Nigeria: A Country Good At Wasting Talents

7 years ago

Nigeria: A Country Good At Wasting Talents

Mike was a student in the school where my dad used to be a principal. In 2006, 16 year old Mike took the WAEC and JAMB

Mike selected University of Benin as first choice, and Delta State University as second choice. After the post UME examination which he also cleared in flying colours, UNIBEN refused to admit him for Medicine because his father could not afford the N300,000 bribe that was requested. He decided to opt for a less competitive course, Microbiology, yet he was still asked for a N70,000 bribe. As practising Christians, his parents also refused to pay the lower amount, even though they could afford it, because bribing is against their faith.

My dad was heartbroken because he knew this boy and could attest to his academic ability. It was even more painful that everyone who got an offer to study medicine in Uniben that year scored lower than Mike. It was sad to see yet another brain almost become frustrated into wastage by the corrupt Nigerian system.

My dad had taken Mike as a son, so he encouraged him to take the SAT exams, rather than just stay at home for a year doing nothing. Mike registered for the exams and came second in Nigeria. The top three candidates then proceeded to represent Nigeria in a scholarship examination organised in Africa by a body of Ivy League Colleges in the US. Mike came first in the whole of Africa, and got a fully funded eight year scholarship to study Medicine in Harvard University.

He left the country in 2007.

I contacted my dad lately and he informed me that Mike had just graduated from medical school, giving me the inspiration to write this article.

I got to meet many other Mikes throughout my years of studying outside Nigeria. Many Nigerian students topped their classes in my engineering school. A classmate of mine at University graduated with a First Class, while also being the overall best Aerospace Engineering student in my set. She went ahead to the US to study for her Masters, which she completed last year. Another friend graduated from my department a year before I did with a First Class, and as the overall best graduating student in Mechanical Engineering department, also with four academic awards. He did a Masters and also finished with a Distinction. My cousin who has just finished his Masters with a Distinction also graduated two years ago with a First Class and as the overall best student, with two academic awards.

You would not understand exactly how intelligent young Nigerians are till you step your foot onto some foreign Universities. Many of these students would never have been able to shine if they had remained in Nigerian higher institutions.

The thing about corruption and a messed up system is that the repercussions are usually instantaneous. We’ve got a basket full of problems in Nigeria.

Our educational institutions are like time bombs, the health institutions are accidents waiting to happen, the judiciary give nothing close to justice, and our government is a circle of doom. Nigeria is falling deeper into sinking sand and only Nigerians can rescue her.