My Children Can’t Get Jobs Because of My Name — Bode George

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has expressed concern over the worsening economic hardship in the country, lamenting that his own children are unable to secure employment in Nigeria because of his name.

Speaking during an interview on Nigeria Info 99.3 FM, George said hunger and anger have become widespread, cutting across political, social, and economic divides. He noted that many Nigerians, especially the youth, are losing hope as unemployment and poverty deepen.

“Today in Nigeria, everywhere there is hunger and anger,” the PDP stalwart said. “Forget about me being in the PDP — the base of the pyramid is what really matters. What have we done to positively impact the generality of Nigerians? There is so much anger in the land and there is so much hunger.”

George decried the plight of unemployed graduates and unskilled youths, urging President Bola Tinubu to establish a special intervention fund to empower them and restore hope. He proposed a two-tier strategy: one to provide microcredit for young graduates who wish to start small businesses, and another to equip unskilled Nigerians with vocational training.

According to him, rather than seeking public donations for projects like the proposed national library, the government should channel resources towards empowering citizens directly.

“Recently, the First Lady announced that she was going to build a national library and she needed contributions. That fund should have come from the President asking those who donated N20 billion in two days to invest in people instead — through proper management and transparent structures,” he said.

Reflecting on his family’s experience, the former military administrator revealed that his own children, despite being qualified graduates, have been denied employment opportunities because of their surname.

“The younger generation in this country, including my own children who graduated a long time ago, have returned and tried to get a job, but they can’t get a job because their name is Bode George,” he stated.

George’s remarks add to the growing chorus of public figures expressing frustration over the country’s socio-economic situation, with calls for urgent policy reforms to address unemployment, food insecurity, and the erosion of public trust.