There is a disturbing narrative gaining traction in Nigeria one that attempts to normalize and even glorify the sight of university graduates pushing wheelbarrows or hawking sachet water and snacks on the streets. While this might make for viral content or elicit emotional applause on social media, the truth is that such portrayals are not empowering they are degrading.
A young Nigerian spends four to five years navigating the demanding terrain of higher education, only to serve the country for an additional year through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). That experience is supposed to prepare them for meaningful employment and national development not street-level hustling under the guise of dignity in labor.
Let’s be clear: this is not an attack on manual labor or those forced into it by circumstance. Dignity exists in every honest effort to survive. But pushing a wheelbarrow or hawking gala is not what any society should aspire to for its graduates. These roles are not “legit jobs” in the context of what higher education promises. They represent a failure not of the individuals but of the system that trained them, taxed them, and ultimately abandoned them.
To romanticize these situations is to insult the investment emotional, financial, and intellectual that families, lecturers, and even taxpayers have made in these young minds. Education is supposed to be a ladder out of poverty and marginalization, not a cycle back into it. When a graduate ends up doing work meant for unskilled laborers, it suggests that the value of education is being eroded or, worse, wasted.
This narrative must be challenged and dismantled. It is not inspiring. It is not progress. It is not resilience it is a reflection of systemic neglect. What we need are sustainable policies, job creation programs, skill incubation hubs, and a commitment from both public and private sectors to engage our graduates meaningfully.
Let’s stop applauding survival stories that are actually tales of tragedy. Let’s start demanding an environment where education leads to innovation, leadership, and professional growth. That is the only way to restore the dignity of labor and the dignity of education.
A graduate should not be behind a wheelbarrow. A graduate should be building systems, solving problems, leading companies, and contributing intellectually to the nation’s progress. Anything less is a national shame, not a motivational story.
