Fourteen months after launching my blog I'm still based in the UK.
The reason why I have not yet moved to Lagos is because I am yet to secure employment.
If you check my previous relocation post I was close to relocating after completing my postgraduate studies, YES I was going to move to Nigeria first then start looking for work once I arrived. FOLA ARE YOU CRAZY?
Risk taker indeed...
However, things took a completely different course. Although a qualified teacher, I am yet to complete my national youth service. The NYSC is a government scheme which is compulsory for all Nigerian graduates aged 30 and under (don't quote me O). It entails spending one year on a voluntary work placement which is usually unpaid. However, the federal government pays each corper a monthly allowance.
In the present day, It can be difficult to secure employment in Nigeria if you have not completed your national youth service. The only individuals exempt are those who;
1) Are employed as expats or by transnational corporations (TNCs).
2) Are connected to the oga at the top? (Nigerian version of the old boy's network).
3) Are over the age of thirty.
Unfortunately, I meet none of the criteria above. Had I been teaching for a couple of years then the expat bandwagon would have been within reach. Now with this whole Oga at the top thing I have to keep reminding myself that my parents have lived in the UK for three decades. The majority of their ties have fizzled out over that period, especially since they don't return to Nigeria on holiday as often as I do. My extended family in Nigeria are not based in Lagos and do not fall under the wealthy, or influential category. I don't think I want to serve at all which is rather odd considering I go to Nigeria annually to partake in a range of philanthropist activities.
Six months would have been feasible but a whole year? I hear the allowance is pretty measly hence going from an inner London salary to N40,000 per month? I can just picture myself sitting in my dorm scratching a recharge card hesitating to call my parents in London. I refuse to be a liability! Besides if groveling for cash happens all too often the first thing I will hear is 'who asked you to go and serve? Na by force?'
Anyway, back to my original point, last year I made around fifty applications in several industries from education, to finance, and immigration.
Nine out of 10 times, I got no reply. The companies that did respond said they couldn't take my application through to the next stage because I had not completed my NYSC. Then there's the experience aspect, one particular company replied saying I needed at least seven years lol.
My Nigerian based pals are like 'ah fola, don't bother looking for a job, just identify a gap in the market, write a business plan then come back to start a business.' I'm like yeah cool, not a bad option at all BUT far easier said than done.
It looks like I won't be moving back anytime soon as I'm starting a new job in September :'( all that Suya and Shawarma I could have been chopping...
For more information on the National youth service visit
http://www.nysc.gov.ng/
