth and brand transformation. And if you take it forward a little bit, you will then find out that when you look at entrepreneurship and education, it plays an incredible crucial role because you want to be able to lead people: HR, you want to be able to raise money; Financial management, you want to be able to organize an office where people come and excited to be; perception management-Brand management, you want to run a system where you can generate huge revenue and become very wealth-success, you want to be able to make money and think of diversifying into other areasinvestment. After studying civil law, I studied Human Resource (HR). After studying HR, I went to America, University of New Hampshire to study Micro Finance, then I went up to Cambridge to study Strategic and Competitive Advantage, then I went to PAN African University to do a certificate in Media enterprise and I have gone to
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hundreds of thousands of different seminars, where people teaching are younger than I am. Because what I am looking for is knowledge and not to stamp my presence as a celebrity that should be celebrated. That is why, it is important to ensure that you lay out your priorities in an uncommon fashion so that at the end of the day, your result are results that are unconventional. And that in my opinion is what makes an absolutely complete entrepreneur who by all standards of legal provision, we will say is fit and proper to be as an entrepreneur.

4. Overcoming fear Fear is bound to arise every now and then, which sometimes necessitate risk taking. Give us an instance of when you were really afraid, and how did you deal with it? The greatest challenge in running a business in Nigeria is finding the right people. Funny enough, it has never crossed my mind to quit because I didnt start what I do because I wanted to make money. I didnt start because I thought it was dependent on certain kind of people. I started doing what I do because I do my work out of original passion. I am intensively committed to my work. It may really not matter how much challenges I face, I never
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seek opportunities to quit. I take risk on daily basics. To take risk is different from being afraid. People that are fearful cannot take risk. I am a habitual risk taker. A man dies only once. Entrepreneurship is not for people who dont know how to take risk. Life is time and chance, ages and stages, times and seasons. Im not scared of taking risk, not by any chance. I have taken consistent risk. I dont have regrets taking them because they are risks that have given the results that I never bargained for. 5. Transition wisely Why is the phase of youth-adult transition so important? What are your thoughts on how young people can successfully transition from one phase to another without losing momentum? Life itself is in time and seasons, ages and stages. The individual that is able to marry a rational appeal of passion of originality and of the quest to ensure that your prowess in revenue generation is based on actually creating solutions to other peoples problem is what will keep an entrepreneur and make him timeless. A business that makes only money cannot survive generation; a business that builds people is what will outlive its owner. That is my ultimate dream to be able to ensure I dont just build a business, I build an institution. It is challenging
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and tough in an environment like Nigeria where people dont want to support existing structure, they want to start their own even if they dont have the capacity to start. But I believe it is a journey that we are on. And you see, you never make compromises on things that you have gut feeling will come right through in the positive when you have applied all the necessary dimensions of rightness. You have applied yourself immensely; you have taken deliberate steps to ensure you can get understanding on things you have set out to do and accomplish. You are driven by a genuine authentic quest to ensure that the institution you are building will be the one to change the name of the game in your sector. It is challenging but achievable.

6. Word of Advice Drawing from your experience so far, what is your word of advice to young people on getting started? There is something called intrapreneurship aside from entrepreneurship. An intrapreneur is an entrepreneur who works for another entrepreneur. This is what I want young people to know. If we all set up businesses, who are the people who will run the system and do the work? Not everybody has the capacity, the prowess and strength of
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character to set up a business, if you find out there are certain skills that you have, team up with an existing entrepreneur and become an intrapreneur and take ownership of that sector. Commit your integrity, skills and talent to the growth of that system. Who says you cannot become a partner and part owner of that business? But when you go into a system and negotiate as if am here for a few years and will be on my way out in few more years to find something better, when you do that from the day one, you can never own the commitment of that entrepreneur. To forget that what you perform is what you become. Whatever you give in from the beginning is the vibes that receives and determines the level of relationship. Some of us arent cut out to set up business; some of us are cut out to work with institutions that already exist. Because of the fact that we have existing skills, we can rise to the helm of affairs. For example, the MD of Samsung is richer than certain business owner. He does not own Samsung, he is an employee. But the job he does is almost the job of an entrepreneur because he is leading an entire institution. Same for the MD of First Bank. He does not own the bank. He is an intrapreneur. He is accountable to board members, staff, management and shareholders

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I think that first the tenacity and creative energy must focus on exactly what they want to do. Being on the bandwagon is not enough. The fact that you touch and shake the hands of a successful person doesnt pass any anointing if you by yourself, you dont have an existing latent talent that is able to key into that anointing and metamorphose into something good.

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Money Matters
It has been proved that those with additional vocational and entrepreneurial skills are having an edge in the marketplace, and they are the ones exhibiting financial freedom and impacting lives on a daily basis, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya.

Dealing with the talented but broke syndrome?

Late 2011 or so, I decided that I already had enough of being talented but broke. Before then, I was a chronic volunteer, willing to serve in any capacity without charging a fee. I didnt mind. But as I grew older, I began to experience more volunteer fatigue
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than fulfilment. Some things that used to excite me no longer made sense. Do not get me wrong. It is okay to volunteer, to give of our talents and services and make a positive impact in our society. But it will definitely get to a point when more will be required of us. For example, people will want you to contribute to their projects beyond giving the in-kind support you are used to. You may even stumble on new opportunities that require you to move; then, the question will be: if you have no finance to mobilise the resources you need, what will you do?

Money matters To paraphrase Oprah Winfrey, what material resource does is that it enables us to make a difference, in our lives and in other peoples lives. Starting out, money should be the least of your worry. If at the beginning your wallet is flatit is, most timescultivate the skills to improvise and move on without money. Learn how to fundraise when you need to carry out critical projects. However, as you
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grow and improve on your skills and knowledge, learn to position yourself for a wise transitioning. For me, I realised that with all these activities as well as the local and international travel opportunities, more and more people were converting my experiences into hard currency. To them, each time I boarded a flight to participate in training outside Lagos or Nigeria, I always returned with a very fat wallet. This is so inaccurate. But no one believed. There were times I also did not believe how broke I was despite my chains of activities and network. So one day, I consciously went back to the drawing board and took a good look at all the things I was engaged in. After evaluating them one after the other, I decided to let go of those that were just taking up my time. As you grow in your field, youll realise the need to let go of some opportunities in order to stay focused. Saying no is hard but youll learn how to say it right. Being focused was one of the keys I needed to open up a channel of income generation. Yes, I still
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volunteer! But I have also carved out a way to make a living. This is a healthy balance. Our talents should bear fruits. If you have no stable source of income, it will be hard to get some things done or meet the right people. Money gives speed. But make sure you do not compromise your values while transitioning to earning a stable income. Integrity still counts.

A life-changing lesson from an IceCream Vendor

Two ice-cream vendors parked their bicycles in front of our school gate, waiting for people to patronise them. The scorching September sun or the way the vendors positioned themselves--I am not sure which-made their products appealing. The moment I saw them, I had an impulsive nudge to buy a Yoghourt, so I walked towards the nearest one. Do you have X Yoghourt? I asked him, removing my sunglasses, so I could make eye contact. Yes, I get
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he replied in Pidgin English, bringing out one of his yoghourts. An X Yoghourt, not this one, I said, impatiently. Glancing at the other vendor, I noticed he had empty cans of Yoghourts, in different varieties, tied to his bicycle. The type I wanted jumped right into sight. Oh that is what I mean. I exclaimed with a smile, walking briskly to his spot. After paying and collecting my favourite X Yoghourt, I walked away happily with my purchase. But not before clarifying with the former vendor, This is the type I wanted. I was perplexed when he replied, I get na. He also had the type of yoghourt. Sometimes, no matter how well stocked we are, the opportunities and profits we lose is as a result of our inability to communicate effectively, market accurately and understand the point of view of others efficiently. Although the first ice cream vendor had the same products as the second, he lacked the creative ability to effectively communicate this to potential customers. To him, having a bicycle full of ice cream and wearing the certified distributor uniform was enough to get him customers. However, we can only imagine how much profit eludes him for everyone
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customer that walks past him to his creative competitor. Bringing this down to everyday life, sometimes our mistakes and failures are due to oversight. We put our efforts in a task expecting an excellent result and befitting profit, only to be rewarded with pangs of disappointment and losses. Have you ever sat for an exam or test, only to get your result and see a lesser mark than expected? I have. And when I compare my script with someone that had a better score, with the intention of learning my mistakes, I usually discover the difference in content is like a minute fraction of an inch. Yes, the trivial we ignore counts. A healthy competition is okay, but to stay ahead of the curve and have a competitive advantage, be it in the classroom, field or marketplace, we have to go the extra mile. It is not about how talented or how better qualified you are, you must be able to communicate what you are selling, from simple ideas to complex theories; you must be creative, diligent and assertive in your approach.
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This simple life lesson has certainly changed my approach to daily life. You dont have to be an ice cream vendor to apply it. As students, it is important to start distinguishing ourselves early from the pack. The extra efforts will always pay-off at the end. Especially when it comes to putting a price on the services we offer or negotiating our salary at the workplace.

