A colleague recently shared a dilemma about his daughter, who had completed secondary school and was preparing for university admission. Her parents wanted her to study Medicine or Nursing, but she had other ambitions. She was interested in Sociology and passionate about automation, artificial intelligence (AI) and technology. She had even obtained certifications to demonstrate her commitment.
Her parents, however, remained adamant: it must be Medicine, Nursing or nothing.
In many Nigerian homes, parents exert considerable influence over their children’s course choices. Medicine and Nursing are among the most sought-after programmes, not necessarily because every applicant is passionate about healthcare, but because families see them as routes to employment, financial independence and opportunities abroad (japa).
Can we really blame them?
Nigeria’s unemployment crisis has made securing a child’s future a major concern. Many graduates spend years searching for jobs despite their investment in education. Recommending Medicine or Nursing may therefore be less about dismissing a child’s dreams and more about seeking a dependable livelihood. As the Yoruba expression goes, “….ra ilẹ̀ ayé gbé” – securing a comfortable life or a means of survival for the future.
I sometimes find myself giving similar advice.
Despite the growing number of trained doctors and nurses and growing institutions offering these courses, Nigerian hospitals continue to face staffing shortages. Many leave for countries offering better pay and working conditions, contributing to the shortages.
Yet this creates an uncomfortable irony. Professions that require compassion, patience, emotional intelligence and commitment to human welfare are increasingly viewed by some entrants primarily as pathways to migration. There is nothing wrong with seeking better opportunities abroad. However, healthcare is not simply a ticket to another country; it carries a responsibility to protect lives and treat people with dignity.
Many Nigerian healthcare professionals remain dedicated despite difficult working conditions. Nevertheless, those entering these professions without an interest in patient care may struggle with their demands. The joke that some Gen Z nurses tell people not to fall sick because “na Gen Z nurses full hospitals” may be humorous, but it invites reflection on professional attitude and patient care.
Should economic security outweigh a child’s interests and abilities?
Before recommending Medicine or Nursing, parents should consider a child’s interests, temperament, strengths and aspirations. Academic ability alone does not make someone suited to healthcare. These professions require discipline, empathy, patience, emotional maturity and a willingness to serve. A young person with little interest in caring for others may struggle to thrive in such a demanding environment.
Exposure, mentorship and family influence can shape interests. Consider Funke Akindele, who studied Law but went on to become one of Nigeria’s most successful actors and the country’s highest-grossing filmmaker. Falz, on the other hand, studied Law, following a path influenced by his parents, who are both lawyers. Today, he is an established musician, award-winning comedian and actor. Their stories demonstrate that a person’s university course does not necessarily determine the boundaries of their potential or eventual career.
The young woman in my colleague’s story has already taken steps to develop her technology skills. As AI and automation reshape industries, should her ambitions be dismissed because they do not fit her parents’ preferred choices? Sociology, too, is not without prospects. It can lead to opportunities in social research, public policy, development and human resources. Combined with technological skills, it can open pathways into emerging interdisciplinary fields.
Parents must recognise that the world of work is changing. Society needs doctors and nurses, but it also needs sociologists, engineers, programmers, researchers, educators, entrepreneurs and innovators. No single profession guarantees success, and no course should be treated as the only respectable route to a secure future.
Parents are right to worry about their children’s prospects. But imposing a career is not the answer. We should raise competent, fulfilled and compassionate professionals who can contribute meaningfully wherever they choose to live and work.
Parents should guide, not impose. Securing a child’s future matters, but helping that child recognise and develop their potential may be the better investment.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.