Being an unemployed graduate in a country like Nigeria is not very easy. Were family pressures would be so enormous after getting to 30 and yet man is not yet married. And man needed a job to take care of the family when he gets married. Man cannot just get married when there is no tangible thing he’s into.
2008 was just a happy year for me. After graduating from the university, I was mobilized by NYSC that same year. Na so I go serve my country. During my course of service, I knew that getting a job would be so difficult for me due to the grade I came out with, “Third class.” I had known that it would be difficult since the main people the job market was waiting for were people who came out with first class and 2.1. but I kept hope alive. I had wanted to start a business but capital became an obstacle.
2009 barely a month before my passing out, I was sending out CVs both online and offline. Even after the passing out parade, I kept on trying my best if I could secure a good Job but couldn’t. Few of my friends we passed out together landed a mouthwatering job. Na so my “third class” come be obstacle. I went for couple of interviews. Some interviewers were amazed at my intelligence. But many rejected me due to my third class. Me sef come tire.
A close friend of mine who came out 2.2 that had same problem of getting a job relocated to Port Harcourt were settled for a class teacher in a private school. A year later he even invited me to join him. He advised that I change environment. I thought about it and took the advice. I joined him in Port Harcourt city. By then he was making quit a confortable income from his work. He even conducts private tutorials were he makes extra income. He was able to help me secure a teaching job at his school. Na so me begin teach oo. I was being paid N30,000 per month.
2013, I and my friend got an information that an engineering firm in Port Harcourt was recruiting. Na so we submit application. We felt the Job was right for us because both of us studied mechanical engineering. At first I didn’t want to submit my application because I thought my “third class” would be barrier. But my friend encouraged me to submit since there were no actual grade specification for the job.
After a month of submitting our application to the engineering firm, an invite text was sent my friend. Infact he was also called on phone too. And I was left out. Well, I was so devastated and felt I could never get any reasonable job in my life again. From that day, I thought not to submit any application to organizations. I just wan stay my own with my low grade.
My friend went to the engineering company that sent him an invite. Fortunately, he came back with a good news. Na so he begin narrate wetin happen that day for me. He said they were up to 20 people that were invited. They were told it was an oral interview and took them to the waiting room. Na so them dey waiting room. Two men and a lady wearing engineering overall uniform came in holding some work equipment. Na so the woman inside them come turn to them saying, “if you guys don’t mind joining us to work, you can follow us.” And she said it in a smiling unserious face as she turned and left with others. So many of them took the proposal as just a joke as they watched the three people walk away. My friends said that he and the other people that came for the interview began to murmur. And one of the staff that first addressed them earlier had told them that the interview would start in a very short time. So they can’t just leave to any were. But two of the ladies that came for the interview just stood up and followed the direction of the three company staffs. My paddy talk say him no know wetin just push am stand up. And he joined the three ladies as they followed the 3 company staffs that made them the proposals. Na so the 3 workers carry them go one place wey one big machine dey. Na so them begin show them how to operate the machine. My friend asked if he could go back to the waiting room for the interview. One of the workers smiled and told him that what he is just undergoing at that moment is the interview. The workers brought out piece of paper and pen and gave to them 3 that followed them as they spent over an hour there as the workers showed them some other sections of their machine work house as they wrote notes on the machine. After everything, na congratulation them they tell my friend and the other 2 ladies. They had gotten the job.
My friend was so excited that day about his new job. He even encouraged me not to give up and lose faith.
A year later my guy don marry. He had already moved out from the apartment we shared. He rented his own house. He don turn family man. While I still dey dey hustle with the little pay wey no deygo anywere. Accommodation, feeding and transportation na im dey suck my money for port Harcourt. I never even think about marriage sef. I felt disorganized and unsettled, as if I had no future ambition.
Mid 2015, I was walking towards Trans Amadi square in port Harcourt. I actually went to the area to check on a church member who works at one of the big companies there. During the course of the visit, my host told me that an oil company close by was looking for an environmental engineer control manager. Me sef com dey wonder how that one take consign me. I am not an environmentalist. So wetin go make me apply. And I felt the job wasn’t so good enough. Infact I no even put my mind for the job. And I was yet to even read get to know more about the job description. My friend urged me to apply for the job. He said he would get in contact with an insider of the company so he would get me details of the job because the vacancy was not publicized.
Two days later, I had the job description and details. It deals in oil spill and prevention while protecting areas where the company explores oil. I felt it wasn’t close to mechanical engineering that I studied. And there was no particular grade ( first class or 2.1) placed on the job. But the least was Bachelor’s degree. I was just so discouraged. I felt there would be too many first class and 2.1 that would apply, so my third class stands no chance.
But I finally applied for the job. A few weeks later I was called for an interview. When I went there, we were just 4 in number, 2 ladies and 2 guys. I was seated with the 3 other people when one of the staff came and told us that one of the managers wants to see us. Na so I we follow her go the room. There were about 3 people in the room, a man and two ladies. They were holding our CVs. The female called out my name and told me that she was sorry. They were not satisfied with what they saw on my CV. Na so the woman hand my CV give me. Me sef I don dey think say I don know say na my third class. So left. That evening, I received a call from one of the staff of the company telling me that one of their top manger wants to see me the next morning because they have something that belongs to me I forgot there. Na so the next morning I went there. And I actually forgot my original copy of statement of result. They gave it to me. One of them come carry me go meet the manager wey wan see me. I got to the office and she asked me to sit and I did. She said she was impressed with what I did the previous day. Na so I come dey wonder wetin I do the previous day. Shebi na dem say I no qualify! The lady said that the previous day while the 4 of us were walking into the room where we were invited, there were about 2 squeezed papers on the floor in which immediately we walked into the room. I was the only one who noticed the papers and picked them and threw them into the waste basket nearby. Me sef don forget wetin happen again that previous day. I couldn’t recall any more not until she played a video of it. Na so I come remember. Indeed when we entered the room, there were 2 squeezed papers on the floor which I immediately took and threw into the waste basket.
The manager asked how come I was the only one that noticed it! Or maybe am a neat freak. I told her that I wasn’t a neat freak only that I am kind of an organized person and I don’t really like my environment dirty. “Then while don’t you help us make our environment clean in this company?” she said. I no come no wetin I wan talk. I totally went blank. I was battling to understand if she meant that I have been given a job or I should become a cleaner at the company.
She said the company only recruited one person the previous day. And if it were to be about certificate, I don’t even merit the job but the attitude I showed. At least for someone who was conscious of were he was and was able to identify dirt and removing, that I can be able to work in that their environmental department. Na so I join the first person wey dem first recruit. I was given the job. Na so tears begin comot for my eyes when the madam say make I stand up go meet their human resources team for my details. I have been hired oo. She asked why I was crying. I no even fit talk.
The salary was so mouthwatering. Barely 3 months I started the job, the company sponsored me to Geneva for a training on oil spill and environmental protection.
My brothers and sisters, there is nothing Baba God can not do. It may take so long to come to pass but when it comes, na heaviness e go take land.
#Guest Post
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