It’s as it is, but never as it’s supposed to be. Even before the renowned Sheikh, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, published his promising book titled “Skills Rather than Just a Degree,” many Nigerians, especially the youth, already worked with this belief.
I have never written a piece on this, mainly because, for the past 2–3 years, I paused my pen here on social media to focus on myself, my little studies and practice.
When my brother Abdulsamad Nuradeen Abnam and I were barely 10 years old, we were both taken to cafés (with SIM services for me, in particular) for learning purposes.
Back then, among kids in the society, I can boldly say we were among the few privileged to start learning a skill at such a young age. It felt like play, but we remained steadfast in learning.
It was a chance we took. We learned, and we’re still pushing to this day.
Fast forward to 2019, I gained admission into NUBAPoly (Computer Science), while my brother went to ABU Zaria (Chemical Engineering).
My journey as a Computer Science student became more serious, thanks to the little background I had in computer studies before then. By that time, I had already switched my computing center, from the initial place to other for personal reasons.
In my first year at school for the ND programme, I focused on the theoretical aspect. But before I even concluded my first semester, COVID-19 struck. That break led to a serious IT and tech breakout for me. It pushed me to focus less on my formal studies and more on practical learning.
Through my ND days and even before HND, I spent almost 90% of my time on systems and phones, hopping from one tab to another. This constant research boosted my practical knowledge.
My guy, Musa ICT, gave us (our then crew in school, Abdullahi Salisu, Umar Musa Hussain and others) a chance to stay at his uncle's office then. There was 24/7 light, and that held us tight for charging purposes.
I stopped caring about my CGPA (though I felt bad and it’s not even advisable for my young ones). My focus shifted entirely to IT and tech. I explored multiple fields, computer packages, content writing, blogging, and more.
I knew I wasn’t “serious” in the traditional sense, but I always justified it by reminding myself, polytechnics are known for skills and acquisition, so I was on the right path.
Coming from a humble background (and having lost my father just as I began my tertiary journey), life was tougher. Yet, I kept moving. My focus stayed on improving my skills.
The first phase of my livelihood during school was Opera News Hub. My brother Abdulazeem Alhuzaify Muhammad and I worked on that for almost two years, including Scooper News. It gave us a serious chance to grow as writers, even though neither of us studied Arts or Mass Communication. But it was a struggle, a struggle to live and make a living.
Along the way, I developed a passion for blogging, which connected me with my boss, Raji Ridwan (a story for another day, thank you for being part of my journey).
Later, I got a chance to work in a school café from my school boss, Saleh Bayero (another story for another day). This happened just a week after signing out of my ND programme, and I’m still there to date.
Recently, about four months ago, I concluded my HND programme too.
During the recent HND journey, I became dubiously busy. I handled almost 70–80% of my coursemates’ assignments. Other works awaited me even at the café. At the same time, I was pushing my skills, jumping from one computer package to another, and also from one browser tab to another. They were really interesting, busy days.
One thing about this journey is that it made me understand why organizations prioritize years of experienced workers. I understood that years of daily work enable one to become exceptional in a certain field. There were some student assignments I rejected, not because I couldn’t do them, but because I wasn’t available. I went from 20% experience in regular Office Packages (Ms Word and others) and other computer packages to 50–60%. This enabled me to make a livelihood while I studied. There was networking among students and staff of my varsity too.
Once again, thank you to everyone who has been a part of my journey.
Throughout all these journeys, Almighty Allah has been my strength. And what’s the essence of this piece? Skills rather than just a degree.
Schooling as a struggling Nigerian can be worse than anyone can imagine. Sometimes, you think of calling home, but then you remember, you are home. Your bills? Your responsibility alone. It hasn’t been easy, but as I said, Allah has been my strength.
I’ve spent nearly 5–6 years in school, ND, one-year IT, and of recent, HND tol. Skills have been my saving grace, a blessing from my Lord. Imagine how things would’ve been otherwise. My mum, a weaver, has also been my support, may Allah continue to bless her.
Both qualifications and skills are important, and I won’t downgrade either. I’ve been in both systems, though I’ve yet to present my qualifications anywhere.
But here’s a plain truth: an academic with skills can never be compared to an academic without skills. Never. Especially in fields like mine. For example, a First-Class Computer Science student with zero practical experience cannot be compared to a Second-Class Upper student with hands-on skills.
It baffles me when people go through academics without gaining practical skills. It speaks volumes about our systemic failures. We know the truth, but we deny it because it doesn’t favor us.
There are countless examples of people, café operators, networkers, IT experts, even programmers, who can defend themselves confidently without a Computer Science degree. You don’t need to know it all, but you must have some skills.
As for me, I lack deep programming experience, so I use AI for coding when necessary. Using AI effectively, though it may sound simple, is a skill in itself.
Life isn’t the same for everyone. But let me tell you again, as a Nigerian, life is a struggle, from a humble background, it’s a double struggle.
Those who oppose this truth often lack skills themselves, so they feel attacked. But it’s reality. Many of them hide in classrooms, pouring out theory without practicals. It’s sad.
Don’t be deceived. Go for both. Go for all.
Some may label me a “poor student,” I don’t argue. But my coursemates know me. During my ND, I had 3.85 (Distinction) in my final semester but graduated with a 3.35 CGPA (Upper). That’s how playful I was, focused more on research and practice. My HND result is pending, but it’ll likely be around 3.30 CGPA (Upper). For my next study, I might consider a CGPA-focused journey.
I look forward to NYSC and other onboarding journeys. The future shall be brighter than the struggling days.
In all, I can boldly say it again: Skills rather than just a degree.