Salary Negotiation Skills

A couple of months ago, I was interviewed for a job. All through the interview, I could tell I did quite well until it got to the big question- How much will you like to be paid? Silence. Then I started smiling at the potential employer, sheepishly. Here I was with a golden opportunity to bag a good job but my lack of salary negotiation skill was acting as a huge barrier. I had too much volunteerism running in my blood and I had no clear idea of what the job description entailed to enable me put figures to the post.
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Why do young people often fail at negotiating salary during a job interview? Some of the factors that can legitimately affect wages include level of education, job description and title, type of employer/size of organization, work experience, location and occupation. However, to earn the type of salary you deserve, you need an apt salary negotiation skill. According to Dawn Rosenberg McKay on Career Planning, if you want to get paid what you are worth, it is important to learn how to negotiate well. Some of the Dos and Donts she said are needed to succeed at salary negotiation are: Don't Look at How Much Money Your Friends in Other Fields Are Making: You may be envious of your friends who are earning more money than you are. If they aren't working in the same field you shouldn't make those comparisons. Do Research Salaries in Your Field: Talk to others working in your field, to find out what they are paid for doing the same work. Remember that salaries differ by geographic location. Do Consider How Much Experience You Have: Those with more experience can hope to earn more
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money. Remember to talk about the amount of experience you have if it will help you negotiate a higher salary. If you don't have a lot of experience, be realistic about the salary for which you can ask. Don't Talk About How Much Money You Need: When you are going through salary negotiations, don't tell your boss (or potential boss) that you need to make more money because your bills are high. Do Talk About The Salary You Deserve: When presenting your case during a salary negotiation, talk about how you will earn the salary you are requesting. Highlight what you have done, or will do, for the company. Also discuss the salaries in your field (based on your research). Do Be Flexible: When going through a salary negotiation, you aren't likely to get the exact amount of money you want. You will probably have to compromise. The trick is to figure out how much you are willing to compromise and what you will do if your boss doesn't offer you a salary you find acceptable. Good luck with earning what you deserve when you launch into your career!

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Before Graduation, Money Matters!

o Money is not everything, idea is something o Brand your uniqueness o Learn to sell your self worth o Don't undermine your competitors, strive to stay ahead. o You can start low and get high

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Interview: Money Matters

Full name: Oghenefego Ofili (formerly Isikwenu) Biography: Nutritionist by training, Media and Development Consultant by experience and training and Youth Leadership Advocate by Passion and choice. Website/Blog: www.teoinspiro.com www.todaywithfego.com Twitter handle: @fegolistic Favourite quote: It is well Location: Lagos state or

1. Getting started When you started out, did you have no loaf(cashless and connectionless), half a loaf (some what connected and not cashless) or a bakery(fully loaded)? What is your most memorable moment about getting started? And what experience at that point of venturing out prepared you for what you are doing today? When I started out formally in 2003 as an undergraduate, I had my mums support and four friends who believed in
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my ideas. No connection, no cash. I turned my meagre pocket money to start-up capital. I began to think of what to do that did not need money or connection. My most memorable moment about starting up was when I was thinking of how to raise cash for the first edition of Inspiro magazine; we needed N40,000 to print 1000copies. I borrowed N5000 from my friend and started supplying cowbell milk to small shops; one month later I had N10,000 profit after paying back the N5000. It is an experience I cannot forget because this money in addition to what my mum gave me made up the deposit for the printing job to go on. The balance payment was made after the magazine was launched. The fact that i had no financial resources readily available got me to learn how to make things happen with tight budgets or cashless situations; this skill still helps my work till date.

2. Money matters Money is considered a necessity to start up most ventures, how did you deal with finance issue at the beginning? And did you ever experience the talented but broke syndrome? How did you overcome this?
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I made up my mind that finances would not be an issue, so I started with a business model. After the cowbell business, we sold the magazines as against giving it out free and we got adverts on it. Most of the funds were spent on outreach programs in campus and secondary schools. I cannot remember being in the talented but broke situation. I have always converted my talent to cash; I did rapporteuring for trainings, I facilitated training sessions for a fee, etc. Somehow I managed to make sure I lived within my means; no extra unnecessary expenditures.

3. Stay in school Most youth tend to forget about education when the money and/or opportunities roll in, what is your take on this? In your opinion, what is the value of education? It irritates me to my marrow, I must say. It is so unfortunate how short-sighted a youth social entrepreneur can be at times, especially when it seems things are happening in the positive. I cannot over emphasis how important education is in career building at any level. Truth is whatever opportunities they are enjoying and cannot resist are based on their current
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skills, which might soon get obsolete; better opportunities appropriate for status growth will come with basic foundational education. Most of the opportunities they currently enjoy are age specific or limiting (18-25 or 30 years); after some time they become too old for these opportunities. The thing is the opportunities do not stop coming, but because they have not prepared themselves, there is little chance taking advantage of them. At this stage the criteria leave the age restrictions to educational background, areas of expertise and professionalism.

4. Overcoming fear Fear is bound to arise every now and then, which sometimes necessitate risk taking. Give us an instance of when you were really afraid, and how did you deal with it? I have been confused many times, not really afraid. One instance comes to mind easily. After my master degree, I was in a kind of confused state trying to decide the way forward; whether to seek paid employment or continue my enterprise. At such times I stay quiet, I try not to make decisions immediately because emotions are not balance as at then, I also talk to my mentors. I have been fortunate to participate in fellowships or programmes that availed me the opportunity to seek expert counsel at such
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times. Something that has also been helpful is the fact that I have a written idea of my goals, so I can go back to draw strength and encouragement from it.

5. Transition wisely Why is the phase of youth-adult transition so important? What are your thoughts on how young people can successfully transition from one phase to another without losing momentum? Transiting from youth to adulthood is a stage that should be prepared for consciously and not stumbled up as a surprise. Every youth in their moment of glory should plan deliberately to transit successfully. This will reflect in their attitude in interacting with adults. That is why education should take primary place. The adults they are currently working with will evaluate their value and readiness for more responsibility based on progress in other skills especially educational attainment. Youths need to brand themselves from the onset as serious entrepreneurs/businesses, not beggarly or idol persons whom need to be kept busy.

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6. Word of Advice Drawing from your experience so far, what is your word of advice to young people on money matters? Yes, I know you want to change the world and make positive impact; always remember that the world you desire to impact positively also have high expectations of you. One of which is that you have integrity and stability in your life. They need to see that you have an education or are on the path to attaining one. Youths should design a business model for their social enterprise projects; give value in exchange for money; stop pretending that money will not be an issue; have a plan to overcome every form of money issue. Seek to constantly reinvent, rebrand and remodel themselves to maintain relevance. Mr. Ufuoma Festus Omo-Obi has mentored me to a large extent over the years.

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Overcoming Fear
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7.

Fear keeps us mum

We live in a society where young people are encouraged to keep mum. Never ask questions. Never complain. Never argue. Do not query your elders- even in the face of injustice. I wonder: does this culture not have long-term effects on the
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character formation of such youths, as well as our society as a whole? Young people should be seen and not heard, they say. At the end of the day, these young people become timid when faced with the challenge of tackling issues that affect them. In our society, young people are not allowed to talk or express themselves. It is a norm for them to always be submissive. But unless we change such mentality, we cannot really change our society, says Maranatha Ajir, a student of the Department of Sociology, Ahmadu Bello University. Recently, I had issues with my School Academic Board. I was given a lower grade that I know I didnt deserve. When I tried to challenge it by calling for my script to be remarked, I was discouraged. I was told to be content since it was not a carry-over mark. She added. Like Natha, so many people have different horrific experiences whereby they are denied their rights. This usually feels like acting in a poorly written script where the main character is deprived the right to play his role well. The script is poorly written because our culture has patterned us into believing that it is wrong
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to argue or question any adult, no matter how right you are. Daring to challenge the questionable characters or views of those above us usually has two effects. First, you are termed rude or arrogant or both. Second, you are exposed to victimisation. How long will this continue? How long will we continue to sit tight-lipped as variety of injustice fills every nook and cranny of our society? Joe Hookeham, a British youth, while sharing his perception of the Nigerian society once said: It is in their culturethere is this notion of unconditional respect, no matter what, to your superiors. This spans from kowtowing to your parents to not questioning those in power, ultimately, not challenging those above you. The freedom of expression is not just about allowing people to talk at home, in school or in the "marketplace". It also allows them to ask provocative questions and challenge the inadequacy of those entrusted to run our affairs. Those who keep others
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under their thumb will soon realise that they are the ones denying our society of accountable governments. After all, you cant have accountability in leadership if nobody is free to talk and ask questions that breed accountability.

