Nigeria: A Realm Of Uncelebrated Talents

The Soul of Nigeria (Poem)

Nigeria is a home to shining talents, unfortunately, many talented Nigerians are not getting enough support from the Government, which makes many talents go down the drain, while the remaining ones get exported to other countries for appropriate use.

Hashim Yussuf Amao, Ibadan

 

The talent stream in Nigeria is ceaseless, however, the nonchalance of the Nigerian government towards shining talents has caused mass exodus of talents from the country. An average talented Nigerian now wants to travel abroad by all means, as Nigeria fails to be a fertile land to their talents.

Musa Sani, a 7-year-old boy from Kano state, went viral recently having constructed a replica of Kano state overhead bridge with materials he sourced locally. Thanks to Ronchess Global Resources, a US based construction company who aided the youngster with a scholarship to USA, a 3 bedroom apartment for his siblings, a Million Naira for his mum among other juicy rewards; his talents would have gone uncelebrated like many others.

In the spring of August 2021, A 22-year-old graduate engineer from Utagba-Ogbe Technical College Delta State, Ignatius Asabor arrived Oulu, Finland after he had built a drone. Having noticed for many drones he had built, the young man from Ndokwa, Delta State was rewarded with an offer to work with Radai Limited, a Finland based company who specializes in drone-based environmental and geophysical measurement services. When asked by Punch Newspaper, “How do you feel when talents like yours are hardly recognized in your country?” Hear Asabor, whose interest in robotics started at early stage of 9, “I feel really bad. I tried so many times and as hard as I could (to get help). (I have got) so many types of promises but I have never received any support from the government. As a student, I showcased several street flights in public to survive and to save money for my innovations. He further added, “I was disappointed no support came my way before Finland-based firm employed me”

For how long talents would be unappreciated in Nigeria is a question that continues to beg for answer. On March 20, 2020, Billyhadiat Taofeeqoh, a young talented Mandala Artist from Ibadan Oyo State had an interview with BluePrint Newspaper, (one of the top Newspapers in the country) on her journey to Mandala Designs among other questions. Replying on how the Government should support her fellow talented Mandala Artists, the Ibadan-based artist said, “A lot of people still think of art as something people do when they are bored, they just don’t get what it is. Here, people wonder why anyone will sell or buy a piece of art for Thirty thousand naira, which  pretty much explains how the government has not been investing in it. The government should do better by funding, investing and supporting events, regardless of what people feel about it.”

Olajide Qudus is another young talented writer from Epe, Lagos State. He is just 19-year-old and have written 4 brilliant novels, but all unpublished due to financial incapability. Speaking on why talented writers like him needs government support, the 100L medical student of University Of Lagos said, “Nigeria is yet to utilize the full potential of its literary sector. The writing field gets more congested, as more writers are being made, despite the existing ones like me and many others out there, suffering publishing hunger. While there are renown literary writers who have been able to inscribe their feet in the sand of time, the absence of support has left many young talented writers behind the ball – they’d write the books and have to keep to themselves due to financial impotency. I believe that if the government can set up a platform for creative young writers, it will not only promote the country’s economy, but also help many talented writers like myself to reach their goals.”

Many talented footballers in Nigeria have had their hopes cast aside as they could no longer chase their footballing dreams, no thanks to the Government insouciance towards their plights. Bamgbose Abdullateef is a football coach and talent manager affiliated with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). He’s also the CEO of CATALAN SPORTS LIMITED a football agency company. Speaking on the scads of talents that abound in Nigeria and the need for the Nigerian Government to take meaningful action towards supporting them, he posited, “Nigeria is blessed with so many talents in football, but the problem is there has not been any formidable platform to showcase their talent, unlike Europe where scouting programs help discover talents.

Also, favoritism where coaches select their own rather than the best. The government should have better and ideal sporting facilities in all the 774 LGA around the government. The government and private bodies should endeavor to develop our leagues to certain standard like it happened in the advanced world, with this more people will be attracted to our leagues. Our talents will be appreciated this way.”

