Notes for File
For Osunleke Oludare Alaba, an ex-student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), who returned his certificate to the school and demanded refund of his tuition fees, mother luck shone on him when he received help from the school’s alumni.
The Global Alumni President of LAUTECH, Solomon Onilede, presented a cheque of N500,000 to Alaba. While presenting the cheque to him, Onilede said the financial intervention was to cushion the effect of economic realities on him.
In his remark, Alaba commended the association for coming to his aide in his trying period and assured them that the money would be judiciously used.
Recall that Alaba had recently visited his alma mater to demand refund of his school fees and returned the certificate because he considered it worthless and added no value to his life.
Since the incident, many have been wondering where is the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, led by Sadiya Umar Farouq, which has been going about claiming using multi-billion naira to train youths across the country.
Securing jobs after graduation from schools these days has been of serious concern in Nigeria. At the beginning of the year, Statista released a report forecasting the unemployment rate in Nigeria for 2022. The report estimated the unemployment rate in the year at nearly 33 per cent, a 0.5 increase from the previous year at 32.5 per cent.
Also, in 2020, Nigeria’s Statistics Bureau, NBS, said in its unemployment report that about half of the nation’s 76,562 doctorate degree holders within the labour force were either jobless or underemployed. This report means that having a school certificate, up to a doctorate level, does not guarantee employment in Nigeria.
Lately, depression associated with unemployment has caused many graduates to attempt suicide or take to nefarious activities. Hitherto, one of the basic functions for alumni associations was to socialise, increase horizons, but now, the welfare of the colleagues, especially those who are less-opportune, has taken centre stage. Some also provide financial and material support as well as succour for their members who have experienced bereavement or loss of spouses.
This is why Global Alumni of LAUTECH needs to be commended for rescuing their colleague from frustration. It is hoped that other associations will emulate Global Alumni of LAUTECH.