Never ever give up on the climb

It was exactly February 14th, some seven years ago. Few days before, my colleagues and I were planning for Valentines Day. We made plans to organise a barbeque night bringing friends and family together. However, I was notified by my then producer at Plateau Radio and Television Station (PRTV) Jos, where I was an intern, that I would be joining his crew for the making of Rural Watch, a social diary-cumadvocacy programme that serves as a voice for the voiceless at grassroots level. We made the long drive from one village to another. I remember being excited to see the Kerang Volcanic Mountain view as we drove by- It is the highland washed by fetching springs which supply the popular Swan spring water (a type of table water). We made
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a stop at Pankshin before heading to another village pronounced as Docpai, the climax of my experience. We saw the lack of basic amenities and the enormous inequality that exists in our society. It was an unforgettable Valetines day, one of the most challenging experiences of my life so far. We spent hours climbing the mountain to reach the village. For a young lady who grew up in Lagos, three hours of mountain climbing and seeing beyond my myopic view of life came with life lessons that have shaped me. They include: Be well prepared: The teacher who gave us directions to the village up the mountain commended our team for being well-prepared... Others relished the compliment except me because I was wearing a sweatshirt. Anyone familiar with mountain climb knows the importance of dressing light in comfortable clothes and shoes. You may never know what life will throw at you, but make sure you are always well prepared after making a decision.
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Never give up: Midway through our climb, I became dehydrated and exhausted. I looked at my producer and camera crew and said to them I want to go back. My producer laughed but disapproved of the idea. He told me that it will be much easier to climb down than climb up the mountain. Just like in everyday life, the way up is very difficult and tiring. So if you want to climb up the ladder of success, keep in mind that it wont be easy, you must be ready to pant, sweat, and be frustrated at some point but be resilient, keep your eyes on the goal and never give up. Be content: The people we met up the mountain were not wearing the latest fashion but they knew how to laugh and dance without inhibition. Their small community was cut off civilization (or not invaded by it), yet they made a receptive palace out of what seems like penury and we felt at home visiting them. They looked content - after all, "For better is half a loaf than no bread." But dont get me wrong, if you can own a bakery and feed more people, don't settle for half a loaf (which is better than none). The key lesson is contentment.
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Working With Another Mans Wristwatch

Our people used to say, my friend once said to me, never work with another mans wristwatch. Her words stuck. There is no way I could have better articulated it. Bless her culture and her people that came up with such truth. Many people suffer from unnecessary fear of the future because they measure their lives based on other peoples progress. Doing this yields two results: agitation and depression. With such negative emotions, where is the strength to pursue your vision? The dangers of working with another mans wristwatch are numerous. Not only do you live your life dwarfed by other peoples shadows, it also leads to the loss of your true identity. This is because your plans depend on other peoples actions. You are literally a copy of an original. The originals being those whose patterns you are trying to live up to. Sometimes, the society we live in forces us to almost live our lives based on the wristwatch (timing) of our
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classmates, colleagues at work and neighbours. If you wake up every morning with a father that compares you with his friends children, youll understand this context. I once attended a valedictory programme organised for some primary six students. While addressing the graduating class, one of their heads of department told them that the moment each of them walked out of the school gate, they must stop seeing themselves as mates. They are former classmates quite alright, but not mates, he said. Some of you will stop at this stage; some of you will continue your education; some of you will drop out; some of you will learn a trade, he told them. For that reason, none of them must ever compare their lives with the progress of another. I do not know if the children who sat in that hall ever understood the message their teacher passed on to them, but in my opinion, that was a valuable message. If other peoples timing or wristwatch must affect us, then it should be to inspire us to victory. Never to burden us with unrealistic expectations parallel to our destinies, or things we are not ready for. To do
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otherwise, that is, to live based on another mans timing will be to overwhelm our present and future with the fear of never catching up. Because a photocopy never catches up with the original- the quality is always different. My advice: be confident to be who God has made you. Your inadequacies are rooms for improvement. The only person you are in a race with is yourself; you only need to break the record you set yesterday. Do not allow anyone put pressure on you to lose focus by trying to keep up with the Joneses. When next you are tempted to run the race of life based on another mans timing, remember this- one foot in front of the other is the set order.

Try again
Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of poverty. Fear of death. Fear of being afraid for nothing.
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Fear often stops many from realising their full potential. Many peoples dreams die even before seeing daylight. Many ideas are crushed at inception by self-doubt and excess baggage from previous painful experiences. Still, many justify this fear. Sometimes, the fear of losing our comfort zone can stop us from venturing out and exploring new areas of interest. What if we lose our resources? What if the ideas dont work? What if no one accepts us into their circle of influence? Trust me, the what ifs is a long list not worth keeping track of. People who are unafraid are those who have measured fear and seen what a waste of emotion it is. Fear is an opportunity for anyone to exercise courage. Have you ever been afraid of doing something only to do it and then ask yourself, Why was I afraid earlier? You will always be faced with opportunities bigger than you, with challenges that appear overwhelming, with tasks that appear daunting. In such situations, grab the bull by the horn and deal with it. Ask for
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help, ask the right people. You have nothing to lose. Fear is just an emotion. Do not let it control you, or worse, limit you. If you fail at any point, try again and again, until you succeed at it. If it is a time waster, try something else. You can succeed.

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Before Graduation, Dont freak-out in fear!

o Determination and perseverance is key to success o Being afraid is not sign of defeat but staying that way is o Plans and preparation aids results o Forge ahead after each failure

Always learn from your mistakes

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Interview: Overcoming Fear

Full name: Obadimu Toluleke Hezekiah Biography: Social worker and an emerging development consultant with special interest in poverty reduction strategies. Currently works in a Federal University in Nigeria. Website/Blog: www.lekeoba.blogspot.com Twitter handle: @lekeoba Favourite quote: Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. Robert F. Kennedy. Location: Nasarawa state 1. Getting started When you started out, did you have no loaf (cashless and connectionless), half a loaf (some what connected and not cashless) or a bakery (fully loaded)? What is your most memorable moment about getting started? And what experience at that point of venturing out prepared you for what you are doing today? Starting out my volunteer experience, I was basically cashless but fortunately I had good mentors around me
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that encouraged me to explore ways of bringing impact to my immediate community. I simply drew inspiration from the fact that my activities brought hope to the less privileged. There were many memorable moments, but one event stood out of them all. I was invited to join a team from Medical Missions Institute Germany on a research on the impact of mosquito bed treated nets on malaria in rural Nigeria. The visit to that village was intriguing because we had to travel over three hours inside the bush just to locate the village. The villagers lived in abject povertythey shared the same drinking water with cows. Children and women were victims of all kinds of diseases and many more. Our team conducted various tests, conducted the research using various tools. Joining the team on that research was simply a memorable one that inspired a passion for community development in me. The passion still exists till date. Being surrounded by active development actors at the point of venturing out was a privilege I enjoyed. I usually read reports, proposals and books. I will resume early in their office and spend hours reading proposals and reports. I internalized all I read because I just knew I would be where I will need those skills. Whenever they
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went on field-work, I usually join them. I usually take notes during their participatory rural appraisal in communities. All these rolled together fortified my foundational skills for todays work. 2. Money matters Money is considered a necessity to start up most ventures, how did you deal with finance issue at the beginning? And did you ever experience the talented but broke syndrome? How did you overcome this? At the point I founded a youth led organization, I knew I would need finance to implement some of the projects. I had a financial plan that gave me time to save. I had a holiday-job I did then, so I saved money to enable me run the organization for a particular period. There were few times I experienced the talented but broke syndrome. But during those periods, I consciously developed more skills and traded those skills to get some cash. 3. Stay in school Most youth tend to forget about education when the money and/or opportunities roll in, what is your take on this? In your opinion, what is the value of education? The value of education cannot be overemphasized in the discharge of our passion. Education is not all about
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studying and getting good grades. It is really a means of discovering new things which we dont know about and increase our knowledge. Investing in your education means you are doing the very best not just for yourselves but also for your children- you are also doing the very best thing you can do for your country. 4. Overcoming fear Fear is bound to arise every now and then, which sometimes necessitate risk taking. Give us an instance of when you were really afraid, and how did you deal with it? The truth is that there was no time I was afraid. I refuse to fear. I have never found a time I have been afraid. Little drops of water over a period of time become an ocean. People should learn to take little steps that move them closer to their vision. From little steps, theyll begin to take giant steps. The moment they take little steps towards their dream, they surmount the fear that looks very big. Fear is unreal. 5. Transition wisely Why is the phase of youth-adult transition so important? What are your thoughts on how young people can successfully transition from one phase to another without losing momentum?
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Youth-adult transition is a unique state in every youths life. This phase of life is the bedrock of sustaining a balanced and thriving life. This phase defines the core of what the larger part of life will be. Transiting without losing momentum is usually a function of understanding your purpose. When you have a clear understanding of your purpose, the decisions you make at every stage of your life will be in sync with your destiny. King Solomon said in the Holy book that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens. Every youth should identify that season and take right decisions per time. 6. Word of Advice Drawing from your experience so far, what is your word of advice to young people on transitioning wisely? Young people should resist the youthful exuberance and be firm in taking decisions necessary for growth. Change is a continuous process that requires accuracy of purpose. Young people should believe in themselves. Everything you need to achieve your dreams is inside of you. Draw inspiration from people, environment, books and most importantly from God.