Pathetically, “Nigeria kills talent” is a notion maintained by many Nigerians, like the Nigerian Female Football Player, Anthonia Abisola who played for the Nigerian -Team, Ratels FC Abuja. About the adverse effect of the Nigeria situation on her talent, the young talented female footballer said in an interview with the Zikoko on January 19, 2021 , “The thing is that I’m not ready to play for Nigerian teams. If I see an agent that is serious with securing my future, I’ll consider leaving Ekiti (State). I’m not ready to play for Nigerian teams. I want to go to university and play football at the same time. And we both know that’s not possible in this country, so I’ve actively started looking for athlete’s scholarship outside Nigeria. I have to leave for the sake of my  talent BECAUSE THIS COUNTRY KILLS TALENT”

It is a saddening fact that talented footballers in the country seek every possible means to leave the country. According to a recent FIFA report, Nigerian clubs sold 1,904 players in international transfers in the last decade report ranked Nigeria 17th in the world and first in Africa for volume of players’ movement in the decade. Reason being the players’ search for greener pasture, as the clubs these talented players plays for owe them backlogs of unpaid salaries. On 12 Jan, 2022: Heartland players of Owerri (Imo State) took to street demanding that the Government should pay their 11 months salary. On March 30, 2021, Sunshine Stars of Akure (Ondo State) also protest unpaid six month upside salaries by the state government. Sadly to state that this has been a long practice, that on September 22 2014, Kaduna Utd players of Kaduna State also protested non-payment of their 12 months salary. When Nigeria will start appreciating their is a skittish scoreline no one could predict.

The entertainment talent in Nigeria is one that has been lauded over the years. In 2019, a 19-year-old Rema had his song, Iron Man on ex-president Barack Obama’s summer play list. Love Nwatinti by CKay is currently making waves round the globe; it’s now the world’s most ‘Shazamed’ song and has been rendered in over many languages. Were It not for the titular clash of Singer Burna Boy’s “Ye” with Kanye West’s in 2018, most likely, he wouldn’t have been globally noticed at the time he went global. Since the clash in the title of their songs shot the Port Harcourt-born songster to global sight, his streaming numbers have skyrocketed across streaming platforms. And just 2 years after, he went on to win the Grammy Award, being the first Nigerian to do so on a personal project. Unfortunately, there are many unheard BurnaBoys in the Nigerian industry.

As a result of unmerited efforts, many unappreciated talented Nigerians have navigated their way into bad acts like gambling, drug peddling and cybercrime. In 2021 FBI cybercrime report, Nigeria rank 16th in The International Cybercrime Report. Many youths who engage in fraud or other illegal practices can channel their energy towards productive activities, if they had gotten necessary support from the Government.

With the uptick in the number of talented citizens moving abroad for exploration, it has become imperative that the Nigerian Government empowers home-grown talents. Lest the best brains in academic, health, technology, football and entertainment will continue to run to the abroad where they gravitate towards juicy rewards.

Hashim Yussuf Amao holds certificates in Journalism. He is an outstanding writer from Ibadan whose works have appeared on all Newspapers in Nigeria.

https://muckrack.com/hashim-yussuf-amao

hashimlegalbard@gmail.com

+2347067797972

Twitter Page: @LegalBard

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Facts Verification

Paragraph 2 Musa Sani: https://thenationonlineng.net/unknown-at-home/

Viral Tweet on Ronchess Global

 

Paragraph 3: Igniatus Asabor: https://punchng.com/i-was-disappointed-no-support-came-my-way-before-finland-based-firm-employed-me-nigerian-drone-maker-asabor/%3famp

Paragraph 4 Taofeeqah Billyhadiat: https://www.blueprint.ng/six-questions-for-adeola/

 

Paragraph 6: Talent Manager Bamgbose Lateef affiliation link to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) website: https://www.thenff.com/nigeria-football-federation-list-of-intermediaries/

Paragraph 7, Female Footballer Anthonia:

A Week in the Life: The Nigerian Female Footballer Nursing Abroad Dreams

 

Paragraph 8:

  1. Fifa report on Nigerians moving abroad: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/484238-analysis-why-nigerian-footballers-prefer-obscure-foreign-leagues-to-npfl.html

 

  1. Nigerian Footballers protesting backlogs of Unpaid Salaries

Heartland players protest 9 months unpaid salaries

 

https://www.channelstv.com/2021/03/30/sunshine-stars-players-protest-unpaid-salaries/

 

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/kaduna-utd-players-protest-non-payment-12-months-salary/amp/

 

Pictorial: Heartland players protest 11-month unpaid salaries

 

 

Paragraph 9:

  1. Rema On Obama List: https://punchng.com/nigerian-singer-rema-makes-obamas-summer-playlist/
  2. Ckay Dominating Global scene : https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/ckay-love-nwantinti-tik-tok-1231221/

iii. BurnaBoy Titular Clash: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/entertainment/music/271118-kanye-wests-album-boosts-burna-boy.html

A tweet from Burna Boy acknowledging it: https://twitter.com/burnaboy/status/1003673428455575556?t=Olo2amuyxe4wMnZg0ODjaw&s=19

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