TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

~ MBM, a concerned academic colleague.

You finished serving your nation under the NYSC scheme and returned home after the one year mandatory “sacrifice” for your country. 

📕📖📰📓📑📒📔📚

You are now at a cross road on what to do next with your life. Although because you made a First-class, you had a bias for the academic sector but was confused on how to start. 

Suddenly, a miracle call came through. Your undergraduate University through your Department reminded you of her tradition of retaining her best brains; which implies, the First-class grads. 

Excitedly, you jumped at the unique opportunity to kick-start your academic career without stress as the employment was automatic, and without an interview in most cases. This offer was so crucial for you, as not many graduates could boast of a six digit first salary just 2 months after their service year. 

“Blessed are you”, everyone kept saying, and you couldn’t but appreciate how fate smiled at you so early, especially when you are aware that Nigeria's job market shrinks on a daily basis and has no respect for grades. 

 

Then you won an international scholarship to pursue a postgraduate degree abroad.

Your Department and the University were so proud of you as they felt that their investment had paid off! “The young promising lad we gave a chance is shining bright and would soon get some international exposure to the betterment of the University at large”, they rejoiced. 

To show their commitment to have you back after your studies, they offered you a “study leave with pay” for the length of time you will be away. Apart from the fact that it is often one of the benefits of being an employed academic, it is also meant to encourage you to return as it is very clear that they need your acquired expertise to improve the quality of teaching and research in your Department. 

You accepted the “study leave with pay” offer as it was mouth-watering and attractive. “How many companies in Nigeria would pay me in absentia? This is a fantastic benefit as a Nigerian academic”, You said to yourself.

On reaching your destination abroad, you suddenly discovered that the socio-economic conditions of your country were nothing to write home about. You also discovered how uninspiring the teaching and research atmosphere is in Nigeria institutions. The state-of-the-art facilities, learning environment, cutting edge research projects,  internet connectivity, uninterrupted power and ease of transportation lured you sweetly into realising that you deserve better as a young academic than the “shitty” conditions in your home university. 

Then you took a decision. 

“To hell with them! I won't ruin my blossoming career by returning to that shit-hole country called Nigeria. God has brought me here and here will I remain. My university will employ other First-class grads to take my place. I ain't going anywhere!”, you bolstered to anyone who cared to listen. 

Then you stopped updating your social media accounts because you know your lecturer colleagues will ask questions. You go deliberately mute online and stop responding to messages from your Department and University. 

In short, you disappeared. 

And after paying you in absentia for the length of time of your study, the University has suddenly lost everything. The asset they thought they were investing into; the future they thought they were securing by employing young minds (in-bred products) is now gone with the wind. “This is so disappointing; our expectations have been cut short”, they mutter sadly. 

 

You then get a good job abroad, raise a family and start doing well for yourself and everyone starts calling you an inspiration.

No Sir. 

No Ma. 

You are NOT an inspiration. 

You are an ingrate! 

There is nothing inspiring about your story for those who know the truth about you. 

How do you sleep at night? 

You signed a Bond with your University. Even collected their salary all these years in absentia yet, you did not fulfil your part of the bargain neither did you return their money back. You sat abroad and hope they will forget. In 20 years time, when the consequences of your legal crimes come for you, you will then say village people are after you. They hate a successful man or woman.

It is because of people like you, that those after you, are suffering bitterly. Are you even aware that your decision could ruin similar opportunities for your junior colleagues? Did you even think about others or you were so busy thinking about yourself? 

After your service year, when the university job came on a platter of gold, you didn't know you deserved better? The money was good then abi? When they offered to pay you in absentia, you didn't reject it. You “ate” their so-called meagre salary and cleaned your mouth without hesitation. But because you had a fantastic opportunity to travel out, your ethical values were suddenly found wanting. Your desperation is the reason other young grads are suffering today. 

The University is now stricter on your junior colleagues. Senior colleagues are now scared of acting as guarantors for your junior colleagues whom you left behind. You have laid a bad precedence and the mention of your name is often greeted with sadness and regrets. 

How then are you an inspiration? Oh because you now live in a foreign land and snap beautiful pictures? Nobody says your destiny must be tied to your university employer in Nigeria, but YOU MUST DO THE RIGHT THING BEFORE EXITING! 

Because of you, I have had to always defend myself: “I am different, Sir”, I constantly reply whenever a sceptical senior academic accosts me. And it is becoming exhausting because I am indirectly paying for a crime you committed! Nobody trusts the junior academic anymore because of the selfish actions you took without thinking about the consequences. 

Complain about Buhari for all I care, but manipulative ingrates like you should also receive blames for our perishing value system in the country. This is because a young boy will be somewhere looking at your life and hoping to mirror his exactly the way you did yours, thinking it is right.

If this piece describes you in part or in whole, you have a hard restitution to make. You better do it before it will be too late. 

Karma is real. Do not let so-called social media influencers deceive you. There is a reason that term has lasted for centuries. You had better be wise and undo your errors now that you still have the time. 

Yours faithfully,

~ MBM, a concerned academic colleague.

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Originally written on the 1st September 2019