THE WAHALA OF A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS WORKING EXPERIENCE

Hello guys, hope you all doing good? First of all, let me wish all my readers Happy New Year. It is my prayer that next year by this time God would have granted you all your heart desires in Jesus name. Amen. It’s been a while. I was busy cooking something up for you. I started writing this message on 14th. October, 2015 but due to the situation I was in I had to postponed the writing to another time even though the atmosphere was conducive. On 9th. October, 2016, the situation was much better and the atmosphere was also conducive so I decided to continue with the writing. In today’s message, I decided to come up close and personal. So enjoy while it last because I might not do it again depending on the outcome of today’s message or response from my readers. AS USUAL, THE IDEA BEHIND MY MESSAGES IS TO MOTIVATE MY READERS AND TODAY’S MESSAGE IS NOT AN EXCEPTION. SO DON’T GET ME WRONG AND THINK THAT I’M COMPLAINING TOO MUCH AND POURING OUT MY FRUSTRATIONS TO MEN INSTEAD OF POURING THEM OUT TO GOD OR SAY I SHOULD DO LESS TALKING AND DO MORE PRAYING TO GOD. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I’VE DONE THAT ALREADY AND MY PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED. SO THE WAHALA IS ‘PASSCO’ NOW AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE IT AS A FORM OF TESTIMONY AND ALSO TO MOTIVATE MY READERS. SO PLEASE DON’T GET IT TWISTED. THANK YOU. As usual the inspiration for today’s message came to me some few weeks after I published the message entitled WHAT IS LOVE??? But this inspiration came in a different form from the usual way. Normally before I write, something happens to me before to make me feel either angry or sad and in a way of pouring out those emotions I write it all out of me. This is the main source of my motivational messages. This is not the best of form of inspiration but that has been fueling my writings over the years. This is my seventh year in blogging. I’m still young in blogging and hope to achieve more before I quit. Yeah there is time for everything and a time is coming that I can no longer publish again but until then lets enjoy what the good Lord Jesus Christ has given us. I got the inspiration for today’s message from a friend. His name is Mr. Steward Osei Bawuah. He is the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Childlift Aid Foundation. He formed a Whatsapp group for the foundation and asked me to share my experience in teaching and how it will help the foundation on the group page with the group members but little did he know that these days I struggle to write and that something will have to happen to me first (either good or bad) before I can write which was not the best. In view of this I couldn’t honor his request but it triggered today’s message for it to flow out of my spirit hence my reason for acknowledging him. I was sitting in my room one afternoon so exhausted after moving from one office to the next dropping application letters for job which was not fruitful after all the effort then I started pondering over what the C.E.O. asked me to do wondering how I could use it to motivate people. After hours of brainstorming I got something to share with you guys. I wanted to wait till I get a full time job or a contract before I start writing today’s message but a Whatsapp message from a Senior High School classmate of mine by name Miss Georgina Agonyo touched me and made me feel sad (the right mode for me to write) forcing me to start writing the message on 14th. October, 2015. I’m using the word forcing because when the atmosphere for my writing is created and I don’t write most of the time I forget the stuffs I want to write. Sometimes I don’t get them back and end up writing something different. I don’t know where she had the message from but big ups to whoever composed it. I will like to share that message with you before I proceed with today’s message because that is part of the motivation for today’s message. Before I share the message I would like to acknowledge Mr. Obed Adukonu and Miss Edith Mantey for helping me retrieve the Whatsapp message after I lost the message due to one year and some days interval between the first part of the writing and the second part of the writing.

