Gift Chidiebere
High rate of inflation, a crumbling economy, a tight job market and a vibrant youth wrapped under the shackles of ‘specialisation’— I have never seen a more disastrous combination.
Before now, the popular saying “A jack of all trades is a master of none” has been used to describe an individual who dabbles in a lot of things but fails to excel in one.
It was often used to encourage the practice of specialisation, that is; the practice of focusing one’s efforts, resources or training in a particular area of expertise.
While this practice has proven quite effective for professional development and career advancement, it has fallen below expectations in providing enough financial security for people who practice it.
The concept of specialisation has been continuously misconstrued.
Even the complete idiom says: a Jack of all trades, is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one” highlighting the importance of versatility and adaptability in the workplace.
Reality is suddenly hitting hard and young people are now realizing that specialisation is a polished word for modern day slavery.
While this concept can be highly applicable in the western world, characteristised by development and a structured work remuneration scheme, I fear the practice will remain a mere fiction in a country like Nigeria.
The reasons are not far-fetched, Nigeria’s unstable economy has forced youths to think beyond a single profession.
It has become a luxury that an average person cannot afford.
Other factors like high inflation, tight job markets and the unreliability of traditional career paths have made youths wander further away.
No youth wants to be that teacher who can’t afford to make an average meal, simply because of a salary delay.
How can one survive being a civil servant stuck in an endless cycle of borrowing and repaying loans? no savings, no investment, just living each day as it comes.
Even people who studied the once-revered professional courses are not having it any easier.
As a result of all these, Nigerian youths have turned to multiple streams of income, juggling formal jobs with side hustles like fashion, tech, content creation, and other interests.
Digital skills have become the new survival kit. The internet has made it possible for everybody to monetize every skill.
The system no longer favours people who spend their entire lives climbing up professional ladders, it rewards people who are willing to learn and adapt to new realities.
So, when next you see that Lawyer that DJ’s by weekends,that Nurse who sells thrift wears online, or that Teacher who makes skits, don’t call them “confused” call them “specialists at survival”
They are people who are not ready to be thrown around by the wind of uncertainty and instability.
It’s time we redefine the essence of mastery. Specialization should not be tied to limitation, it should be evident in adaptation, resilience and diversity in skill sets.
Sometimes, if you want to survive, you have to do many things—sometimes all at once. That’s the true spirit of survival.
