Hello Tayo Oviosu thanks for this elaborate post. I want to respond to the statement “ I think we need to encourage more people to stay in paid employment longer to develop their skills and grow their experience”.
I believe you’re not aware of the dilemma that we in Africa mostly face. I Am a 29-years old, Engineering graduate from Makerere University here in Uganda. Am young, passionate and full of dreams which makes me entrepreneurial by default. I’ve done two startups and currently hold a full-time job.
As you rightfully put it, I represent a good percentage of Africans who lack managerial experience that’s needed to bring a functional business to life. You recommend that people like me should first work in traditional jobs until they acquire a set of skills to take on their own ventures. This sounds excellent on paper but is far from being ideal in the real world.
Getting a traditional job right after campus is almost the holy grail of an achieving young African graduate. Being employed in a reputable company would make one’s family and even the entire clan terribly proud. It’s the default. Drifting away from this norm is almost seen as an abomination. That’s because of a number of reasons I’ll explain.
Most families in Africa are still crippled in Poverty. Education is seen as the only savior from this poverty vicious circle. When one member of the family makes it through education system, they are highly celebrated with the hope and expectation that they’ll instantly support the rest their relatives through their struggles. Having a secure traditional job is the shortcut to nirvana of financial success at which one is instantly ladened with a myriad of financial responsibilities — from their parents in the Village who need medical care to younger siblings yet to finish University to his own personal family responsibilities.
Contrast this startup founders in the west. The economic and social structures enable them to even dare drop out of college/university and pursue their dreams in their parent’s garages. Steve jobs started Apple in his parents garage. Similar tales have been told of how many of today’s internet giants were built in similar fashion. In Africa, you are expected to demonstrate maturity and adulthood by immediately leaving your parent’s house. You must begin to show fruit of your education(which you’re expected to complete) by showing ability to first take care of yourself and then paying or supporting your siblings.
By the time one reaches 35 — the age you recommend they should quit their fairly secure jobs to build their own startups, now that they’ve the managerial experience — they are trapped in a cobweb of responsibilities and paralyzed by a thick fog of uncertainties. One already has a pile of bills such as the ever expensive urban rent, increasing school fees, medical care, transportation etc that even their well-paying jobs barely manage to pay off. One begins to weigh the risk of staying with the devil they know vs the Angel they don’t. In most cases, most people I know just simply sail on with life on the path they have already chosen for themselves. I personally don’t know of any family member, friend or relative that quit their job to begin a startup at 35.
That’s the dilemma.
So then, we are left with one option; start-off with a whole lot of highly inexperience young but passionate people full of dreams. At 29, am not even married yet. I’ve few responsibilities besides myself and maybe my old folks in the village. I can afford to run on a low income and bet on my dreams while I still can. What I propose which you also motioned(mentorship?) is a kind of match-making.
Match young, inexperienced, passionate and entrepreneurial founder with older experienced managers probably already in their full-time traditional jobs. The young founder has two capitals; skill and time well as the older guy has money and experience. This would work wonders in my view. The question then remains of how to make it work. If we figure this out, I believe we shall have half-managed to solve our African startup dilemma.