I am sharing this message because it is what inspired me to start writing today’s message on 14th.October, 2015 instead of the initial plan of starting to write it after I get a job. I had been in the house for four months and was going through a lot of disappointments, frustrations, worries and sadness (WAHALA) although it was just four months of joblessness. For instance, the advance of my single room was going to expire on 29th. January, 2016. We were in October, 2015 and I still had no job. How then do I pay for the advance not to talk of the monthly utilities? I couldn’t count the number of jobs I had applied for but countable number of interviews yielding no results because of A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS WORKING EXPERIENCE IN THAT JOB LEAVING ME WITH AN OPTION OF JOINING THE ASSOCIATION OF UNEMPLOYED GRADUATE WHICH I REFUSED TO. MY QUESTION WAS WHO SHOULD GIVE ME THE TWO YEARS WORKING EXPERIENCE? Some friends were also not picking my calls anymore because they knew the guy was calling to borrow money while he was drowning in a pool of debts and they were tired of it. Some ladies also turning down my proposals because they thought the guy was a broke ass nigga and to crown it all jobless leaving me to think of staying a bachelor for good which I refused to. I can’t share all the disappointments, frustrations, worries and sadness (WAHALA) with you today otherwise I will not be able to start today’s message. One thing I know for sure is that it is well in Jesus name and that with God nothing is impossible. I didn’t seek comfort or face reality by drinking alcohol or taking drugs. How then did I deal with all the disappointments, frustrations, worries and sadness (WAHALA)? You will find out at the end of my message. Although I had a part time teaching job that I use to do but the income was nothing to write home about hence the reason why I didn’t consider it as a job. You just imagine spending all your income from a job on transportation with nothing to save at the end of the month. Should you fall sick which money will you use to go to the hospital? Again imagine that you are renting a single room. Which money will you use to pay your rent and the utility bills? This was just some scenarios. Well, I will leave the rest for you to ponder on. I believe your question now will be why I was still doing the part time job? Well, you will find out by the end of my message. Now to the message I want to share. When I received this message, I felt the author was writing about me because everything in the message was exactly what I was going through in life at that moment. I was so touched and sad at the same time. The exact mode (right situation or atmosphere that allows me to write a lot out of my spirit) for my writing.

This was the message my Senior High School classmate shared and I quote “The most difficult age for any man should be between 24 and 29 years, the pressure to be someone important is so immense. When you look around you everyone seems to be doing something for themselves, people seem to be living a life you only dream of. You have applied for jobs and the results have been more disappointing than you ever imagined. Sadly this is the age when most guys lose it, the age when if not careful, one is consumed by alcohol or drugs, because the disappointments become too much and you find alternative ways to face reality. Worse is when a few people you studied with have been lucky enough to land good jobs, soon your circle of friends gets thinner; mostly they don’t even cut you out directly but you are real with yourself and cut yourself off. Soon you realize this is no longer your kind of crowd because the more you stay around, the greater the pressure to be someone important takes a toll on you. Have you ever sat in a group of people discussing the new iPhone on the market or how British Airways offer shit services and you can feel your heart whisper to you “You don’t fit in here”. But after a few years of job hunting, you are now ready to take anything even if is to smell a rich man’s farts as long as it pays. To imagine that three to four years of studying and getting a degree is now reduced to either picking and dropping off letters or being sent for cheap lunch by the employees. This is when conversations about where people schooled start, you go silent for it’s no longer of any use to say you also reached University, it doesn’t matter; you have resorted to surviving. The worst mistake you can do during this period is to try dating; there is nothing a person going through such times can offer in terms of love. How do you have time for evening romantic talks when you are tired from walking and delivering letters in offices around town? What are you going to tell your lady when she says she wants to go see a movie or go for dinner with you? Will you say that your financial religion doesn’t allow it or what? This is the age when you sit back and watch as the ladies you would want to be with dating or getting married to guys 10years older than you. And you can’t blame them; it’s only that your life seems to progressing slower than their goals in life. Most of the ladies you meet during this period, if you are lucky will be patient with you till you hit 28years and if by then your life is still in disarray like Sunderland’s performance in the English Premier League for the 2016/2017 football season then my friend, be prepared for a walk out.”

