NOBODY EVER TOLD ME THE TRUTH...

We live in a world that is fast changing, and for my Generation, we were not prepared for what was coming.

We grew up raised by Parents without much Education, so they swore to themselves that their Children would do better than they did educationally, and to be fair, we did. We were told; face your books, go to the University, get good grades, then you will get a good job and become successful in life. So that's what we did, whether we liked it or not. Why is it that most of us are not doing better than them even when they were our age?

Many of us thought life would be that easy, so when things did not go as planned, we still chose the easier path; find someone to blame. Most youths wake up today and blame the Government for everything that is happening to them. They believe they have done their part; they went to the University and came out with a First Class Certificate, automatically they should get a high paying job that can afford them a car, a house and start a family. Indeed!

We were born into a world where routines were the order of the day. You wake up in the morning, prepare and go to school. Your parents also go to their 9 to 5 jobs. Most of them work for the Government. You come back in the evening and start home lessons again. During holidays, you go for Summer Lessons. Subconsciously, we are being wired into a life of routines, that's why we think the only way to be successful and satisfied is to get a 9 to 5 job. All we knew how to do was gather knowledge, nobody deemed it necessary for us to learn how to use it. They believed we would learn on the job, but where is the job?

Boom! Here comes the Internet. Nobody saw that coming, our Parents and Teachers did not see that coming. It hit us like a moving Train and cleared everything in its path. We were not prepared for that. The Economy started changing, but it was filled with youths that were not prepared for that change. Most of them did not know how to adapt to that change. The Government is still run by our Parents' Generation, which for most of them, change is too late. The Globe was left in a dismal state. Now, what do we do?

We all know the saying; 'survival of the fittest'. It did not just start today, it has always been that way. Most of us think of survival of the 'fittest' as survival of the 'strongest'. Yes! But in most cases, we are wrong.

Survival is more of being able to adapt to changes in your Environment. Change is constant, so whether we like it or not, change will come. We must be ready to adapt to it when it comes. Most times, survival is not measured by how strong you are, but how flexible you can be. In battle, not all the time does the strongest win. We must be formless like Water, penetrating through every corner and crevices, leaving our mark in the process. We must not let any embargo stop us from reaching our Goal.

The Economy is changing to a more digital market, what are most youths doing to adapt to it? The Economy of China and South Korea is based majorly on Tech, and the youths are the drivers of their Economy. In Nigeria, most young people still believe in the orthodox way of doing things. They still do things the way their Parents told them to do it. That is; go to school and get a good job. I am not advocating rebellion, I am just saying, as young people, we should be able to think outside the box. We should be able to evaluate our Environment and determine how we can fit-in perfectly.

The Internet did not only disrupt the Economy, it brought with it a lot of benefits. Away from the traditional way of studying, we can do a lot of courses online for free or just with a little token from the comfort of our Bed, which will make us Standout as a professional in our chosen field.

There are numerous avenues to make money online. We do not have to do things the traditional way. Some Companies nowadays offer remote job opportunities, where you do not have to be in the office to do your job. Whenever you can and wherever you are, you can still do your job once you are connected to the Internet. This fosters flexibility and increases productivity. There are numerous businesses online that you can take advantage of with no or low capital. Isn't this great? All you have to do is search for the ones that best suit you and do it from the comfort of your Bed. You can also promote your traditional business online and get customers demanding for your products globally.

The Internet brings a Global Economy that is not limited by National or Intercontinental borders. It has helped to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, and also foster the transition from the Old to the New World.

I have talked about an Economy that is changing without the youth being prepared for the change. I pointed out the little changes we can make to adapt to the situation. Now, I will like to talk about the Citizens of a Country, adapting to Global trends without their Country being ready for them.

Many Countries have changed from the status of a Developing Country to an Under-developed Country especially in Africa. So many other Countries like Canada, have taken the advantage of the Internet and Technology to build their Country and their Economy. They provided an avenue for their youths to research and learn about Technological trends, and as well created an Economy that accommodates Technological development. They as well welcome skilled professionals from all over the world to promote development through diversity of opinion.

Corruption and myopic leadership has crippled many Economies and left their citizens in a state of distress. So many youths nowadays are trying to make their impact both locally and Internationally. Many of them put in extra work and resources into personal development and skill acquisition, whereas, the Economy of their Country is not ready to absorb them. This makes these Countries to loose Manpower to other Countries who value their skills and are ready to harness it for them. How can the Economy of a Country grow if her youths keep leaving in search of greener pasture?

It would be totally unfair to put all the blame on the Government. Most SMEs (which are the backbone of the Economy), are reluctant to implement new Technologies and work patterns like remote employment, into their growth policy, whereas, these are inevitable concepts for the new generation of workforce.

Tracing the problem back to its roots, Government also has failed in that it has refused to change the educational curriculum from how it has been before Technological explosion, to fit in to the demands of the Economy nowadays. Countries like India, have implemented STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) into their curriculum from the grassroots in order to encourage their upcoming generation to be interested in Science and Technology and also become innovative, right from a tender age.

I do not believe that all hope is lost. I strongly believe in a better tomorrow. I believe that if every individual starts small from their own corner, we will make a big difference in the end. We do our best without waiting for the next person for approval, that is the only way we can make a change. CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME!!!

Signed: Goodness Babatunde.