Book Reveals Woes of Job Seekers

In Grudged Employment and the Struggles of a Nation, Wilson Onose writes about the everyday experience of job seekers, especially, the young and restless.
Quite a good number of books and periodicals have appeared in the last few years, but, Grudged Employment and the Struggles of a Nation, a new book by Wilson Onose, has some peculiarities. It is interesting, perhaps because, it deals with issues most writers are not ready to confront. It took the author long time to write, yet, the long wait might have paid off through the information in the book. The book, published by Spectrum Books Limited, Ibadan, is a creative insight into how Nigerian job seekers and workers are subjected to inhumane treatment by their employers.
Onose is just one the few authors, with the courage to investigate the rot that job seekers pass through in the hands of employers, which, according to him, is one of the embarrassing moments for Nigerian youths. The book opens the reader’s mind to salient issues about employment. Grudged employment is the situation when the income from a job is not commensurate with the energy expended on it. Any job in which the income is not sufficient for an employee to make ends meet, is a grudged employment. An employment in which workers are subjected to abuse and inhumane treatment and in which workers’ welfare is not treated with utmost regard, is a grudged employment.
The author, aptly, addresses all these issues and looks at today’s work environment, frustrations, corruption and poor leadership. ‘These are the problems bedevilling our dear country, Nigeria”, Onoso writes. The book has five parts with 14 chapters. Part One discusses the Nigerian labour experience and fiscal impropriety in the country, which has given room to all-round labour and societal ills, such as exploitation, abuse and enslavement of the working class by employers of labour. It highlights the non-availability of jobs for graduates, which prompt them to take up any job to survive.
The situation is so appalling that thousands of job seekers apply for very limited and unspecified job openings. Recruitment centres in the country are always like refugee camps, where thousands of young men and women gather to wait for job placements. Although, most of these jobs do not have good welfare packages, employers still believe that if the applicants reject the offers, others will gladly take them. Part Two brings to light the abuses and inhumane treatment that employees in private establishments suffer on daily basis. Entrepreneurs rightly hold the view that they work hard to amass their wealth. They, however, see anyone working under them as somebody who has come to take from their wealth, hence, the abuse and inhumane treatment.
The book further discusses the determination of some private organisations not to pay the minimum wage prescribed by the government. This is because many entrepreneurs believe that they are doing their employees a favour by employing them and paying their salaries, no matter how meagre such salaries are. Our leaders are also advised to learn a lesson from the Arab Spring. The author urges government to eradicate corruption and joblessness, and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. Part Three sensitises the government on ways of creating jobs for unemployed graduates in the country. The government can create jobs through agriculture, mineral exploitation and small and medium-scale enterprises.
It condemns government’s attitude of creating inequality in the society. A comparison of the national minimum wage and the allowance of an average Niger- Delta ex-militant lend credence to this. It condemns government’s attitude of robbing Peter to pay Paul, by paying Niger-Delta exmilitants handsomely, while little or no plan was made for unemployed graduates, who toiled under the sun and rain before obtaining their certificates. However, the author commends the efforts of civil society groups and NGOs at getting rid of corruption in the country, though, corruption and mismanagement persist and remain the bane of the nation. He cautions Nigerians to stop indulging in things that can plunge the country into war and secession.
Part Four highlights causes of a begrudged employment. Factors such as acute job scarcity, economic inequality and marginal opportunities have been adduced as reasons why graduates accept all manners of undesired jobs. The effects of these are disenchantment and lack of productivity on the part of an employee. Another factor is the inability of employees in private establishments to float trade unions to look after their well-being and conditions of service, which provides the basis for employers to exploit their employees. Employees are advised to be diligent and committed to their work. The author also emphasises honesty and loyalty, as no employer is ready to employ or recruit a dishonest and disloyal employee.
Part Five refers to education as one of the best options to provide the necessary platform for a gainful employment. Education will also enable the populace to build discerning minds that will effectively and collectively demand better governance. The author recommends re-education, updating of knowledge, training and retraining for workers. He explores ways of surviving in a country like Nigeria and suggests economic options like joining a cooperative society, a local thrift savings system or taking up an insurance policy. He further discusses the essence of using our God-given talents as option to endless job search. Employers are also enjoined to show and treat their employees with kindness and to provide better conditions of service and welfare packages. Employers should stop capitalising on the poor economic situation in the country to exploit their employees. There is no job opportunity for millions of youths in Nigeria and corruption is rife in our society.
Nigeria is blessed with abundant natural resources, but, very little gets to the masses, while corrupt people display their ill-gotten wealth. Nigerian leaders should be able to convince people that government exists to serve the people rather than prey on them. In summary, the book seeks to dissect and proffer practical and useful tips towards surmounting the multifaceted problems and challenges in our places of work and society. The book is a must read for unemployed youths, undergraduates in universities, workers in both private and public sectors, government officials and lovers of good books.