The story, told to me in confidence and in the hope that I could do something to help was sad but familiar. I was hearing it for the umpteenth time only the main character and other specific circumstances had changed. The result was always the same; a young person crowding 30 that had managed to burn his boats to the future and is now wondering what to do? How to get things going again?

He was a stellar student in secondary school, made all eight papers at school cert and passed JAMB at first try. He was however only admitted to study his course of second choice, which he accepted instead of waiting at home for year to try again. Anyway, he thought he might be able to change over to his course of first choice. Well he did, only it was two years later when he decided to take the JAMB examinations again. Because he really wanted to be a professional, he did not mind the loss of two years spent studying another course, after all some of his old class mates had not yet made it to college.

Trouble started when for reasons he was unable to explain he kept failing exams. He flunked out of so many classes that he was advised to withdraw after several sessions with his head of department who was determined to put his poor performance down to home trouble. How many wives had his father? One, only his mum. Did he have a jealous aunty, uncle, cousin or anyone else who might be after him or his family through him? None that he knew of, he came from a relatively egalitarian extended family where every body had some level of success. Well instead of facilitating extra tuition, this HoD based on his personal belief allowed this young man who had been so full of promise to flunk out of school. Not being even a paid up member of a cult he had no popularly acceptable reason for having been asked to leave.

As a first born, his parents were desperate to salvage the remains of their son in the best way they knew how. They ran around and raised some money to arrange his immediate relocation to Britain. The plan was that he would always stay within the limit allowable by his visa so that he would be able to come and go easily. The first trip was a success and he was able to find menial work and set some money aside in the hope that he would still go to school. He kept living as simple as possible by kipping in the living room of friends from home and working double shifts and very long hours.

Trouble started when he returned to the UK on the now mandatory 2 year multiple re-entry visa for return visitors. This time when he arrived at the airport he was picked up by sniffer dogs in spite having no hand luggage. Naturally, he was subjected to very thorough searches including x-rays but no drugs were found on him. His relief at having come through this harrowing experience was short lived however. His checked-in luggage when it came off the plane was also thoroughly searched but instead of drugs, an international passport belonging to someone else was found on him. This passport contained a faked visa and right of abode and he was unable to convince the authorities that he knew nothing about it and was only an unwitting courier. He was immediately sequestered and put on the next available flight back home to Nigeria where he again had to undergo lengthy questioning sessions and was only let go after some palms were greased.

His tale is that a trusted friend (female) called him on the day of his departure and asked that he should receive a parcel for her from her younger brother who would catch up with him at the airport. He waited for the brother to arrive almost until the last minute and nearly missed check-in as a result. So he just hurriedly thrust the parcel which was soft and bore no resemblance to documents in his one suitcase, locking it before he handed it over to be checked in. He remembered being asked by the customs and immigrations personnel if he had any contraband but since he did not he said no.

What baffled him was the ill luck that sent the sniffer dogs after him! No drugs was found and he would have been home free but for a persistent official who insisted on opening the innocuous package that he explained belonged to a friend and which was not even sniffed by the dogs. He called the friend from the airport and she expressed her regret at having got him into trouble. She promised to do everything to make sure that he would be cleared of any charges that would prevent his return to Britain. Since he has been back in Nigeria however he has been unable to reach his trusted friend who has most definitely dropped off his radar along with other friends that were so helpful while he was with them in London. No one takes his calls and many numbers have simply gone out of use.

He tried to get back to the UK on a student visa and fresh passport, following the relevant processes of admission and payment of fees that was put up by a relative. He was however denied on grounds that his course of choice is available in Nigerian universities and he was too scared to follow up with an appeal.

Now he works as a shop assistant for money barely enough to keep body and soul together and lives in dingy quarters that are a far cry from home. He keeps as far away from his parents as possible because the grief they wear so openly now is on his account for having failed to live up to his expected responsibility as first born son. His younger brother and sister thankfully, are doing well at jobs they got upon graduation from universities but he does not want to approach them for help believing that they blame him for all that happened and he feels tainted.

