SOLVE A PROBLEM: The Major Prospect for Youths In Cross River Amid COVID-19

By Pospi Otuson

A keynote speaker on the 10th career day of The Bridge Leadership Foundation said “Behind every problem is prosperity and a sure way forward”. Now let’s pause and identify the problem, then I will get back here.

As a Start-small advocate and practicing business student, I will love to begin with my view of the above subject matter.

It’s true so many people have written off 2020 already because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. We never saw Covid-19 coming. In fact, we never planned for Covid-19. Believe it or not this pandemic has caused us so many setbacks and brought us pains. It has indeed become a problem.

But, what if 2020 is still a great year? What if it’s still an amazing year? What if 2020 is still that year we’ll do something that will change our lives for good? Yes, it can still be a great year for us if only we, the youths, and most especially youths from Cross River State can summon the courage and discipline to begin or start something.

Not when everything is okay or when you have surplus finance, but starting the smallest way you can. Then grow. We are about concluding with the 8th month of the year, with 4 months remaining, I strongly believe it’s more than enough time to build a foundation for a business that can fetch you 4Million naira in the next.

The best time to start something or start-small as the case may be, is now!

Sometimes, when I ask fellow young people to start-small I always get a funny but unreasonable follow-up question; “If we are being asked to dream big and think big, why do I start small?” I quickly respond with the simple phrase It’s ‘Big Enough’ Dream unlimited, dream as if you will own the world, then begin the best way you can. You might be starting small but in the eyes of one who has a smaller dream, you are actually starting big. That’s how it works.

The best way to start small or start a business with no money is to equip yourself, learn a skill. There are a lot of them in the Digital marketing category also in the agric sector and many others. Learn marketable skills, skills that are on high economic demand.

Covid-19 has opened the fact that most young people in Nigeria were actually doing nothing all this while; after the series of lock-downs and stay-at-home restrictions, only a few young Nigerians have been of financial and economic advantages. Mostly entrepreneurs and the way forward for Nigeria is Entrepreneurship and Agriculture.

Have you thought about the rate of unemployment in Nigeria before the ravaging COVID-19 and maybe imagine the current rate as a result of the ravaging pandemic? As the rate of unemployment grows, the socioeconomic gaps between young people, and across generations, become more profound amid the current economic and health crisis.

Our Communities have become stranded, our families, our fathers, and mothers are heads up waiting for the Government to distribute palliatives, some students are back home roaming the streets with the belief that nothing is available for them at the moment to stand out. But just behind this bunch problems, there’s prosperity and a sure way forward.

So, let us continue from our pause in the first paragraph. We have identified some major problems, but what’s the way forward? How do we bypass this series of problems to prosperity?

The only way to convert these problems to Prosperity or Opportunities as the case may be is to solve them. Every problem has a solution it’s our duty to provide these solutions and commercialize it, this is where our prosperity begins.

Let’s take this scenario for instance; you pack into your community after spending years in the city, then you realize that the major problems faced by villagers are actually finding it very difficult to charge their mobile phones and other gadgets due to no electricity; then you had to set up a charging boot to help people charge whenever they want to and collect N50 per phone or gadget. You have solved that problem and commercialized your solution.

People reward you for solving the challenges they have. Bless your immediate community with your skill and get paid for the value you bring and add.

The best way to prepare yourself for the future is to Skill-Up. Some time ago, I had a chat with a young Lady who needed advice on the best business idea she can possibly Venture into. Getting to a point where I asked her ''Do you have Skill?'' she simply asked me to stop the unnecessary questions and move to the main point.

You know many of us young people don't believe in acquiring lucrative skills as a way of equipping ourselves for the next opportunity. Even today's Organizations are not just concerned about the certificate you present. Rather, they're concerned with what you have to offer, what organizational problem you can help solve. Ultimately the world is looking for young people who can solve problems. Learning a skill is the

best way to get you Started, Learn A Skill, you Think of a problem you can solve, and Start Solving that problem.

I have approached so many young people in Cross River State as to why they’re unable to start something and the general response is “I don’t have Money” as funny as it sounds; you can actually start a business with no money.

Should I tell you one truth now? There’s a question going through your mind now. “Can I really start Business with no money?” I guess I’m right.

Well, Yes. You can start a Business with No money. And if you have doubts within your mind of which I know you do, I’ll have to explain further.

The first question we should all answer is; what does it mean to have no money? In Africa, or let's say Nigeria; you might have overheard someone echoing to another like "You see this guy who always raise his shoulder so high, he doesn't even have money" or using pidgin, he might say "e no get money o". Now tell me, what comes to your mind when you hear someone say this? Does it mean the person in question doesn't have a dime?

I had an argument with a woman some time ago about this, she had maintained her stand that 'Nobody can start a Business with No money'

Then I asked her; “Please Ma, Can you buy a car now? No, I can't buy a car! She replied. Why can't you buy a car? She said; 'Because I don't have MONEY! But Can you buy something less than a CAR? She said YES.

Did you understand anything from our conversation I'm still trying to hit a point?

Sometimes you go to a market and come across something you desire to have but when you ask the seller "Please how much is this?" he tells you the price when you don't have up to that amount you say something like; "Chai, I would have bought this, but I don't have money”.

judging from the African mentality, the state of 'having no money' is not when you don't have a dime.

I could define the 'state of having no money' as 'a point in time when you don't have sufficient funds to solve a need or pursue a dream.

That means; You Actually have money but it's not sufficient to solve a need OR pursue a dream. So in that state, can't you start a Business? You sure can! Now, Does that make sense?

The Prospect for youths in Nigeria and most especially our youths Cross River State is to Skill-up and become common problem solvers in our communities rather than becoming more problems to our society.

The Covid-19 pandemic should be seen as an opportunity that we have neglected for a very long time. An author once said “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door” the best time to build that door is Now.

Every single social or economic problem is an opportunity that we must key into as young people. We need to follow our passion, open our minds, shun distraction, identify problems, and profer solutions even without the intervention of the government.