I agree with everything this writer said and as you’ve seen in the above, I’ve had my fair share of the cake. The bone of contention for today’s message is WORKING EXPERIENCE. So let me share with you how I acquired my WORK EXPERIENCE, the kind of jobs I applied for, secured and how much experience I acquired in those jobs I secured. As I said earlier, I was in the house for four months without a full time job or a contract. I had applied for so many jobs with about 70% of them being teaching jobs and 30% being Information Technology jobs. I had countless number of calls for interviews for teaching jobs I applied for but countable number of interviews for Information Technology (I.T.) jobs. Don’t jump the gun thinking that it was because I applied for more teaching jobs than Information Technology jobs. Work Experience was the reason. I had more experience in teaching jobs and zero experience in I.T. related jobs. This was due to the fact that I taught before I started my tertiary education and also during my long vacations from the university. I taught for five months in a primary school before I got admission to the University. Also before every long vacation, I normally take internship letters from the university and send them to schools preferably Junior High Schools seeking for permission to teach at their school during the long vacation as a form of internship for me. Each internship lasted for two months. I wanted to teach for a while after my tertiary education and then go back to school to do my masters. That was my plan way back in level 200 before I completed the university but as the Holy Bible says, man plans but God disposes. After tertiary, I was posted to the same university which I completed to do my national service as a teaching assistant. I wanted to teach after school but not at that high level. I still accepted it since it was also teaching and was going to add up to my teaching experience. After one year of national service, I was given a year contract to work still as a teaching assistant which I accepted. Apart from increasing my income, this contract also increased my work experience in teaching. I also got the chance to teach in a Remedial school and an I.T. training school as a part time tutor alongside during this period which gave me more teaching experience. After this contract, I was expecting another one year contract but was told that the government went for an IMF loan and as part of the conditionalities, they were not to employ people into the public sector for certain time frame. My contract ended in June 30th. 2015 and from 1st. July, 2015 I was home without a full time job or a contract. After all these jobs, I realized I had acquired approximately TWO YEARS WORKING EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING and I felt I was ready for the JOB MARKET. Not until I was home for four months after all this EXPERIENCE then I realized that there is more to it than I thought.

I was getting more calls for interviews for teaching jobs I applied for because I had more experience in teaching compared to I.T. related jobs. As I said earlier, I had no working experience in the I.T. related jobs. The few interviews I went for with the I.T. related jobs I couldn’t secure the job because I had no working experience and that is my perception. NOW MY QUESTION IS WHO SHOULD GIVE THIS WORKING EXPERIENCE? SINCE NOBODY IS READY TO TRAIN THE INEXPERIENCED TO GET EXPERIENCE, HOW WILL WE MOVE FORWARD AS A NATION? There is also this perception that when companies train these inexperienced graduate, they will leave for big monies from other companies when the opportunity present itself. Comparing these two perceptions, I think the former outweighs the later from the information I gathered before publishing this message. I had more experience in teaching but why was I not securing the job? The first reason was due to certification as a trained teacher. I was an untrained teacher even though I hold a Bachelor of Science Honors degree in Physics and Computer Science. So the interviewers suggested I pursue Post Graduate in Education and try applying for the job again. This was another reason I couldn’t secure the I.T. related jobs that I went for interviews for. Some employers were looking for Cisco Certified Network Administrator, Oracle Certified Database Administrator and so on, in addition to first degree in Computer Science or Information Technology that the applicant was holding. These certifications were expensive to acquire and could take one a minimum of a year or two to acquire. Here I was with just a first degree in Physics and Computer Science and no experience in I.T. related jobs. I guess you can easily predict the result. The second reason was salary. For a first degree holder, I was expecting a net salary of thousand plus Ghana cedis monthly which these employers were refusing to pay. Some were offering a net monthly salary as low as four hundred Ghana cedis which I found insulting to me. Some were also brave enough to offer as low as five hundred Ghana cedis net monthly salary which I didn’t just understand. I can’t think far. I can’t think madness. The most annoying thing was that some of these employers will tell you that is what every first degree holder is taking home. Well, I am not part of them. I am a special first degree holder among the few who will stay home till that better offer comes along the line. I entered the fifth month and that was November 2015 with situations still the same. Looking at all the experience I had acquired in teaching, I decided to setup my own Home Tuition Company. So I designed some posters and posted them in my area and areas where we had Senior High Schools situated hoping to get calls from Parents interested in my services. My target group here was Senior High School students even though I could teach at all levels from Primary School level, Junior High School level, Senior High School level, International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science to University level (Undergraduate level). For the various subjects I teach, I have all Science, Mathematics and Computer Science or Information Technology (I.T.) or Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T.) courses. I teach Science, Mathematics and Information and Communications Technology at the Primary and Junior High