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Stay in school
Education kills the disease of ignorance, superstition, fear and poverty. Dont give up studies. Aspire to the zenith. Bag the certificate first. Then the enviable job later, Unknown.

Traveling is Education
Going into unfamiliar territory will not destroy your old, comfortable world. Rather, it will expand your world, your vision, your knowledge and
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possibilitiesand make your world bigger and more interesting I love this quote because it expresses the importance of travelling aptly. Travelling is important. But not everyone can afford it because it takes money, time and courage. The best education a child can ever receive is the opportunity to travel and experience a different culture. This will enable him break down any sense of ethnocentrism he might have developed as a result of being confined to his comfort zone. Most of what we read or watch on TV about other cultures or places do not really depict reality. It is like looking at the world through your window, you will only see as far as your eyes can, you only see what comes in view. Now, imagine seeing the world through many windows in different parts of the world; thats what travel does to you: it changes your view; it changes you. I used to think Lagos was the centre of the world until I visited other states only to be amazed at how big Nigeria is, not to mention our rich cultural diversity.

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Travelling broadens ones horizon. The experience is usually an eye-opener for the person who travels. People who have never heard about your culture totally depend on you to tell them everything; you also learn about theirs. As a result of your interaction with them, you gain understanding and this increases your cultural sensitivity and tolerance towards others, you even realise that the people are not so different from you. Travelling is not escapism. People who travel to run away from problems only return with increased anxiety that is detrimental to their health. However, a change of scenery is good, even psychologists recommend it. The experience clears your mind and transforms you, making you better equipped with new ideas on how to solve the problems. It helps you discover yourself while discovering the world. My local and international travel experiences have humbled me. That is another thing travel does. It tests you, challenges your social norms and forces you to think differently about issues of life. It also alters your worldview for good and sometimes leaves you silent for a while because you think more deeply; you no longer judge on face value. Travelling is one
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of the best things that can happen to anyone. It does not matter how far you travel from home- to the next village or abroad; it does not matter how you travelby road, sea or air; the experience knocks you out, reshapes you and expands your horizon. When last did you travel? Get out of your comfort zone; experience real education beyond the four walls of a classroom and redefine your identity. Like my friend would say, the world is too round to sit in a corner! May you travel safe always.

How we coped before graduation

Some people think young people who are actively involved in activism or volunteering are bums or dropouts. But there are actually successful students who are actively involved in youth activism or volunteering. I have met these groups of youths who live so positively while pursuing their dreams without apology. How have they applied themselves to their passion to be distinct in their field?
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To put things in perspective, I once interviewed some of these youths on how they are coping academically. I hope you will be inspired by what they shared and learn not to allow your schooling interfere with qualitative education. Education and Youth development are areas I developed a keen interest in, mostly as a result of my volunteering experience in the sector and of course reading up and watching interesting presentation like that of Sir Ken Robinsons School kills creativity (on TED Talk) which focused mainly on the need to revamp the system into one that nurtures instead of undermining creativity. "In the next 30 years, according to UNESCO, more people worldwide will be graduating through education than since the beginning of history." He said. Reports like this are enough to cause us to do some serious soul-searching on the value our education system is providing and how prepared the sector is to step-up the game. I used to think everything wrong in education was only in the Nigerian system. However, I just realised education reform is something even the developed countries
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strive to achieve. Nigerians are not the only people on earth frustrated with the decaying education system. The short stint I had to volunteer in DC Public schools in Washington has reaffirmed the sense of urgency I have always feltan urgency for stakeholders: to make quality education accessible and affordable to all, to realize classroom education is not enough and for organizations focused on youth development to channel their resources towards directly building capacities at grassroots level through holiday internship placements instead of limiting efforts to conferences and summits. I am a strong advocate for extra-curricular activities and hands-on job experience to complement the theories taught in the classroom. Thus, one of the reasons why I am keen on finding out what other people think. Should our education system focus mainly on the traditional form of education? Is there any value in cooperative learning programs within the education system? How are young people combining classroom learning with experiential learning to boost their competitive advantage in the market place?
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Dayo Israel started advocacy when he was in secondary school. He recently completed his Masters program in International Relations after his LLB in Law. He shares his experience on how he has combined advocacy with studies and how it has impacted his life: From a tender age, my mother was paramount on education. One reason I don't like football today is because my mother never let us watch football, we just read books. To the Glory of God I have had so much fame and stardom for my activism and advocacy but I believe that the opportunity to have an education has given me the most joy and influenced my effectiveness in advocacy and other areas of my life so I had to combine both, He wrote in an email response to my questions. From an early age Dayo said he defined his purpose to enable him align it with his education. I studied courses that I had interest in and enjoy most. As a result of my passion for development and Good Governance, all my education has been aligned in that area."
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I remember visiting my Masters Supervisor for my dissertation and this Professor kept saying You know too much about this area. My Masters dissertation is on Nigerias Foreign Policy in Africa and these are areas I am very passionate about- the hegemonic roles Nigeria played in Rhodesia, Liberia, Congo and other parts of the world. My LLB Dissertation was on International Child Rights Legal Instrument such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which I have worked on with UNICEF for over 10years and even sat on the National Child Right Act Implementation Committee. The knowledge of education has just empowered my passion. When you study in the area of your passion, it all falls into place and you would find joy doing it. Studying in the UK also made it easy for him because of the standard academic calendar with no barrier of strike like there is in the Nigerian education system. I know when my Holidays are so I do less travelling during school period, I do more of Europe and UK Midlands during school period and I have a NEVER MISS CLASS policy. It helps a lot because even if
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you dont read extensively, you would always remember the lectures. For another young leader, Dabesaki MacIkemenjima, who is currently studying for a Masters in Development Studies and looking to commence a PhD in the same field later this year (this interview was in 2010), his involvement in the youth movement was inspired by a genuine concern about the rate of unintended pregnancies in his community. That concern fits properly with my career goals because I wanted to become a guidance counsellor. Growing up in Nigeria, he was actively involved with educating communities about sexuality issues, which was like group counselling sessions. It was quite challenging to travel for so many days within semester period as a student. However, I tried to keep up pace by travelling along with textbooks and relying sometimes on online tools to study. The new media enabled him develop useful tools for online counselling service using instant messaging to target those who would not ordinarily want to talk to a
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physical counsellor due to the gravity of their problems. What this did was that it allowed anonymity and clients could create pseudo email accounts for the sessions and thus use pseudo names. It was quite a useful tool and I effectively enjoyed both the school world and the work world through this medium. I do not know if I qualify as an activist. Looking back one just laughs. But I would think that the difficulty was also as a result of the approaches we intended to use. We wanted to reach so many people at any one time, and this created difficulties, because it meant we needed a lot of resources, which were not readily available. But with experience, one appreciates the need to take it one constituency at a time, one group at a time, one community at a time and one school at a time. Dabesaki stayed in school because he needed school to be effective in his community work. They were both pursued with the same amount of vigour and commitment. I have tried to achieve some balance is by making sure that the goals of my work
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align with my studies. As a student of Guidance and Counselling, my work focused a lot more on sexual reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and education. My current work is on economic policy, youth development policy and broadly the analysis of poverty because I am taking a course in Development Studies. In the end these come together quite well, with an effective economic development policy, poverty would be tackled and off course peoples susceptibility to disease would be reduced and off course education and health services would be improved. Therefore for me the goal has always been stay in school- do the job, use the school, do the job and it has worked quite well so far.

