AGE FORGERY AND UNEMPLOYMENT IN NIGERIA


By IGBADOO AONDONGU
The placement of age limit on the application of jobs in Nigeria is greatly masterminding the uncontrollable hike in the falsification of date of births by Nigerians. Both the employed and the unemployed Nigerians are falsifying their ages to enable them attain their various interest.

Age forgery is the act of intentionally changing or altering of one’s date of birth in order to achieve a desired purpose. This could be to increase or decrease one’s number of years. The court of law which is supposed to be the home of justice rather turns to be a venue for the perpetration of this unethical act. People above labour force obtain affidavits in the court to authenticate their falsified date of births. They also falsely declare their ages in court of law to enable them remain in service or obtain a job.  Take a look at the NYSC scheme today, people above 30 years are being mobilized for service. Many Nigerians give their reasons for this to be as a result of the high unemployment rate in the country, but this rather causes unemployment. It makes the unemployed to remain in the vicious circle of unemployment and poverty.

Recently, it has been alleged that the incumbent President of Nigeria – President Muhamadu Buhari said, Nigerian youths are lazy. To some extent, this is in existence, because people who are supposed to be retirees are busy falsifying their ages to enable them remain in service. Check our civil service today. It is dominated by elderly people with youthful ages on papers. These are the youths that our dear president Muhamadu Buhari said are lazy. They are physically old but youthful on papers. Those old people occupy offices that are supposed to be occupied by the young Nigerians thereby leaving those within labour force on the street which leads to the high rate of unemployment in the country.

Nepotism is also contributing tremendously to this age forgery whereby those with opportunities pick their relatives who are underage to occupy offices meant for adult Nigerians. Names of 5-year-old children appear on payrolls of the different Ministries in the country but leaving out those who are capable and willing to undertake such positions. Age forgery is responsible for this since; a 5-year-old child can be bearing 30 years on papers in this country.

The able hands are also denied the various opportunities in entrepreneurship and agriculture. These paper youths (old men) dominating the various ministries in Nigeria hijack the available opportunities for the capable bodies to venture into entrepreneurship and agriculture. Funds which would have been better used to assist these able bodies are being siphoned by those old men spearheading the affairs of the different parastatals of government.

It’s high time to “give Cesar what belongs to Cesar”. Let our judiciary be strengthened to stand up to their responsibility. Government should as a matter of urgency make retirement attractive in order to clear way for the able youths on the streets. If retirement is made attractive, it will enable the lazy Nigerian youths (old men) to seat at home and give youths a chance to portray their burning desire and capability to serve our dear country.

The Bank Verification exercise has contributed a lot in curtailing this robust menace but notwithstanding, it would be better up if Nigerians are digitally registered at birth. This can help reduce the hazardous issue of age forgery since one’s thumb print alone could tell his history. It is all on this account of old people falsifying their ages that our very president Muhamadu Buhari was said to be “lifeless” by Donald Trump, the USA president. Trump believes that a younger person would perform better if given the chance. Let’s make our dear country better by curtailing this act of age forgery. Remember, change begins with you and me and together we shall make a good Nigeria.

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