Dear Diary,

This isn’t poetry or politics, but a personal note, a soliloquy, and thoughts that bother me.

I see corruption every day, and it seems people are too timid to stand against it. Most are afraid of something. And I know what that something is. Maybe I’m a little scared again, but I’m uncomfortable with it. I worry about my beloved country.

Believe me when I say the best jobs go to the best. Whose best? The elite and their children, of course, and their future generations! Some people have the skills and education, but can’t secure decent jobs. Those who dare to think outside the box are suppressed by the system, with no support, no capital, and no hope—nothing. What purpose do those diplomas and degrees serve—just decorations for the room? Why spend so much time on education that might not help your future growth? Should education focus on how to find or create jobs, or keep us learning to read, write, and understand topics like biology and finance in theory?

It’s funny that this country has many minerals, human resources, and arable land, yet shows little progress. One African country boasts oil wealth but is among the world’s poorest, with high infant mortality, unemployment, and poverty. Wealth exists alongside suffering and poverty. Governments are too incompetent to manage these resources well. Corruption has hijacked public wealth, and cutting those corrupt hands off will be a Herculean task!

Youth empowerment is a priority. Governments and officials create all kinds of programs. Somewhere below the Lower Niger, a leader even gave wheelbarrows to youth as empowerment tools, and some people praised him. Wheelbarrows for graduates, what’s the point? Maybe some will use them well, but on which roads will they be used? I can’t imagine.

Public property is in chaos. Roads are death traps! Electricity is unreliable, and I wait days to use it. Water facilities are broken. Healthcare is terrible. Schools run outdated curricula and practices. Salaries and pensions are owed for up to 2 years, while levies and taxes are strictly enforced, and defaulters are quickly arrested and prosecuted. Justice often feels unjust. Can you imagine? When a government official pays salaries, people praise them. Why should we be grateful? They are the government—who put them there? Why should we thank them for doing just part of their jobs?

A friend said that the sons of people on low incomes only learn about military recruitment, but don’t know when Central Banks, Development Banks, or other government agencies are hiring. That’s very true! Recruitments are poorly handled. A job for ten people gets 20,000 applicants. The selection committee then chooses its own. Unemployment remains a big problem. Many applicants go through tough processes, losing time and money, only to probably not get the job! Most recruitment efforts seem just for show.

On a serious note, why do some public and private firms set age limits for hiring, especially in finance, saying you have to be under 27? I understand they set these limits to reduce the number of applicants, but I believe it’s discrimination. Everyone should have a fair chance. Companies should pick the best candidates from their pool and encourage young people to apply. Why do we see engineers, doctors, environmentalists, political scientists, and language graduates working in finance, while finance, accounting, and management graduates are unemployed? How will we grow when things are done so backwards?

Sometimes I feel confused; other times, I’m angry. I hope these issues don’t last long. And I hope anyone reading this understands that any resemblance to real people, places, or events is purely coincidental and not intentional.

Peace.