12/06/2025
Dear Young Graduate,
DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE WORK THAT PUTS FOOD ON YOUR TABLE
We are living in difficult times.
Jobs are scarce. Opportunities are few.
Many of you have graduated with degrees and big dreams, but now you find yourselves sitting at home, waiting, hoping — for a white - collar job that may never come.
I know it hurts.
I know it feels unfair.
You studied hard, you passed your exams,
and now the country offers you very little in return.
Even business is not easy.
Prices go up every day.
Customers complain.
Capital is hard to find.
Our leaders have failed us in many ways.
But in the midst of all this, I want you to hear this truth clearly:
“Do not be ashamed of what puts food on your table.”
There is no shame in honest work.
There is no disgrace in using your hands to provide for yourself and your family.
If you must sweep, sweep with pride. If you must make shoes, do it with all your heart and mind. If you must push a wheelbarrow, push it with courage. If you must learn tailoring, hairdressing, or plumbing—do it with joy.
If you sell bread, cook food by the roadside, or ride okada or Keke — stand tall while doing it.
You are not a failure.
You are not useless.
You are not less than anybody.
Remember, Jesus was a carpenter.
Saint Paul was a tentmaker.
They used their hands to live, and they were never ashamed.
It is better to work with dignity than to beg with shame.
It is better to hustle than to steal.
It is better to be tired from labour than to be empty from idleness.
Do not let pride, or the fear of people’s opinions, keep you from moving forward.
Those who mock you today may secretly admire your courage.
And one day, they will see how far God has brought you.
Start small.
Do what your hands can do now.
And as you remain faithful, God will bless the work of your hands.
He may not answer quickly, but He will not forget your efforts.
Your story is not over.
This season is not your end.
What matters most is that you are standing.