What is the Nigerian Dream?

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Amidst the hectic daily schedule, and living the American dream, I am gradually learning how to find a balance and make out time to read about some burning issues in the mainstream. Just in case you
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are wondering what I mean by the American dream, some people define it as the process of sleeping, working and paying bills while others define it as a system that allows you the freedom to do what you want, to be what you want However, a quick research shows that James Truslow Adams, a writer and historian, first used the term in his book The Epic of America (1931). According to him, the American Dream is "that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievementIt is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognised by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." Perhaps this explains the reason why thousands of people struggle to defile all odds to come to the States, to embrace the perceived American dream. This dream is not always served on a platter of gold. You have to apply yourself to achieve anything. In a
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nutshell, the same basic principle of life applies here toothere is no food for lazy man. One of the main differences is that the hustle is more polished. And it is easy to get distracted if you do not keep your eyes on the ball. Back in Nigeria, everyone seems to have vibrant viewpoints and blueprints of what they think the New Nigeria should be. Today, Im just wondering if the Nigerian dream exists at all. If yes, what is it? Someone says reciting the Nigerian anthem (1st and 2nd stanza) will give us a clue of the harmonious dream. Many young people have high aspirations, one of which includes crossing borders to live their Nigerian dream outside the shores of the country. But a dream is a dream anywhere, in the US or Nigeria, it takes absolute commitment and focus to accomplish them. It is possible to maximise ones potential as long as we hold on to our God-given purpose and allow it be our driving force. What a man can be, he must be, but not to the detriment of others.

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Serving Communities
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The District of Columbia Public School (DCPS) classroom was not exactly what I expected because I didnt really know what to expect. Being a teachers daughter, I have had several opportunities to be in classrooms in the past and even teach a few classes. But public schools in Lagos is not the same as Public Schools in DC, hence I walked into this classroom with an open mind, but with a clear understanding of my purpose- to coordinate the One World Youth Project cultural exchange programme. Basically, the One World Youth Project connects middle and high schools globally for the purpose of cultural exchange and collaborative community service. For the past five years, about 67 schools have been connected in 26 countries. However, to be more effective and sustainable, we decided to expand to into universities. To achieve this, we had to do two things: first, set up a programme that will train university students to be cross-cultural facilitators and advocates in their local communities; second,
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connect universities globally through our network of participating institutions. The idea of bridging the yawning gap created by cultural stereotypes and religious diversity can be easily perceived as nave. I mean, how can one close the disconnect that has existed for so many years even before this generation was born? Why does culture and cultural polarisation seem to create more pain than gain? Is the beauty in our diversity fading? As I sat down along with my teammates to listen to the 7th and 8th graders talk about what they think of culture, I began to see how deeply disconnected we are from one another despite the popularity of the internet! It was disturbing to hear some of the kids say aloud in exasperation that life is a struggle and they wish we can start over. That is, recreate the world. Isnt that worth mulling over? No one in the world is exactly the same. But we all have many things in common and everyone needs some of the same things- basic amenities, respect and love. Everyone in the world needs God,
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forgiveness and freedom- not just from an oppressive government but from people judging and stereotyping others. We need to create a deeper level of communication and connection that breeds mutual respect and understanding. We need to empathise and not impose our thoughts, ideas, and beliefs on others. Well, these were some of the food for thought I got from the kids in one of the DCPS. Despite the disconnection, there is hope in our future after all we are aware of this disconnection. Awareness is the first step to restoration. The experience was rejuvenating.

Catching up with a Nigerian in Diaspora

Olanrewaju Sule, my friend in secondary school, visited Nigeria recently. I asked him how he felt about the situation back home and he replied: I saw a couple of changespeople have more stuff. When I
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was there, there were no movie theatres and plazas. This means there are more job opportunities. He continued. However, the people dont look happy. Their facial expressions didnt give me a good vibe. Nigerians are the happiest people on earth but their facial expressions didnt depict that when I visited. The visit to Nigeria discouraged me from considering going home soon. Electricity is still bad. I thought things would have improved. In the US, customer service is held at high esteem but in Nigeria, it seems nobody cares. At the airport, I was trying to have my bag checked, the officer directing me pointed to a group of about five guys and said "go meet that man there" When Olanrewaju left Lagos in 2002, his plans were simpleget a good education overseas and come back to serve Nigeria as a politician. But Like many young Nigerians in the diaspora in search of a qualitative education to achieve their dreams, once they acclimatise to the system abroad, their plans change! Lanres perception of life was broadened
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after he got into college. He obtained a degree in Accounting from Georgia State University. Does this imply he is in support of brain drain? "It wont hurt to gain experience here; learn what is making them successful and use it to improve things back home," he said. In his opinion, some of the things young Nigerians need to keep in mind in the quest to contribute to Nigerias development include: Education: Educate people that dont want to be educated by telling them about the importance of education to personal and national development. Set a goal: Know what you want out of life. Have a goal in life and set how to achieve it. Community service and volunteer work: learn to give a little of your time to serve your communitygiving your time shows you care about your country.

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Keep good company: Hang out with good people. If you hang around the wrong crowd, it will rub off on you. One of the principles I learnt in secondary school is that joining multitude to do evil will make you evil.

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Before graduation, dont drop out!

o Learning is a life time task o You are either learned or not. No shortcut o Always update yourself o Channel most of your learning towards your passion o Education is one key qualification for success

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Interview: Stay in school

Full name: Gossy Ukanwoke Biography: Founder, Beni American [ http://beniamerican.org/posts/344 ] Website/Blog: http://www.beniamerican.org Twitter handle: @gossyomega Favourite quote: By all means, learn beyond the classroom. In the end, thats all that will matter ! Gossy Ukanwoke Location: New York & Lagos University

1. Getting started When you started out, did you have no loaf (cashless and connectionless), half a loaf (some what connected and not cashless) or a bakery (fully loaded)? What is your most memorable moment about getting started? And what experience at that point of venturing out prepared you for what you are doing today?
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Starting out, we had no loaf, we had to work extra hard to ensure we get all that we needed, often times using ingenuity to reach our most immediate goals. The most memorable moment will be the moment I decided that this was the future for me and started off my first project. The understanding of the importance of teams and a support network prepared me for what I am doing now.

2. Money matters Money is considered a necessity to start up most ventures, how did you deal with finance issue at the beginning? And did you ever experience the talented but broke syndrome? How did you overcome this? We started off at the talented but broke stage. We had a lot of things we could do as quickly as possible, but finances continued to be a challenge. First we had to dig into our own resources, make the commitments and went ahead to make revenue, which we returned back into the business. Armed with a proven cash-flow and revenue model, we approached investors, individuals, foundations and organizations for investments, donations, grants and support. We continued to send applications relentlessly
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until

the

positive

responses

started

coming

in.

3. Stay in school Most youth tend to forget about education when the money and/or opportunities roll in, what is your take on this? In your opinion, what is the value of education? I was in this at some point, leaving school to focus on the business. However I realized (in not too nice experiences) the need to complete an education. Education is something that cannot be taken away from you. It is your fall-back, your security and your way of also saying - I have the discipline of starting something and finishing it. STAY IN SCHOOL.

4. Overcoming fear Fear is bound to arise every now and then, which sometimes necessitate risk taking. Give us an instance of when you were really afraid, and how did you deal with it? I have never been afraid. This has been possible because I have a strong faith in God, myself and in what I set out to do. Challenges come up, but by being resolute,
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Fear is overcome and I can clearly focus on seeking ways of mitigating the challenges.

5. Transition wisely Why is the phase of youth-adult transition so important? What are your thoughts on how young people can successfully transition from one phase to another without losing momentum? It is not your doing to control any transition. The transition will occur when it is time for it to occur. However focus on being the best you can be at every moment. At every stage seek to make a mark, seek to live for a purpose. 6. Word of Advice Drawing from your experience so far, what is your word of advice to young people on staying in school? As I said earlier, Education teaches you a lot of things apart from the academics. In school, you learn to tolerate other people, you learn to be disciplined, you learn to work under preset rules, you learn the need for interaction, team work and synergy. These are life
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lessons that will help you in both your personal and business concerns.