This young man is definitely not alone, there are many more like him especially from middle class homes. Some gave up the chance of an education in Nigeria for the lure of the occident, only to be repatriated several years down the line with nothing to show for years of toil at menial jobs but a few pieces of clothing and jewellery that are passé and worthless. Others are guilty of some wrongdoing; cult membership, drug peddling or trafficking and other fraudulent activities they had hoped would get them abjectly rich very quickly. While some get lucky others soon get caught and find themselves in this impossible situation of not being able to catch up with their lives or to get back on the straight and narrow.

The females are mostly lucky, particularly if they are good looking. They can find someone or several someones to pay their bills and keep them in a style they desire. This may however be dubious luck to hear some of them tell the stories of what they go through at the hands of their providers. A story for another day.

How many of our young people are caught in this bind? Hidden by families who give vague responses when asked how their sons or daughters are doing. These young men and women have experienced life in the occident, they cannot overcome the shame of not having achieved as their friends have while they hearkened to the call of quick wealth in distant countries and they are unable to retrace their steps because they do not see how that can be any use this late in a life that is fast becoming futile. Many too remain in foreign lands unable to break the tedium of dirty, difficult and often dangerous jobs and may never save enough to impress family and friends if they ever choose to venture back home.

Robot  Villager

# 1 The story, told to me in confidence and in the hope that I could do something to help was sad but familiar. I was hearing it for the umpteenth time only the main character and other specific circumstances had changed. The result was always the same; a young person crowding 30 that had managed to burn his boats to the future and is now wondering what to do? How to get things going again?He was a stellar student in secondary school, made all eight papers at school cert and passed JAMB at first try. He was however only admitted to study his course of second choice,...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 11.03.2006 08:12

emj  Villager

# 2 Good article mutti, there is yet hope for your young friend. He can save up to attend one of the private universities in Nigeria or the west coast. He does not necessarily need to travel abroad to be suceessful. Your young friend still carve a niche for himself, he just needs to find out what he is good at doing and pursue that path. We don't all have to travel abroad in search of the so called 'golden fleece' before making a mark. There are so many people in Nigeria who went to Universities and even have Master's degree that have abandoned their course of study to do other things that they are good at. There are also so many Nigerians who are suceessful today inspite of not been through any university. My advice to our young friend is not to give up, there is need to try and try again. I recommend that this said fellow located the FATE FOUNDATION office in Lagos and find out about the programs they have for young entrepreneurs. There is also need for this fellow to draw closer to his/her family for moral support. Posted by emj| 11.03.2006 22:52

Crispin

# 3 Mutti, Very interesting and well-written article. Thanks for sharing. It is true this is a not-so-new and certainly not uncommon story. Yet it is still touching. I agree with the basics put forth by emj. I want to add that we have a duty as a people to start emphasising that ability to earn an honest living and add to society (Sustenance and Service) need not be seen as being a failure just because one does not have a university degree or loads of extra cash. Moreover, it is necessary to stop the trend where money (regardless of how it is acquired) is worshipped as the only index of success. As emj mentioned, they are graduates now doing what the university did not prepare them for per se. I for instance had an 18-month stint as a kabu-kabu driver in Abuja after graduation and youth service. I never felt I was a failure at that time. Indeed, if anything, I may have a relatively 'better' job now but sometimes I sincerely miss the freedom I had working for myself and at my own pace as a kabu-kabu driver. And personally, the times I've felt like a failure have had to do with somewhat extraneous things like a love suit that didn't work out or a project that didn't go as envisaged, not because I've not been able to amass a string of degrees, cars and whatnot to impress those who are impressed by these things. So the youngman shouldn't think it's all over. There's a whole lot he can still do with his life--including returning to school--and be thoroughly successful, as long as success isn't defined in terms of degrees and money alone. Hell, I still don't have a TV, by choice, and I haven't noticed that it has made me a sadder person. Finally Mutti, may I have your permission to reproduce your article in the paper I work for, the Weekly Trust? You and NVS will of course be credited and you can add a one-line bio to help readers get an idea of who you are. Thank you. Crispin Posted by Crispin| 12.03.2006 15:03

Mutti  Villager

# 4 Mr Oduobok, Thank you for the compliment. You certainly have my permission to use the article in your paper as long as you acknowledge that you got it from NVS. The only bio you need append for me is that I am struggling to make a living. Cheers Posted by Mutti| 14.03.2006 01:43