– Adedara Oduguwa Ph.D
After completing a section in my unpublished book, this idea flashed into my mind, and I think I should share with you.
Many are currently doing jobs that are not meant for them. These jobs are frustrating and it seems the frustration would continue except they change the jobs, get an aside job or soils their hands.
In this except is a dialogue between two lecturers of a University.Each of them has spent more than 10 years lecturing. Happy reading:
Dr. Ebinpaya: My first son has just gained admission into the University to read Education. I have to sell my only plot of land to pay his tuition. This is important to me because his future is very bright and the family would need him.
Dr. Kinikoko : Brilliant idea Dr. Ebinpaye. Atleast, after his first degree he can work for a while and get his masters and doctoral studies done. Our nation needs such dutiful person to teach in our universities.
Dr. Ebinpaye: Exactly, he has all ‘A’s in his West Africa Examination Council’s exam. I was so happy and accomplished that my son is making me proud when I saw the result.
Dr. Kinikoko : Wow! I am so happy for you. Your son would be blessing to our generation.
Dr. Ebinpaye : Amen o. Thank you, you’re next. You know I have five of them. I believe Akin after his education will be able to assist me. You know how lecturing job is. Today we are at work tomorrow we are on strike. And even if we are not on strike, how much is the salary? If not for the students that are assisting one, how can one survive on this paltry salary?
Dr. Kinikoko : I tell you o. What disturbs me is the salary of political office holders. Hon. Olaolu, the Councilor representing Ward 2, our Area earns N250, 000 per months with other benefits annually running into millions. I learnt he doesn’t have 5 credits in WAEC. At my level as a university lecturer and with all my degrees and service to this nation, no outsider would believe we don’t earn up to 200k per month.
Dr. Ebinpaye : You think people don’t know how much we earn? I don’t think so. I think they do. Was it not last week I overheard some of the students lampooning Prof. Kalejaiye for asking students to help push his faulty Benz 200 vehicle. I eavesdropped to have heard them saying ‘ why is he still using this car? Is he not earning salaries? He should change this car and stop disgracing himself accross the campus on daily basis. You know Prof. Kalejaiye is an upright man. He won’t collect money from any student. That’s the price for his uprightness. How can he change that can when his salary for a year cannot buy a 4m naira Tokunbo car. And the government loan is not forthcoming. Ah! This country is doomed.
Dr. Kinikoko : I actually did a calculation last week. Let me share with you. If I continue to work here for the next 20 years before retirement, my gross salary will be less than my gross expenses. Because, after 10 years on this trade, my balance at every Dec. 31st is 0 or minus whatever I am owing others. Yes, I could break-even occasionally, I still have to borrow for January most times. If care is not taken after retirement, I may be out looking for another job to live on. Yet, the Accountant General or what do they called him stole 170b naira and nothing happened. Dr. Ebinpaye , don’t you think we should join politics instead of wasting away here? This job is frustrating honestly!
Dr Ebinpaye : You are really thinking like me. I thought of it. After more than 10 years as a lecturer, with all my knowledge, I have no house of my own. You know my wife teaches in the primary school. Her salary is only 75k. ZWe have never been able to meet up with family demands. From one gbese (debt) to the other. Should one say it’s because we chose educational career that why we are poor?
Dr Kinikoko : Ah! It could be o. You know Dotun now, our last born that used to be a bricklayer. He’s presently on his third house. While growing up, he seems not to like schooling, mum didn’t like him for it. He was the black sheep of the house. Dad took him to baba Adisa after Secondary school to learn bricklaying; today he’s the one taking care of our parents. For me, by the time I remove feeding, transport, publication fees and other family needs fund, I am only able to send 10k or 5k in 3 months. Whereas, every month, Dotun gives mum and dad 50k, 50k. I am really ashamed of myself.
Dr. Ebinpaye : But, I have friends who are Medical Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers and even Lecturers who are making it. How are they doing it? Or is it this our school or this our career that’s killing us?
Dr. Kinikoko : Wait a minute, out of the 109 teaching staffs that retired last year, only about 9 of them built a house after 15 years of service, 25 built theirs at retirement and I learnt the remaining 75 are still tenants till today. Ah! Mogbe o! ( I’m in trouble). You know I live in my grandparents house at Olofifo. We used to have landlords meetings. I stopped going because they usually don’t accept my ideas. I told you 90% of them are illiterates.
Dr Ebinpaye : Yes you did. You said out of 35 of you people, only you and Barr. Shina are educated.
Dr. Kinikoko : God bless you for remembering. It just occurred to me that the remaining are either carpenters, Tailors, vulcanizers, meat sellers and fish sellers. Most of these people started living in their houses approximately 5-10 years on their jobs. Can we say we are not prudent that after more than 10 years in service we don’t have a house of our own? Me I don’t even land.
Dr. Ebinpaye : Well, I don’t know if anyone but I can speak for myself. You know me to be very stingy don’t you? Where do I keep the money? I don’t wear designers clothes and shoes, nor womanize. Where is the money? An average artisan saves between 10k to 20k daily after feeding. If you calculate that in a month that’s about 300k to 600k. Is our gross upto that even without deductions? No! So they are making more money than us.
Dr. Kinikoko : It’s true o. No wonder. Then, I think you should not allow Akin to study Education then, if he must be free from this poverty circle. He should study a profession that has money than education. It’s clear that 75 % of educators are poor, 15 % of them that have other jobs could be rich not wealthy, while the remaining 10 % are averagely comfortable. Poor people like us should avoid poverty by encouraging our children to choose careers that have more success rate. Lecturing is even better to primary and secondary school teaching, police jobs as well, except those who are ready to be corrupt.
Dr. Ebinpaye : It’s our mistake. We have to downplay on it on our children if we don’t want to be frustrated. Children of poor parents should leave teaching and lecturing to children of wealthy parents. And if you have choose teaching or lecturing as a career, get other jobs to sustain it. In the end, you may not be wealthy but atleast, you could be able to feed yourself. If not, one may die frustrated like Prof. Jide, Dr. Jelili and Mr Alao among several teachers and lecturers who died waiting for their gratuities. On Monday, I will instruct Akin to pick a change of course form. He should study Accounatncy. Most Accountants I know are well to do. I won’t be stupid again to allow my heir to pass through what I’m going through. I may also quit this job and start practicing. You know I am an Accountant and Fellow of the Institute. Thank you so much Dr Kinikoko .
Dr. Kinikoko: Honestly, I should thank you because you opened my eyes. I have to do something too. Some jobs are only ‘haven of frustration’ in this country. This discussion is really impactful. Even if I won’t leave this job, I must get a plan B. Thank you Dr. Ebinpaye Odaro (Good night).
Dr Ebinpaye : Odaro (Good night) Dr. Kinikoko.
Now, the question again is why are you working?
Are you working for money, fame, power, and service? Whatever you are working for, is your current job meeting it?
Before you take up a job, please don’t be too in hurry to define why you are taking it. Do you know any teacher or lecturer that was poor and richer today? Then, I will show you the man whose wealth is not depended on his earning capacity but other side-hustles.
If it is for money, then teaching, Force Jobs, Journalism and lecturing should not be part of it. Except you have a Plan B, from a wealthy home or you’re ready to soils your hands.
Thank you for reading. You can now break that shackles of frustration and poverty.
Note: This piece is fictional. Character, plot and setting are only imagination of the writer. You can add any job you know that’s less money, more work!