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Transition Wisely
I built a conglomerate and emerged the richest black man in the world in 2008 but it didnt happen overnight. It took me thirty years to get to where I am today. Youths of today aspire to be like me but they want to achieve it overnight. Its not going to work. To build a successful business, you must start small and dream big. In the journey of entrepreneurship, tenacity of purpose is supreme, Aliko Dangote
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Three cups of tea

Ruth Nwukabu Audu,Taiwo Adegboyega Adewole, and Bako Sabo Kantiok are the three Nigerians who were among the 155 delegates selected from 40 African countries to meet with President Barack Obama to discuss their vision for Africa for the next 50 years and explore partnerships ideas that could be fostered between US and African countries. What struck me most about the youth delegates was that most of them were grassroots organisers, social entrepreneurs and individuals working in the private sector. As some of them recounted, they never knew the little efforts they make in their local community to create positive change is making an impact that will take them to the White House to meet and interact with the US government. It confirmed the popular proverb Do you see a man diligent and skillful in his business? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:29). I once invited a friend to participate in a capacity building programme in Abeokuta. She turned it down and said she wanted an opportunity to volunteer in
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the U.K. There is nothing wrong with her ambition. But the challenge is that sometimes most of us look down on such unassuming opportunities that can facilitate the process of nurturing our skills. As the culture of youth volunteering becomes more popular, we must keep in mind that we need the experience in Abeokuta to take to the U.K just as every resounding success needs to have a recipe. This is a new moment of great promise. Only this time, weve learned that it will not be giants like Nkrumah and Kenyatta who will determine Africas future It will be the young people brimming with talent and energy and hope who can claim the future that so many in previous generations never realized, said President Barack Obama, while addressing young African leaders. There are lots of opportunities for active local engagement. As the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton noted, "Africa as a continent is brimming with potential, a place that has so much just waiting to be grasped."
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Many young people in Nigeria still believe that life begins outside Nigeria, only to cross borders and be hit with the reality that it is not sugar that makes tea sweet; it is the process of stirring it. When an opportunity opens up in Abeokuta (local), fasten your sandals to your feet and dont curse your blessing. If you can serve locally, global opportunities will not elude you. But then, it is not a yardstick for measuring success, just an opportunity to challenge and broaden your perspective to serve better. But when it comes to embracing an opportunity, we are sometimes faced with the challenge of knowing what right decision to make. Decision making skill can be developed with time.

At a Cross-road?
Making a choice is inevitable but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived through its consequences. No one can help you choose, you have to search deep within and follow your heart. That has become a popular aphorism. However, the challenge still remains, how can we
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make a meaningful choice when at a crossroad? My simple reply is (just as I have always been told): pray about it, ask God for wisdom and follow your heart. If your heart is saying nothing, take this practical exercise a colleagues, Masoora & Trevor once shared with me: Imagine you are at the point of dropping out of school or any other dilemma for that matter. Step 1: Make a list with two columns, with the reasons for dropping out and the reasons for staying on. Step 2: Score the different reasons (for instance, dropping out of school to support your family during a family financial crisis might be worth 3 points, while staying on to do a legitimate part-time job that wont derail your academics in order to support yourself, might be worth 5 points). Step 3: Make a second two-column list of reasons against dropping out and the reasons against staying on. Score them as well.
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Step 4: Add up the points in favor of staying on, and subtract the points for reasons against staying on. Then do the same for reasons for and against dropping out of school. Step 5: Figure out which option (staying on or dropping out) has more points. This is the "logical" course of action to take. (Call it option 1, the other Option 2.) Step 6: Once you've identified option 1, decide whether you're happy with it or not. If you're happy with the decision, then go with it. Step 7: If you're disappointed, or you feel like Option 2 should have had more points, or if the prospect of following through with Option 1 makes you very unhappy, then throw the stupid lists away and do choose Option 2. Again, making a choice is inevitable but you never know what your choice will mean until you have lived it. As Robert Frost alludes in his poem: The Road not Taken! **&!

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"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could to where it bent in the undergrowth. Then took the other, just as fair... I shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood and I-- I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference." Making a choice still rests with you. It's your life, choices are part of life.

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Employability vs Long-term employment: What Do Young People Really Want?

What do young people really want? Keeping in mind the harsh reality of unemployment statistics in our society, will young people choose employability over long-term job security? Is one more importance than the other? As a young person, would you prefer stability of long-term employment or knowing that your skills make you adaptable to wide range of jobs? Your employability is your job security, not the job itself, says Douglas Imaralu, a young Nigerian Graduate. Imaralu is currently taking up different professional management trainings and foreign language classes to augment his degree certificate, in preparation to take on full time employment. He adds, The fact that you can work and fit anywhere is security. Skills will make you adaptable. The Lagos State University Graduate says the world is changing, old methods are being revised so with
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more skills one can easily adapt and become employable anywhere. Olamide Ogunleye, who graduated last month from a university in the US, agrees with Imaralu. I would acquire skills that make me adaptable to different positions. In other words, carve a niche for myself, she says. She reiterates the importance for young people to acquire skills that will make them adaptable to different jobs. In a world where technology is on the rise, it is imperative for every individual to acquire new skills that will set him or her apart from others. She adds. Ogunleye points out that settling with the employed status is like opting to fit in instead of standing out. If there is a chance for you to make yourself better, you should jump at it. Often times, you find people changing jobs for a number of reasons. People even leave jobs that pay well; they leave when they feel they are not growing. You cannot grow if you dont enhance your skills, says Ogunleye.
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To buttress her point, the Eastern Michigan University graduate noted that it is true that a company will hire you if you have the degree they want but theyll hire someone with degree plus experience (additional skills) over you. The work force is a society on its own. It is a competitive society and whether you like it or not, someone is eyeing that position you call stable, she says. Imaralu and Ogunleye, although live in two different parts of the world with unique socio-economic climate, do not prefer stability of long-term employment to employability. Why limit yourself? Why not take on skills that make you adaptable to different positions? asked Ogunleye. They both advocate for young people to embrace opportunities that will allow them acquire competent skills adaptable to wide range of jobs. In Nigeria, the National Bureau of Statistics puts unemployment at 23.9 per cent while according to the
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US Labour Department data, unemployment rate in the US stands at 8.7 per cent, as of December 2011. Whether living in the US or in Nigeria, after pounding the pavement for several days, weeks, months or years and you finally secure a position in a company, aim to be an asset to that company. One of the ways to be an asset is not to get comfortable in the employed status but rather to acquire new skills that will enable you manage different responsibilities that comes with it or move on to a more interesting employment opportunity.

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Make It Work For Dis Generation

Have you ever wondered what life was like in the Stone Age when man lived in caves? Or the Iron Age? Or the period in history that led to the agrarian revolution, when man depended a lot on agriculture? Everyone tilled the ground for survival in those days until the development of sophisticated machinery brought about a shift from agriculture to industrialisation. The procession of one generation to another brought about a profound change, which was perhaps ignited by the desire of a better life. Well, that was for that generation. I used to complain that this generation has been the most disadvantaged period young people ever lived in. An average youth of today lives in quiet desperation; he is increasingly faced with the fear of the future as a result of the shortcomings of the present; he is overwhelmed by a multitude of negatives like economic depression, moral decadence and loss of family values. This information age where technology plays a huge role in making life easy; it keeps us in the know and
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also indirectly agitates us daily. The invention of new gadgets is making young people materialistic as they clamour for more. The cause of increase in youth crime is attributed to the violence they watch on television. Easy access to information on the Internet is turning us into a copy and paste generation. However, it is quite daunting to tell if the difficulties that beset this generation are any worse than those of older generations or is it permissible to believe they passed them all to us? Why do people keep saying the older generation failed us? It does not matter who we blame, it is this generation that still has to bear the brunt. We all need to take the responsibility to change things for the better by doing the right things in the right way for posterity. In journalism class, we are taught that when a dog bites a man, it is not news. But when a man bites a dog, it should make the headline-- or at least front page. In the same tone, it seems people who nag about the many challenges in our society are no longer making news because, being problem-focused is driving us backward. We all need to switch
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position, become solution-focused and start sharing stories of how people are overcoming everyday challenges to become the best they can be. For example, our story should not be We failed woefully because of lack of electricity to read for exams but We thrived and succeeded despite all the poor infrastructures and limitations. There are many bright spots in Nigeria. We just need to recognise,, understand and learn from them. !

MOST WANTED: A mentor!

