My fellow brothers and sisters in the labour market,

I hope you are doing fine despite the not too hopeful situation of our beloved nation? You wonder why I used the word, ‘fellow’?  Well, I am unemployed just as so many other people but I am never jobless as I have kept my mind busy working on ideas that I have long had in mind, one of which is being a columnist. I have two books to my credit: SOCIETAL FRAGMENTS and A MAN LIKE ME, both available on www.amazon.com. The truth is, writing is far more fulfilling for me though not financially rewarding, especially with the reading culture around here. But all the same I will not allow this dream of mine to wither or be stolen from me regardless of the dearth of hope that abounds. I will push on through till the world recognizes this light of mine.

I have to start on that note so that I’ll let you know that I share your pains. I feel the weight and bear the burden. At the moment, nothing seems to be working, but our world will be changed through our strong determination to achieve our goals. We have the enormous strength to change the present situation and move to greater heights. Just be positive and work at achieving your dreams; unless you don’t have a dream then I will advise you to fret.

There is something so important that I will like to share with you as this issue concerns you directly. If care is not taken, it either spills your blood or strips you of your cash. I had wanted to send an open letter to the DHQ/Nigerian Army, but I do not want to belabor those guys for they have a handful already with the present security situation. I also considered addressing it officially to the Ministry of Defence, I even broached it with Musiliu Obanikoro, the Minister of Defence (State) on his active Twitter handle, @MObanikoro, last week. I do understand that his busy schedule may have hampered his response till date.

I must commend our Armed Forces for the great work they are doing in stemming/fighting this scourge of Boko Haram. On Monday, the CDS, AVM, Alex Badeh, made a statement that I do not want to take as another garrulity, when he said that the military knows the location where the girls are being kept and are working to have them back and alive. This is a welcome development and an indication that our men are indeed on top of the game. Kudos! But I believe intelligence reports are only publishable after an achievement of the end results.

The plethora of vacancy in the NA that warrants the call for applications from interested and qualified able men into the service, in order to increase its capacity and to beef up its strength in the ongoing war against insurgence, is a good one. It is also a good ground to mop some number off the labour market. I am however still baffled at this clarion call to service that has a price tag of #2500, payable by each applicant as published on www.nigerianarmyms.org.

On March 13, 2014, I ranted on my facebook page, Adebayo Coker:

Each time I read an announcement of vacancy in the armed forces I get so depressed with a particular prerequisite where they ask ‘job seekers’ to pay into a particular account. Presently, recruitment into the Nigerian Air Force Airmen/Airwomen 2014 is ongoing and money is being demanded for the application. I wonder when the Nigerian Air Force became a-revenue-generating/profit making organization. The call to service should come naturally out of patriotism and love for one’s fatherland. Many exceptional people have dedicated their lives to national service through the armed forces. Please don’t make it another dumping ground because of joblessness in the land. Unless this is another ruse, it should be stopped by whoever is in charge.

Few days after the rant, Moro’s Massacre was witnessed; sorrows, tears and blood all over the land. And I must quickly point that the NA is treading that same path even if it is acting in good faith.

In a sane clime where the kind of abundant wealth we have is properly managed and equitably distributed, every unemployed individual gets monthly checks from the home office. I do not see any sense in the government asking an unemployed individual to pay for recruitment process into any government parastatal not to mention the military. If, at this time most especially, we are not asking quality questions about the recruitment into our armed forces we will continue to have alibis for the underperformance of our military.

Let whoever that is in charge of this recruitment tell us;

The total number of openings;

What the #2500 application fee is meant for despite the budget of the Ministry of Defense/Army?

Is there a chance of refund if a candidate is not selected?

If the President approved the application fee since he is the C-in-C?

What is the financial mandate on the NA to the National Treasury and when did NA become a profit-oriented organization to warrant this charging of application fee?

If whoever is eventually recruited will not be made to buy his/her gadgets since he/she cannot be taken care of by the government as evidenced by the application fee?

I will suggest that the ‘data’ with Abba Moro in his sham #NIS recruitment exercise be retrieved, the candidates be invited for this recruitment since they did not get the service they paid for, and since both Ministries (Internal Affairs and Defense) have the same principal – FG. This is the only way to see that justice is done to the people that were scammed and killed by Abba Moro.

In all, let the recruitment be done in the most discreet way that will select the most qualified for this job as this is a very critical time in the history of our Armed Forces. I read BH pays a minimum of $3000usd to every recruit into their camp. Imagine how much of #2500 can be gotten from $3000usd that these BH guys will not gladly ‘invest’ (even more) to get their boys to penetrate our Armed Forces? Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche should be a case study.

If I must die for this nation, let it be for a noble cause indeed, fighting the insurgents in Sambisa or anywhere they may come from, but not dying as a survivalist, losing my life on the field of a recruitment process into the military/paramilitary.

Do not get me wrong, this is a clarion call to service; a call to defend her unity and uphold her honor and glory with all our hearts. I would have joyfully ran to offer myself for this service but I am far too tall for the required height, (if you know what I mean). Even if I had not been knocked out by my great height I will not be daft to pay for any job application but I will urge you to make your own decision after this piece as that indicates your level of maturity, but I pray I will not mourn you anytime soon.