A 27-year-old scholar, Ayomide Alokun, staged a protest to call attention to his unemployment despite holding multiple academic degrees, a video that has since reignited debate about joblessness among highly educated youths.
In the clip, Alokun carries a placard declaring that he holds a BSc and MSc in Political Science and a PhD in International Relations, yet remains without work. He also notes that he received national recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic for distributing palliatives while serving as a corps member.
The footage quickly circulated online and prompted a flurry of reactions about unemployment, underemployment and the challenges graduates face in finding work.
Some social media users questioned why Alokun would still be waiting for government employment given his qualifications. X user @Reels_Xtra wrote, “How do you have a PHD degree without having skills and knowledge to create opportunity? This is what happens when you don’t read books in school but keep sorting and passing always. Half bagged PHD HOLDER. Tinubu Government isn’t problem.”
Others urged graduates to pursue entrepreneurship and self-development rather than relying on public-sector jobs. @Jaheem_Official asked why anyone would spend years studying only to await a government position, adding that people sometimes blame the state for things they could address themselves. @RichardTradess echoed that stance: “Youths need to rewire their mind with all these looking for Job sh*t. Learn a skill and build yourself. Learn a SKILL.”
Conversely, some commenters blamed the broader economy and dwindling job opportunities. @oluoftrades wrote that spending years in school without an assured job is “really terrible,” while @Lairdphoenix27 warned that the influx of graduates into an already saturated labour market is “miserable.” @DUwandulu said the situation helps explain why many young Nigerians are losing faith in the system, arguing that education should create opportunities, not hopelessness.
Another user, @tidimjones, suggested that intelligent individuals are often overlooked by the political class and that government officials tend to favor action-oriented personalities over critical thinkers.
The online responses were mixed, reflecting a wider national conversation over whether the educational system still delivers employment prospects for its graduates.
Watch video here.