School level, Elective Mathematics, Core Mathematics, Elective Physics, Information and Communications Technology and Integrated Science at the Senior High School level, International Baccalaureate Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Physics and Computer Science courses at the University level (Undergraduate level). This is all possible because of first and foremost God’s grace, secondly my science background and last but not the least my experience. I read General Science in Senior High School and Physics and Computer Science at the University level. Some few days later, I realized my posters were been removed with no call from any parent yet. I became disappointed but didn’t give up. I decided to go out and share my posters to students when they close from school especially senior high school students. I don’t just share the posters but I equally talk to them about the services I offer and how it can help them excel in their WASSCE (West African Senior School Certificate Examination). This went on for some days but still not even a missed call from a parent. I became disappointed again but still didn’t give up. I then decided to share my posters in any public transport I take but still not even a flash from a Parent. I didn’t give up and went ahead to make the announcement of my Home Tuition at Church. I finally got my first call from a parent after the announcement at church. I talked to that parent about my services and how much I charge for my services. They said they will call me later in the week to finalize the deal but never heard from them again. I called that Parent again and was given that same old story. I got three different calls from three different Parents and still the deals were not going through telling me the same story I heard from the first Parent. I later realized that my price tag was above their expectation which was the reason the deals didn’t go through. I have worked with a Home Tuition Company before and felt my price tag was reasonable. These four different calls were as a result of my announcement at church. I was getting more frustrated and disappointed. Still in the fifth month without a full time job or contract, I got a call from a school to come for interview. This reminded me of lectures on campus during my days as an undergrad in the university. Interviews turned into lectures I go for everyday and there was nothing special about it anymore. I became complacent but I was still going for them so I went to this school for the interview. I applied for the position of a Mathematics teacher. Unfortunately, I got to the school and met graduates from the University of Education, Winneba with good amount of WORK EXPERIENCE. I felt I had lost the job already so I should just leave the school premises but the Holy Spirit told me to stay. It got to my turn to be interviewed and I went in. After the interview, I was told to go. They didn’t even say they will call me or you will hear from us. That was when I realized I had truly lost the job. I came home so disappointed. I went to church and was given prophetic directions, I followed them but still the situation was the same. I became desperate so I ended up accepting a five hundred Ghana cedis net monthly salary job offer. A night before I could start that job, I called the General Manager of that institution and asked whether he can increase the salary. He was still adamant and insisted that they can only pay the five hundred Ghana cedis net monthly salary which I remember very well I rejected similar offers some time ago. So I told him I’m sorry and that I am no more interested in the job offer. The WAHALA was becoming too much but I kept on applying for jobs and praying to God to make a way with Kwabena Kwabena’s song Bue Kwan becoming my daily anthem. I still had faith in God that He was going to make a way and grant me a job. I entered the sixth month and that was December 2015 still with no full time job or a contract. I was getting worried thinking about those I borrowed money from and the rent advance for the single room I rented which expires in January 2016. In the second week of December 2015, I had a message from the last school I went for interview. The one I applied for the position of a mathematics teacher and after the interview was told to go without even saying they will call me or that I will hear from them. I read the message and it read ‘You will be engaged in a one year fixed contract to write a quick revision book in your subject area and that I should reply the message to confirm my participation’. They didn’t talk about money in the message but I realized it will be a good package so I replied the message. I got to the school and guess what? One of the University of Education graduates I met during the Interview section secured the job and that he was the new Mathematics teacher for the school. I was also given a fixed one year contract as a Full Time Researcher for the Quick Revision book in the area of Information and Communications Technology (I.C.T.). I signed the contract on 22nd. December, 2015 and the remuneration was 12,000 Ghana cedis. I started writing the book and on 25th. January, 2016, an amount of 2000 Ghana cedis was deposited in my account as part payment of my remuneration. I quickly called my landlord and paid another one year advance for my rent which expires on 29th. January, 2016. I also called all those I was owed and paid all my debts. I became a ‘free man’ again. E.L.’s song Koko became my new daily anthem. Beloved, we serve a living God. The only one who knows the end from the beginning. To Him be glory forever and ever. He holds my every moment. He calmed my raging seas. He walked with me through fire. Healer of my diseases. I trust in You Lord Jesus. Nothing is impossible for You. You hold my world in your hands. I believe You are my Healer. I believe You are all I need. I believe You are my portion. I believe You are more than enough for me. Jesus Christ, You are all I need. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all you could ask of him according to the power that works in us. God is able to do just what He says He will do. He is going to fulfill every promise to you. Don’t give up on God because He won’t give up on you. He is able. God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I just want to say thank you.

