Daud Olatunji
In a shocking act of frustration and disappointment, a Graduate of Ajayi Crowther University, Olutimain Ilenre, took to social media to burn his academic certificates, including his Bachelor of Arts and National Youth Service Corps certificates among others, as a symbolic protest against the prolonged unemployment he has faced for over 13 years.
The five minutes 41 seconds video, which quickly went viral, shows the frustrqted graduate setting fire to his educational achievements, including his NYSC certificate, primary school certificate, university diploma and and JAMB certificates.
In the video, obtained by PLATFORM TIMES on Monday,during the act, he passionately expressed his disillusionment with the education system and the job market in Nigeria.
The graduate of History and International Studies’ rationale for burning his certificates stemmed from his belief that having academic qualifications in Nigeria was becoming increasingly irrelevant.
He claimed that every job he had secured did not require his educational background and that he had to compete for employment with individuals who had not pursued formal education.
In his emotional outburst, the graduate stated, “What is the essence of the certificate? Any certificate you have in this country becomes useless immediately you travel out, and you’ll be advised to relearn something, so why are you having this rubbish?”
He further argued that even in high positions like the presidency, individuals could forge certificates, suggesting that academic qualifications had little impact in the country.
His frustration culminated in the burning of his certificates as a symbolic act of protest against the system.
He also urged fellow Nigerians to consider vocational training and learning skilled trades as a more practical and valuable alternative to traditional education.
The video has sparked a debate on social media, with many expressing their sympathies for the graduate’s plight, while others question the effectiveness of such a dramatic protest.
This incident highlights the deep-seated issues in Nigeria’s education and employment sectors, where a significant number of educated individuals face unemployment or underemployment despite their qualifications.
It also serves as a stark reminder of the importance of addressing these challenges to provide opportunities for the country’s young and educated population.
Meanwhile, the statement of the graduate is hereby reproduced “I want to burn my certificates. I graduated from school 13 years ago, in fact, it’s almost 14 years now. I swear to God I have not used my NYSC certificate.
“Can you see it? This is my NYSC certificate, it’s my original certificate, it’s minted. This is the school I graduated from, can you see it?
“That’s my university. Now, this is my primary school, Command Children’s School. It’s now Lungi Barracks, formerly Kaduna School Barracks. In fact, my JAMB certificate is useless.
“Why do I want to burn them? It’s been 13 years, and I swear, every job I’ve ever done required me to apply alongside uneducated people. So what’s the essence of these certificates?
“I want to burn them all because having a certificate in this country seems like a waste of time.
“Any certificate you have here becomes useless as soon as you travel abroad, and you’ll be advised to relearn something.
“So why bother with these? Even to be the president now, you can forge a certificate.
Look at this, my laminated NYSC certificate. This is my primary school certificate. Why shouldn’t I burn them? I’m not just talking, you can see it.
“There’s no reason to go to school in this country. I even advise you to see my face. In this country, it’s better to learn a trade, I’m telling you the truth. What’s most frustrating is that the person I’m currently begging for employment was my friend in primary school who didn’t go to a university, and this is after 13 good years. I graduated from school in 2010, served this nation, and finished the NYSC program.
“You can check the number; it’s still laminated. I don’t want to curse Nigeria, but as it stands, the country curses itself.
“Educated people have to drag petty work with the uneducated. It’s been 13 years since I finished school, and I still haven’t found a good job. That’s why I choose to burn these certificates now.
” For the past week, I’ve been battling insomnia, unable to sleep because I’ve been thinking about the fact that every job I’ve done didn’t require my certificate.
“I get the same pay as illiterates who didn’t go to school. Get a trade instead.
“Our parents used to try to scare us by saying they’d take us to electrician shops to learn as if it’s a punishment. It’s not a punishment to learn a trade. I’m really angry. I have now burnt the certificates.
“The bottom line is that everyone should learn handcrafts, preferably, take your children to learn a trade if you’re a parent.
“In this country, we have a president with a Chicago case, and we all know the truth about that case.
“He’s still the president, and we all claim to have certificates as if it makes any difference. I’ve burnt them all, and you can see it in this video. Maybe I’ll find closure from this.
“For like one week now, I can’t sleep. I would always pick up my file with sadness and say, ’13 years I’ve graduated from the university, did my NYSC from 2010-2011, and till today, all my formal education has been of no use as I’ve never gotten a job with it. I might as well continue with the illiterate jobs since all my certificates have been of no use in this country. Nonsense.'”
NOTE : Some corrections were made to the statement especially where he used pidgin English .
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