We cannot talk about successfully transitioning from youth to adulthood without pointing out the important role mentoring plays. A successful mentorship is one where the protg and the mentor trust each other. Do you think todays youth trust todays adult? Do you think having more adult mentors can help close this yawning gap in youth and adult relationship for a better tomorrow? Youths today are faced with increasing challenges at all levels of the society.
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Trapped in the flashes of moving with the flow, we settle and squat in the position of pity me and watch ourselves waste our today wrapped in yesterdays juvenile delinquency, unsure of what tomorrow holds. On the verge of falling off, we are tired of being tagged with fancy and flattering slogans like Twitter generation, Android generation, just like wares on market stall. We want to live, not just exist. But to know the road ahead, we must ask those who have gone ahead through mentoring. This is a path only a handful of youths are exploring and taking advantage of! Mentoring is the one-to-one or group relationship that one or more adults develop with one or more young people to help them develop and succeed in life. A mentor is an experienced person who advises and helps somebody with less experience over a period of time, considered as an excellent example of what one aspires to be in future. In choosing a mentor, there are certain qualities you must lookout for by asking these questions: is the person an epitome of how you see yourself in future? Is the person real or make believe? Does the person
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have a good moral standard? Is the person compassionate and sensitive towards others? Your chosen mentor can be an achiever in your immediate family or circle of friends or s/he could be someone you admire from a distance whom you would have to then build a relationship with. Folakemi T Odedina, a young woman once said, Assisting our youths requires appropriate mentoring. If a youth sees an individual s/he admires, s/he should feel comfortable in developing a mentormentee relationship with the person. So go for it! Seek out a mentor, build relationship, build trust, and build your future! We are youths, we are the posterity of our nation, adults should make themselves better role models and impart in us your valuable experience and knowledge to equip us for the future. They should teach us the different stages in life- how to turn over, to sit up, to crawl, to walk and run to become relevant to our society.

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Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great

When Oyetola (not real name) applied to attend one of the numerous capacity building conferences in London last week, it was done out of an attempt to escape from the depressing circumstances around him. I have known Oyetola for many years now. He is one of the few people I try to avoid as much as I can because each time he strikes up a conversation with me; it is always themed around how he can relocate out of Nigeria. Yesterday, he alerted me online to announce that he was in London. Apparently, he was selected by an international organization to represent Nigeria at a conference in London. As he later recounted I just applied for the conference and I got in I paused for a few minutes; confident that his next line will be to tell me he was using the opportunity to abscond, after all, being away from the shores of Nigeria is something he has always wanted. But was I disappointed! I took part (in the programme) and I was inspired. Now I know it is better for me to return
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home, because there are a lot of things I could do there Trust me, I will be home in about two weeks It would take a whole generation to change Nigeria because it took a generation to destroy it. Oyetola said, reflecting on how the program impacted his perspective about the current socio-political landscape in Nigeria. Whose generation then? I asked. Our generation. But it has to be a collective effortto effect a total revolution he said. I paused to mull over his words. I didnt hide the excitement about his sudden change. It is the kind of excitement you feel when you see your best friend give up on doing drugs. No longer is Oyetola obsessed with the idea that real life begins outside the shores of the continent. Although he admits life in the continent is stressful, he said for the first time he realized that to make a good life for himself, he would also need to contribute to Nation building. If it took a week conference for the young man to experience such a paradigm shift, I am beginning to put aside my beef against youths who
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are always excited about attending conference after conference instead of committing their time and resources to doing hands-on development work. The condition in Nigeria today damages the selfesteem and aspirations of many youths. Oyetola compared it with walking on the streets of London aimlessly without a sense of direction. Nigeria has so many resources and potential, yet it is out of the grasp of the average Nigerian youth. Nigeria really puts her youths backs against the wall with the level of hardship and strife it inflicts on her youths. It is really difficult to be optimistic and hopeful in such an environment. But like Oyetola, many of us need a re-awakening experience to enable us re-channel our energy, passion and commitment to nation building. If we want to see our country liberated from every form of oppression, then we must choose to be that generation that rise up to greatness- by taking up responsibility, shunning corruption, being accountable and keeping our integrity etc.
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When Nelson Mandela, the former South African President, addressed the crowd at Trafalgar Square in Londons Make Poverty History Campaign, He said: Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up. That was five years ago. But his words resonate to youths today, in Nigeria and everywhere. Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great We, the present youths of Nigeria, are that generation

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Before Graduation, learn the art of transitioning o o o o o

Change is a constant thing in life, tune in when opportunity knocks. Little beginnings open way for big endings To attain success, never overlook any seed Choices are to be made constantly in life, learn to make the right one Always sharpen your skills to make you outstanding.

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Interview: Transition Wisely

Full name: Saadu Yahya Biography: I was born in 1984 in Yola. I obtained a degree in Business Management. I work with Centre for Health & Dev in Africa as program manager. Website/Blog: saadfolder@gmail.com Twitter handle: @saadfolder Favourite quote: Be sure you put your feet in the right place then stand firm Abraham Lincoln. Location: Adamawa state 1. Getting started When you started out, did you have no loaf (cashless and connectionless), half a loaf (some what connected and not cashless) or a bakery (fully loaded)? What is your most memorable moment about getting started? And what experience at that point of venturing out prepared you for what you are doing today? I grew up in an area where there were lots of kids and most of these kids were enrolled in primary school
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including myself. The place where I resided had a nongovernmental organization with a mandate to empower women and adolescent. At the age of 7, I used to go to the organization to watch how other older children played games on a desktop computer. As I watched, I mastered how they tapped the keyboard. One day, I also had the opportunity to play a computer game along with other children. During my first year in senior secondary school, I was enrolled into extra moral classes in that very organization. It was during the extra moral classes that I started observing how the organization hold meetings, organize seminars and engage in community mobilization on sanitation activities. I saw in these staffs hard work, passion, dedication to serve their community with or without monetary gain. It was at the point of graduating from my secondary that I sat down to reflect on how I can also become like one of these passionate people. I attached myself to the organization and due to my interest in their work I became an office assistant and later program officer. That was how I ventured into community work serving on the team to deliver key result that can enhance the health, education and economic status of women and adolescent in my state.
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An advert from Voluntary Service Oversea (VSO) in 2005 came in just in time. VSO is an international organization that works to make impact in different communities by engaging volunteers. The advert was about engaging young people from the ages of 18-25 years in Nigeria in an exchange program between Nigeria and United Kingdom to promote cultural values, community service through volunteering and impact skills for the young people to be able to stand out and be agent of positive change in their respective communities. I applied and was lucky to be successful after the interview. I had the chance to work with 9 young Nigerians and another 9 young Britons. We lived and worked in Birmingham in England and Jos Plateau in Nigeria for the period of six months. During the six months period we volunteered with organizations and worked towards community awareness and prevention of HIV/AIDS among key populations.

2. Money matters Money is considered a necessity to start up most ventures, how did you deal with finance issue at the beginning? And did you
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ever experience the talented but broke syndrome? How did you overcome this? It is not about the money but about starting something. When you have the experience and put it into practice, you will get opportunities to use your skills to make money. I started volunteering after my secondary school with no allowance/salary; the only thing that pushed me is the passion and quest for new skills. The experience helped me to be perseverance in carrying out my task as office assistant. I started out collecting and posting mails, learning how to take minutes of meetings. Later on, my capacity was built in programming. I began to plan and implement activities in communities on sanitation and value for positive change. There are more opportunities that will come once you put your skills into practice. Utilize your skills and keep your eyes on the big picture.

3. Stay in school Most youth tend to forget about education when the money and/or opportunities roll in, what is your take on this? In your opinion, what is the value of education? As a volunteer I only performed some specific task, which is not time consuming. At some point I joined College for
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Legal Studies in Yola and gained diploma in Law from 2001 to 2003. Later on, in 2008 I enrolled for a degree through Distance Learning Program and obtained a Bsc in Business Management from Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola (formerly Federal University of Technology, Yola). The degree was a part time program, which enabled me to do my work while studying. As a person, I think you need to acquire knowledge so that it will help you in your field of work. If you are in school, you will have a lot of knowledge on how to do research etc. that can enhance your work. Education is something you cant do without. If you have the required qualifications, when bigger opportunities come you will be able to apply for them.

4. Overcoming fear Fear is bound to arise every now and then, which sometimes necessitate risk taking. Give us an instance of when you were really afraid, and how did you deal with it? Im Fulani by tribe, which is to say that Im bashful. This affected my early stage of development work. I found it
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difficult to talk in meetings and in other gatherings. One day, I had to ask myself this question Am I different from those people that speak confidently in gatherings? From then on, I built on my self-esteem and enhanced my confidence in communication and hence wiped out the fear and bashfulness.

