GET OUT OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Ignorance is the root cause of unemployment. No man irrespective of the national economic situation has any excuse to be unemployed if he is well informed and willing to act on the information at his disposal. It was the need for such practical information that gave birth to Ronke Kosoko’s GET OUT OF UNEMPLOYMENT- a book which can be describe as the much awaited therapy for the unemployment disease that is ravaging the Nigerian population with poverty as a major symptom and youth as the arch victim.

As an educator, an employment solution strategist, a motivational speaker and a consultant of high pedigree with a growing list of clientele, kosoko tries to use this book to explain the economic and employment reality in Nigeria through detailed analysis of the available statistics in a lay man language and concluded with practical solutions on how to come out of unemployment.

With sparing and well explained use of statistics, the book opened with the painting of the employment reality of the Nigerian state, while Kosoko agreed that all cannot be entrepreneurs, she put forward a balanced knowledge for prospective job seekers on how to get a good job and for the future entrepreneurs on how to start and grow their personal businesses.

The author tries to make her readers understand the fact that they need money to carry out most of the things that will make life habitable for them, hence the need to shun formality and look for the money through every possible legal means even if it is dirty. According to her “every great enterprise is a product of someone’s sweat… what many are looking for is a job in a bank, an oil company, or a telecommunications company with air conditioned office, an official car and official apartment. These jobs are dignifying but dangerous because they offer temporary pleasure but create more problems on the long run… if you are working for someone, you are a cost and an expense, every business is constantly looking for how to cut cost, so, you may be cut down at any time when it is time to down-size, then you will have to go back to no car, no air conditioner, no driver and no house”. She therefore recommended a shift to some old land marks such as agriculture and advise people to kick against laziness and avoid giving excuses. She emphasized the need for personal development in the need for skill acquisition-both transferable and personal management skill.

At the latter part of the book, the author seems to be addressing the prospective entrepreneurs on practical keys that are capable of turning their lives around. Having discussed the need to look inward for a dynamic idea in earlier chapters, the author wrote extensively on why the readers must avoid selfishness but take advantage of synergy. She further discuss other qualities of a successful entrepreneur such as faithfulness, starting small, being quality driven, risk taking attitude and patience .

In trying to discuss the significance of preparing for opportunity, Kosoko wrote on the neglected key-the key of identification, every man and woman is cut out for something peculiar to him, something that he has been equipped from heaven to do, unfortunately, people don’t consider this key and jump at everything that presents itself as opportunity. She however unearth the myriads of opportunities that abound in Nigeria due to the enormous population advantage.

She concluded the book with a rather emotional but motivating story of a poor Chinese refugee boy- Li Ka Ching who rose to become the ninth richest person in the world. This was possible according to Kosoko because among other things, Li accepted responsibility early in life, he did not despise the days of little beginning, he had intense interest in work, was a consistent learner, had a clear vision, set goals, prepared for opportunities and above all built a reputation of honesty.

Unlike many other employment books in the past where ambiguous international and local statistics are employed leaving the readers more confused than informed, Kosoko’s proper analysis of data must be commended. Her balance of the need for both self-employment and paid employment also proved her understanding of the economic reality of the society in which she writes. This is unlike other past literatures in the series which are out to either preach the job hunting skills or the entrepreneurship gospel as the only saving grace, forgetting that one size does not fit all.

However, it is envisaged that in subsequent editions of this work, Kosoko would have improved on many things, among which will be the division of the book into clear sections to aid quick assimilation rather than general advice and use of more local personalities and instances to drive home her point and to prove the possibilities of her claims. In all, the book is a must, not just for the unemployed but also for the employed.