Stop The Road-Side Mindset And Think Your Way Through Self-Employment

How A Barbing Salon Operates Elsewhere

I walked into a barbing salon in Washington DC to have my hair cut. There was a long queue yet orderly. I picked up a tally that has the number ‘12’ to be reminded my position in the queue when it got to my turn. I sat down like others and grabbed a magazine to read.
There were Four barbers in all (Three men and one lady). The shop was well-furnished - nice upholstery chairs, two 47-inch, flat-screen colored televisions mounted on opposite walls with cable subscriptions, and fully air-conditioned. The office hours and various service fees for various hairstyles were visibly posted on a laminated board hung on the wall. Client’s discussed politics, sports etc and the Barbers weighed in occasionally with their own intelligent opinions suggesting they were either well-educated or well-informed. I was impressed when one of the Barbers called me “Bro, I gat you" (signaling it’s my turn, and he’s my barber), and further explained he is from Africa. He was surprised when I asked him how and if one could do that on a part-time because I wouldn’t mind. He laughed and said “Bro, you are too big for this, men…. Anyway, you need to be trained and licensed first”.

The barbing shop and the barbing job had such a dignity that any graduate would love to work there. Shortly before I left, an amazingly beautiful lady with great shape, height, and carriage, who appeared to be either his girlfriend or wife pulled in a 2015 'Nissan Murano' and handed him what appeared to be his lunch in a bag, gave him a perk on the cheek and drove off. “What a classy lady” I murmured to myself.

Yes You Can: Get Away From the Road-Side Mindset and Approach

With dwindling job opportunities in Nigeria, our youth need to get away from ‘Road-side’ mentality about self-employment. Over the years, we cannot continue to operate auto workshops (mechanics), carpentry, house paintings, plumbing, art-works, hair-braiding, barbing, fruits and vegetable-selling, food-vending, (mama-put), cook-outs (suya, akara and plantain frying), etc from unkempt, make-shift, shanty, batchers along the road that make them look demeaning and condescending. If we attach dignity to these professions as it‘s done elsewhere, the professions will attract graduates with innovative mindsets who will rake in millions of naira yearly rather than queuing up for non-existing office jobs.
Please get away from the road-side mindset and approach to self-employment.

Godwin C. Nwaogwugwu
Founder, ImoOnline Youth Entrepreneurship Development Program
www.imoonline.org

Life is good with LG ELECTRONICS

You have forgotten Nigeria is a third world country,,,