A graduate from Ajayi Crowther University, Olutimain Alvin, has made headlines after setting his academic certificates ablaze due to his prolonged struggle with unemployment.
A video circulating on social media captures the moment Alvin, accompanied by a heartfelt interview with AkweyaTV on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, set fire to his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate alongside his university degree and other academic credentials.
In the interview, Alvin expressed deep distress over the rampant unemployment in Nigeria, citing instances where fellow graduates have fallen into depression or taken extreme measures, such as suicide, due to their inability to secure employment opportunities.
Alvin highlighted systemic issues, emphasising the prevalence of forgery and impersonation within the country’s employment landscape. He expressed disillusionment, referring to a recent Supreme Court judgement on a presidential election that seemingly diminished the value of legitimate academic qualifications.
“I graduated in 2010 and did my NYSC in 2011. Over the past 13 years, I have not used these certificates for anything. It is better to even be illiterate than to hold worthless certificates,” Alvin stated.
Calling attention to the decline in the quality of education, Alvin urged parents to focus on skill development alongside formal education. He noted the necessity of practical skills for productivity, highlighting the absence of emphasis on vocational education and the prevalence of bribery in academic settings.
This isn’t an isolated incident. In 2019, another Nigerian graduate similarly burned his certificates, denouncing the conventional notion that academic qualifications guarantee success.
Alvin’s act sheds light on the deep-rooted challenges faced by graduates in Nigeria’s employment landscape, sparking conversations about the country’s education system and its alignment with economic opportunities.
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