I went through this WAHALA for five months. It wasn’t easy but God was faithful. I don’t know what you are going through as you read this message. You can be a degree holder like me without a job. May be your joblessness started after National Service or a job or two after National Service like me. As a motivator and counselor, I will encourage you to have faith in God, keep on applying for jobs and going for interviews and last but not the least keep on praying to God to make a way for you as He did for me. I stayed home for five months with no full time job or contract even though I had some part time jobs which were nothing to write home about since I was spending all the income from those part time jobs on transportation and utility bills with nothing left to save at the end of the month. So then why was I still doing those part time jobs? You will find out at the end of today’s message. I stayed home for just five months but you might have stayed home for more than five months. I know some of you have stayed home for a year without a job. Some have even stayed home for two years without a job contemplating whether it was a good idea to further your education to the University or just a waste of precious money and time? Well, I think you will be in the best position to answer that but if you were to ask for my opinion, I think it was a good idea to further your education to the University level. If you can’t boast of anything, at least you got exposure, experienced different cultures, some change of environment, not to talk of the internships during those long vacations and one year of national service after school. It was a good idea folks, just work hard, pray without season, identify what you are good at which could make you money and I assure you God will make a way. I identified teaching as something I could do well and earn good amount of money. I worked hard and prayed to God. God has done it for me and He can do it for you too. Not forgetting my brothers and sisters from the Polythenics now known as Technical Universities who hold Higher National Diplomas (HNDs), Diplomas and so on who also don’t have jobs after completing national service and have stayed home for God knows how long all because of WORKING EXPERIENCE going through similar WAHALA if not worse than what I went through. I don’t want to sound political but I think our politicians are not to be blamed for this perception by our employers. As I said earlier, I don’t know what you are going through as you read today’s message. The sorrow, the hardship, the pain, the disappointment, the frustration but though the mountains crumble under the oceans rage and war against your soul the devil may wage. Though the tempest has turned your smile outside down and your life like a river of sorrow in which you drown, yet will you stand unshaken for as long as it last. Faithful is He that promised and it shall come to pass. If God be for us, then who can stand against. The God who spoke all the earth into form. He said let there be light, let it be bright. Let there be day, let there be night. Out of the sound of His voice, birds, fish and trees did come. The mountains, they smelt like wax, the hills skip like young calves at the sound of the voice of the God that we serve. Our help in ages past, our hope for years to come. Begin to make this bold confession to God ‘BESIDES THEE OH LORD, WE HAVE NO OTHER GOD. KETSHEPILE WENA FELA. GARENG GA MATLHAMOLA. GARENG GA DITSIETSI. KETSHEPILE WENA FELA. UNGUJEHOVA WENA. ISIPHEPHELO SAM’ NGUWE. UNGUMELUSI WAM’ WENA. UKUTHULA KWAM’ NGUWE. UNGUMTHOKOZISI WENA. UKUPHILA KWAM’ NGUWE. UNGENZEL’ OKUHLE WENA. EL SHADDAI ADDONAI NGUWE. WHEN I THINK OF YOUR GOODNESS AND FAITHFULNESS EACH DAY, I’M CONVINCED IT’S NOT BECAUSE I AM WORTHY TO RECEIVE THE KIND OF LOVE THAT YOU GIVE BUT I’M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR MERCY AND GRACE. IMELA!! IMELA!!! OKAKA, ONYEKERUWA, EZE M OH. ONYEDIKAGI? EKENE DIRI GI, ONYENE MEMA, ONYE NAGWORIA, EBUBE, OMEMA, CHUKWUEBUKA, OGHENE DOH, IGWE, IMELA!!!!!!!’ Have faith in God and make this bold confession as many times as you can. No matter the situation, always say to yourself Hakuna Matata in Jesus name. Amen!!!