5. Transition wisely Why is the phase of youth-adult transition so important? What are your thoughts on how young people can successfully transition from one phase to another without losing momentum? It is paramount for young people to be guided both in the family and school. Developing life skills at early stage of life, that is as a young person, play an important role in defining and shaping ones ideas and build self confidence in dealing with pressure. My goal in life is to be a self-reliant and successful manager, running my enterprise. This will enable me possess my own resources and skills to be able to touch the lives of disadvantage persons. Having known what I want in life, I ensure that I work towards the direction that will enable me realize my goal. One vital point that I have observed is the need to always ensure that I re-evaluate the
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progress I am making on monthly basis. This has enabled me to also consciously surround myself with good friends of like-minds in order not to loose focus of my goal.

6. Word of Advice Drawing from your experience so far, what is your word of advice to young people on transitioning? Life is hard but also simple when we have realistic plans and translate them into action one at a time. No matter how hard and unbelievable you think it is for you to become successful in a particular area, just never loose focus. Consult people who have gone through the same experience of what you are undergoing, for tips and support.

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About Before Graduation

What is BeforeGraduation.org?

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Before I left Nigeria for a one-year fellowship program with One World Youth Project (OWYP) in Washington D.C. in 2009, I co-organized a conference on "Solving Africa" www.solvingafrica.org. As a result of the feedback we got from the participants and their keen interest to stay engaged it dawned on us that if we really wanted to start "Solving Africa", we needed to adopt a more radical approach beyond gathering youths in conference hall(s). I started asking around (research stage) and dreaming up by looking at my experience and a couple of other youth leaders who grew up learning by doing. What if other youths in Nigeria are encouraged to do the same? What will Nigeria look like if youths imbibed the culture of hands-on volunteering or internship beyond the four-wall of conferences and the Ivory tower of academia? In 2008/09, I started a campaign on Dis Generation column in The Nation newspaper to get youths off their couch but that could only go so far since many youths just didn't know how to. The yawning gap between what is and what ought to be motivated me
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to dream up this high-impact-at-low-cost project called "Before Graduation in 2010. I reached out to a few people who willingly supported the cause. Taiwo Bankole was very instrumental in kick starting the project. Bless his memory! The dream lives on. According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in the next thirty years, more people worldwide will graduate from school than did so from the beginning of history to the present (Sir Ken Robinson, in creativity is a key part of the educated mind). In as much as the Education landscape globally is perceived to be a competitive one, the current Nigerian education system is not equipping youths with 21st century skills needed to thrive in a global economy. (Some) young people in Nigeria graduate with no preconceived idea of what career direction to take. Those who do are faced with the challenges of having the needed experience that can give them a leading edge or help match their skills with the right job placement.

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When this project was first conceptualized in 2009, the Nigerian government stated that about 40 million youth were currently unemployed and of this figure 23 million were unemployable. Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan, a report compiled by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development revealed that between 2009 and 2011, about 13 million Nigerian youths will be requiring productive employment. And today? The unemployment statistics is still skyrocketing! We want to tackle the reoccurring high rates of unemployables, unemployment and underemployment among the Nigerian youth, and complement the efforts of different stakeholders curbing these challenges. Before Graduation is positioned to strategically contribute to youth development by guiding and linking youths at the grassroots to internship opportunities and information that will challenge their norms and expose them to a competitive work culture. We are passionately committed to disseminating information young people can use to boost their experiential learning. The process will
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augment their classroom education and prepare them for the labour-force, as employees or entrepreneurs equipped with competent skills needed to contribute to national development. So far, albeit on a small scale, we have recorded a successful FREE recruitment and training session for some undergraduates from YABATECH, Obafemi Awolowo Univeristy and University of Lagos. My advice for the organizers is that they shouldnt stop this programme because there are a lot of Nigerians outside there who need to be enlightened more on what choice to make during their internship programme. Mustapha Alabi, Civil Engineering student from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, wrote after a training programme. Our first intern, ADEYEMI Oladotun Yussuf served at Verod Capital Management Limited, in Lagos. BeforeGraduation.org is still evolving and currently being run by a group of passionate youth volunteers. We hope you will support this positive movement in every capacity. Collaboration is our watchword. We want to inspire a culture of Internship, volunteering
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and Holiday-job placement and other positive youth development opportunities. In the course of launching this project, we hope there will be a tipping point, where the culture of learning by doing will be re-ignited among Nigerian youths, thus allowing an exponential replication of the concept/efforts by other youths and organizations locally. There is a huge demand in this sector, judging by the high demand for placement we receive from students. Companies need to open up more space and opportunities within their organizations. We believe that while classroom learning is one step, experiential learning is anotherin nurturing leaders for sustainable development. -Jennifer Ehidiamen

Website: www.beforegraduation.org www.youthmakingchange.wordpress.com Twitter: @beforegrad Email: info@beforegraduation.org

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The Authors

Name: Jennifer Ehidiamen Website: www.youthmakingchange.blogspot.com Twitter:@disgeneration Youth Quote: Doing the best this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment, quoting John C. Maxwell What is your passion? Im passionate about youth development- I believe God created youth for a purpose. It must not be wasted in frivolities. Im also very passionate about development journalism and public communication- getting the right information
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out in the right way to empower people positively and improve lives. Jennifer Ehidiamen is a passionate poet, tech savvy journalist and an emerging entrepreneur. She dreams at BeforeGraduation.org and Click Weavers Communication (CWC) Limited. She has worked at Gentile Allouette Ltd, Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS), Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), One World Youth Project (OWYP), Global Press Institute, Ventures-Africa.com etc. She serves as an advisory council member at OWYP. She also teaches basic journalism and new media communication. A recipient of LEAP Africas National Youth Leadership award, 2009 Atlas Corps Fellowship and 2013 IRP New Media Fellowship award, Jennifer gained valuable international and local work experiences through different volunteer opportunities. While studying at Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), she wrote a weekly youth column called Dis Generation in the Nation newspaper. Some of the articles were modified and published in this book. Jennifer is the author of In Days to Come (2004) and Preserve my Saltiness (2011).
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Name: Funso Bukoye Blog site: www.funsoworld.blogspot.com Twitter: @hulowafunso Youth Quote: Never let anyone put you down. There is always a great you living inside you. What is your passion? I love reading & writing. I work towards impacting my generation by being a change agent. Funso Bukoye is communicator and blogger. A mass communication graduate from the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Funso is a partner at Click
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Weavers Communication (CWC) Limited and serves as a strategist at BeforeGraduation.Org Her past work experience includes Adplacers, Antigraft Nigeria, Restless Development, YALDA among others.

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! SOME OTHER BOOKS WORTH READING:

Preserve my Saltiness
Author: Jennifer Ehidiamen Paperback: 81 pages Publisher: Step Out Creatives Publications U.K; First Edition (20 Feb 2011) Language English ISBN-10: 1906963266 ISBN-13: 978-1906963262

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Preserve My Saltiness is a collection of poems, featuring various topics. You will enjoy reflecting on the threads of meaningful didactic and philosophical images, which help to enhance the encoded meanings. These poetic thoughts could only emanate from one who stayed close to grandma, picking eternal words of wisdom; I bet Jennifer did, as shown in these poems which are all her original pieces. Copies are available on www.amazon.co.uk and or your local bookstore in Lagos- Terra Kulture, Florence and Lambard, Naija-Sista Bookstop etc. (see list below)

Review
In this book I see that Jennifer has wrangled in the electrifying bull of creativity to possess her words in a way that will speak to others deeply. She speaks to you in these pages from a place of strength and the calm assuredness that this is exactly what she would like to say. I hope you listen. Because by recording her truth, she has recorded our truth. So, take a moment and learn of your soul as you read the poetry of hers. Jennifer, you speak truth in a way that seems
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as though you are a hundred years old and have lived the lives of many. Your truth is unforgivingly raw, uncut crystal - like all truth that is worth telling. Thank you for sharing your gift of poetry with the world. Because, as we know, the world needs it. My favorite poem is My Brothers Wrestle. --Jess Rimington, One World Youth Project As a writer, I have carefully looked at these poems and believe that you will enjoy reading Preserve My Saltiness. You will enjoy reflecting on the threads of meaningful didactic and philosophical images, which help to enhance the encoded meanings. These poetic thoughts could only emanate from one who stayed close to grandma, picking eternal words of wisdom; I bet Jennifer did, as shown in these poems which are all her original pieces. --Isi Agboaye, Editor

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To buy your copies, please visit: Florence & Lambard Publisher and Booksellers 202-204 Ikorodu road, Palm Grove, Lagos. Or buy online: www.okadabooks.com

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