Nigerians in the global labor market.

“I made myself who I am to prove wrong those who saw me as who I was not.-Kofoworola George-Taylor” As a Nigerian the most irritating joke one can tell you, is the Nigerian scammer joke. It is annoying and it makes no sense. I never understood what it mean to be a Nigerian until I saw how others treated us. The disgust, the profiling and the insult because I was born in a country. Not because of who I am or what I look like. I can tell you for free, finding a job is the most difficult and tedious thing, one can do. In Nigeria and everywhere else in the world. In Nigeria you compete with over one thousand people for a good job and globally people do not want to hire you because you are Nigerian. I have been told many times, we love you but we are looking for someone in Europe or America right now. One told me outright, I will not hire you because you are Nigerian. It was heart breaking and hurtful. I became determined to prove everyone wrong. I was never someone to put in 120% into what I do. This time, I told myself. I must stand out. I must be different and no one will judge me with that same stigma again.

The first thing I did was to create an image of myself, something I would live up to and be known for. It was not easy, at first no one was willing to give me a chance, no one cared how hard I was willing to work or anything. They saw me as Nigeria. All they saw me as was my country.

I know I spent many nights on my bed crying because no one was willing to give me a chance, no matter how much I was willing to do and how well I passed the interview it was the same story. My mother would tell me it was okay. To build my name I started aiming for low paying jobs, jobs that paid barely anything. My parents would say, "Kofo, this job cannot pay the bills, It is a waste of your time"

I smiled then, I told them I was fine. I built my way up and got to a good position where the pay got better. That was not all for me. I realized I did not have to work only 8 hours a day, I could work another job for 8 hours in a different time zone, that is what I did.

Things may be hard at first and things may be difficult. Never stop trying! Sometimes you may want to give up because it is all to much at once just remember that you can do it.