NSIP: A dirge on the NPower programme

From Onyekachi Onye-Ndu

When the programme was introduced in 2016, those in the teaching component took it very seriously (majority of them not all). They saw it as an avenue to get recruited fully into full teaching staff having searched for jobs for many years, some three, others five and so on. 

Some got on-board into the programme at age 35 when it was difficult to get a job at 35 in Nigeria. 

You see government recruitment stating ages of not above 29 in Nigeria while private organisations wants new intake to be 25 with ten years working experiences. ( I wonder how someone would get such working experience when he graduated from the university at age 29 and some at 32 and 34 respectively having sat for WASSC and JAMB three consecutive times each or even more. 

I mean, how do you gain experience without working? 

Those that secured the NPower job at 35 are now 39 while those that got the job as single men and women are now happily married couples with kids to show for it. 

I recall when we came on-board in 2016. Some of us of who were singles then are now married with kids. We often call the kids _NPower babies_  because they were born during the time of the programme.

Sadiyat Farouq, Disaster Minister 

A couple I know are or as at today June 2, 2020, were both beneficiaries of the programme. Both of them are now unemployed with two kids to cater for. 

Hmmm! We look up to God.

Some send monthly allowances to their aged parents, that too has been put on halt till when they secure another legitimate source of income.

According to a former NPower Teacher Mr Jacob Onaiwu:

"During the NPower debacle, those who were willing to help kept saying, government will regularise you people, "we all started like this", " put in your best in this one so that you will be recommended ".... If I had been perfectly jobless, gaskiya, I would have got something better...because my complaints would have triggered something better.....frustration brings inspiration"

From the above statement by him, he is very right.

 I recall on my way to work on raining morning in June 2019, I was running away from the rain into a shield for cover when I ran into a secondary school class mate of mine who saw two note books with me. (lesson notes for SS2 amd SS 3 classes I used to teach before the termination of programme on June 30, 2020.)

NPower volunteers 

Our conversation was thus:

 Guy long time..

Me: How you dey now?

Him: I dey oh, you be teacher?

Me: Yes oh, and I'm enjoying it now.

Him: Hmmn. Government or private?

Me: Government oh.

Him: NPower shey? Because no young teacher dey school except NPower.

Me: Yes NPower 2016 Batch A.

Him: Guy you be mumu, so you dey go work? NPower na free money na. I be Batch A too but I no dey go work. I get work elsewhere them no go absorb you no waste your time go look for work somewhere while you continue to dey collect the free money from federal.

Me: Hmmmn. Make I dey go, I don late already, we go see later.

Mr Afolabi Imoukhede, Presidential aide on Facebook Live chat

From the above conversation, was he correct by calling me a "mumu"? Time will tell. I'm sure when I come across him now he would say he was right, indeed he seems to be right if nothing is done.

A dirge is a sorrowful song. It's usually written to mourn the dead, no one is dead but Edo NPower Teachers are mourning, we put in our all, yes we did. Four years gone just like that, hmmmm!. 

Should I say "had I known"?_ Only time will tell. With this, will the Batch C be serious? Time will tell.

How do we start all over again? Some of us are close to 40, it's herculean for a 40 year old to get a job in Nigeria, well, only time will tell. 

Everyone is now singing entrepreneurship, how do we do that? Without grants? Now they are sending us back to the unemployment market without grants for start up or even absorbing those of us that were religious and meticulous to duties. Time shall tell.

 The book of Psalms 21:1 says: The heart of the king is in the hands of the Lord, and like a running water he does with it the way he pleases.

 ```Keep the courage on guys.``` 

Onyekachi Onye-Ndu, a former NPower volunteer Batch A writes from Edo State