ESSENCE!

                                   

Aside from random interview questions that requires you to answer questions on your essence of being, have you ever pondered over the word? What is your essence of being? This question is a new number among HRs. Meaning you are likely to come across this question in your interviews.

However, the essence of this Expo is not to progress solution or give tabla rassa answer to the above question. Rather, to expose some ugly emperics in our education sector as well as stress the need for a state of emergency in the sector.

                    ESSENCE!

The human being exists in two different environments: the external and the internal environment. The external environment comprises the natural and the physical elements, societal laws as well as all forms of external interactions.  The internal milieu on the other hand deals with activities such as our thoughts, feelings and imaginations as well as consciousness. While man’s external environment is objective, the internal environment is subjective. We live in both environments and they help dictate our choices in life. While societal laws and norms may differ externally, personal aspirations which technically defines our reasons for being differs. This can be attributed to one or combination of social, economic, cultural and political factors surrounding the existence of an individual. However, we all want either or all of fame, power, money or what one would generally term a good life which is a function of peace and comfort. Hence, being brought up in a below-average home, struggled financially through school and considering the demand of a typical African society; it would be easy to say that the essence of living for an average African youth is to amass wealth. 

With avalanche of untapped opportunities and resources deposited in Africa, it would not be wrong to say that Africa is a continent of hope and light. This is because the future of the world is in Africa. The nationalists who fought for Nigerian independence were not just vocal but educated. That is to say that knowledge and literacy is the first thing towards self-emancipation. Without that, it will be difficult for Africans to take full control of their resources when the time comes hence, a new level of economic colonization which is already ongoing.

According to a report by the Premium Times on April 18, 2019, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) reported that ‘one out of every five’ out-of-school children in the world is in Nigeria. It went further to state that a controversial 13.2 million Nigerian children are out of school in 2019. This figure was a projection from a unique report by UNICEF in 2017 which put the out-of-school children in Nigeria at 10.5 million which is highest in the world. If these empirics are to be correct, it spells doom for the country. However, I have resolved to ensure that as many children as possible get at least basic education in this country. I am looking forward to an organization that can be seen as the highest contributor to education after the government in the country. Building a literate society is a legacy among all else I aspire to achieve no matter what it takes legally. This is fueled by my personal experiences in life.

Finally, do whatever you like but don’t take away my literacy. I am an education freak. Though education is not the end, it is surely a veritable tool to an end. I believe that destinies are linked, and many won’t succeed if I don’t.

 By: NNADILI IFEANYI PETER (GMNIM)