Now there is a very essential commodity you also need when you find yourself in this WAHALA and that is faith in God. What is Faith? I am a Christian and allow me to be a little bias and visit the Holy Bible. In the book of Hebrew chapter 11, faith is defined and well elaborated. I take this reading from the New King James Version and I quote “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, "and was not found, because God had taken him"; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command. By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.”(NKJV) I believe you now know what faith is and you are in a good position to practice your faith in God if you haven’t started already. If you are also not clear with any line in the Scripture above or any line in the whole message, just chat with me on Facebook for further clarification. Have faith in God that the WAHALA will end very soon and you will secure that dream job you always wanted.

For the first time in my messages over the years, there will be moral lessons in addition to this message. What are the moral lessons from today’s message? First and foremost, I learnt that your First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) or Diploma is just not enough if you really want to secure your dream job. It is best for you to do some certification or professional courses in addition to your first degree or diploma certificate. Let me site some few examples. For instance, you read a non-education course like Physics and Computer Science, Geography and Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Economics, Mathematics, Business Administration in Accounting for First Degree or Higher National Diploma (HND) in a non-education institutions like University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the various Polythenics in Ghana now called Technical Universities and you will want to teach after school, I recommend that you pursue Post Graduate in Education at any of the University of Education campuses across the country and get that certificate in addition to your First Degree before you start applying for teaching jobs. After your First Degree in a non-education course (Physics and Computer Science, Geography and Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Economics, Mathematics, Business Administration in Accounting etc.), you are recognized as an untrained teacher and when you apply for teaching jobs with that, there are two things involved, either you secure the job and get small salary or you don’t get the job at all. Thus, why I recommended that you pursue Post Graduate in Education and get that certificate in addition to your First Degree. This will not only make you a trained teacher but will also guarantee you a big salary when you apply for the teaching jobs. For those of you looking forward to secure jobs other than teaching like accountant, secretary, database administrator, network administrator and so on, you still need to do some certification or professional courses to be able to secure you dream jobs. For instance, to be employed as an accountant in ‘big’ company, you need to do a professional course like ACCA or ICA in addition to your first degree in Business Administration in Accounting. This will make you a charted accountant and guarantee you a gargantuan salary from that ‘big’ company. To be a Network Administrator in a reputable company, you need to do a professional course in Network Administration in addition to your First Degree in Computer Science or Information Technology (I.T.). This will make you a Cisco Certified Network Administrator and guarantee you a gargantuan salary from that ‘big’ company. So having the work experience is just not enough as these certifications also play a very essential role.

Secondly, I learnt that it is not good to put all your eggs in one basket. Back in level 200 at University of Ghana, I made up my mind to teach after school. In view of this, I did all my internships during the long vacations at different schools hoping to acquire more experience and skills in teaching so that I can apply them when I go and teach after I complete the university. This was a bad decision as I was putting all my eggs in one basket and that was teaching. With my computer science background, I could have done some of my internships in some I.T. companies to acquire some working experience and more skills in I.T. Moreover, I could have also acquired more I.T. skills on my own but I refused to because teaching was all I wanted to do. I could have acquired more I.T. skills by learning a lot things on my own because we weren’t taught everything at my computer science lectures way back at University of Ghana which I still refused to. I got another opportunity to acquire more I.T. skills and to some extent some certifications in I.T. when I got the privilege to be a teaching assistant at the Computer Science Department. Again, I didn’t take this opportunity and spent all my free times teaching Elective Mathematics and Elective Physics at a remedial school called Springboard College formerly known as Genius College. I remember Oracle Company came around those days to organize a workshop to train lecturers and teaching assistant in Database Administration and certificates were awarded after. I also remember I.B.M. Company also came around to organize a similar workshop on both Database Administration and the concept of Big Data on separate occasions after which certificates were awarded again. All these workshops were organized for the Computer Science Department and guess what, it was free of charge. All I needed to do was to take my laptop and go there to participate but I still refused to instead I was busy doing some home tuition for some students in Core Mathematics, Integrated Science, Elective Mathematics and International Baccalaureate Computer Science. I didn’t utilize all these opportunities and let them slip by. I could have setup my own I.T. Company if I had done this and forget about searching for jobs. After going through this WAHALA, I must admit I have my regrets and will encourage all Computer Science undergraduates and graduates across the country to learn a lot of things on their own to acquire more I.T. skills, do a lot internships at I.T. Companies to acquire more working experience in I.T. and last but not the least take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.

Thirdly, I also learnt that in Ghana now, being an Entrepreneur is the best option. Who is an Entrepreneur? According to Encarta Learners Dictionary, an Entrepreneur is somebody who initiates or finances new commercial enterprise. In simple terms, an Entrepreneur is somebody who starts his or her own business. First of all, you have to identify a skill that you have or something you good at. I identified teaching as a skill I had or something I’m good at. Secondly, the source of funding or source of capital to start the business. If you don’t have it, you make plans of how to acquire it. I didn’t need much to start up the home tuition company so I was able to start with the little I had. Thirdly, you go and register the company if you have enough funds but if you don’t have enough funds, you can start the business and later register it. I didn’t have enough funds so I decided to start so that later I go and register it. Fourthly, set a target for yourself. For instance, at the end of three months, I would have made a profit of 1000cedis. Finally, you pray and commit the business into God’s hands so that everything about the business will work out. You are good to go from here. I did all these things and started the home tuition company but as I said earlier, things didn’t work out for a lot reasons. The most outstanding reason why it failed was my price tag which I wasn’t also ready to reduce. As I said earlier, I had worked with a home tuition company before and felt that the charges for my services were moderate enough and didn’t need any adjustment or modification. So I was home till I got the contract I told you earlier on about. Although I wasn’t successful at the first attempt, I have not given up and will give it a try again. Even though I failed at my second attempt as an Entrepreneur, I still think it is the best option which will help you make it in our country now. Why am I saying my second attempt as an entrepreneur? You will find out at the end of the message. These were the moral lessons I learnt from today’s message. What moral lesson did you learn from today’s message? Let me hear from you through my social media handles (Facebook, twitter, Skype etc.) or better still, you can send me an e-mail or use the comment box below. I can’t wait to hear from you.

To draw down the curtains for today’s message, I would like to answer a few questions I posed earlier on. The first question was how I dealt with all the disappointments, frustrations, worries and sadness (WAHALA). Well, I normally play my favorite gospel song on my Laptop and sing alongside. As I sing, I pray alongside intermittently about the WAHALA. After that, I pour out the remnant of the WAHALA by writing it all out of my spirit onto my Laptop. The final product of what I write out of my spirit is the motivational message I publish here. The second question was why I was still doing the part time job knowing very well I got nothing to save at the end of the day. I wanted to first and foremost, gain more skills and experience, secondly, exercise my brain and last but not the least kill the boredomness. I was getting bored staying home every day and wanted to get myself occupied if not for the whole week at least some of the days of the week. The third and final question was why I said my second attempt as an entrepreneur. Well, my first attempt as an entrepreneur was way back in upper primary when my grandmother’s kerosene business collapsed and I took over. I remember borrowing money from her to buy one gallon of kerosene to start the business again on my own. I succeeded in selling the one gallon and even sold two more gallons after. I paid her back and even had a profit of one more gallon. Business was booming those days to the point that even when there was shortage of kerosene at filling stations, I will be having it in excess and selling it a little above the normal price. I normally sell it in coke and beer bottles and roam in town moving from house to house shouting kerosene ooo kerosene hoping to draw attention for people to buy. I made a lot of money to the point of giving my mother some tips when I’m in a good mood. I graduated from upper primary and moved to Junior High School. To cut the long story short, the business collapsed when some girls in my class started giving me attention. I started feeling shy to go and sell the kerosene for the fear that they might see me and I might lose the little swag I’ve acquired. I also spent the rest of my profit on unnecessary things. I was just left with two gallons of kerosene which I later gathered courage to sell it and use the money to go for an excursion organized for Junior High School pupils. This was my first attempt as an entrepreneur and I must admit it was a fun filled adventure that I will always reminisce. This was all the questions I posed earlier on. Talk of questions, if you have any questions concerning today’s message, don’t hesitate to ask me through my social media handles (Facebook, Twitter and Skype) or through my e-mail or the comment box below. The next message I’m planning to publish is entitled THE SPIRIT OF BORROWING, SAVING AND GIVING so watch out. I just hope it doesn’t take me a whole year to write it. All the same, God’s time is the best. No matter how long a journey is, it always ends at a doorstep. Thank you for your time and God richly bless you!!!!!!!!!