₦airaland Forum

Agozskey:
I am a 24 years old guy into business...
So, I lost my dad at an early age when I was 17 about to enter the university but I couldn't anymore due to the death of my dad. That's when everything changed for the worst for me, I have only one brother and my mom, she's the emotional type so 2018 my aunty(dad's sister) told me to go and register for jamb which I did and I scored 256 then but the bad blood between my mom and dad's family made my mom cut all means of contact with my dad's family, instead she suggested i go and serve oga and learn a trade same 2018, so I moved from Enugu to Lagos around October 2018 to serve oga for 7years.
I really wanted to go to school but I couldn't make decisions because I didn't want to go against my mom, unfortunately after 2years of service I left the trade back home in d same Lagos, I couldn't continue because they wanted to extend my service to 8 years which I told my mom I won't serve anyone for 8years... I came back home broke to the bone, 2021 I had nothing, I did different jobs to survive because my mom isn't buoyant too and she's not really the hustling type, around August I stumbled upon a business, building materials around where I lived so I started doing sales boy for this woman from 2021, mind you we were dirt poor very poor as at that time, I was working for this woman without pay for the first 4 months but she gave me cash like 2k , 3k almost everyday which was huge for me then... B4 Christmas I linked up with my secondary school classmates and they were all in school, four of them they asked me due to shame I told them I am also in school, that was a lie but I didn't want them to know I didn't enter the university, and I kept this lie till now...
After 2years with this woman around 2024 I left her shop and started trading the building materials business on my own and I don't even have a shop, the little money I was making during my 2years stay working for this woman I spent everything on my family, feeding, clothing because we had little to no clothes, shelter( we were paying rent and our rent is 250k and all on me) my mom and bro contributed nothing, since 2021 I have been carrying my family 99% of everything in the house are on me, I feel angry sometimes because it is kinda stopping me from achieving what I want to achieve, I told my mom I'll have to leave dem and pursue my path because the responsibilities are suppressing me, we fought about it she said I will not leave until I settle her which I did, I gave her 300k which I saved up, I gave to her to start a business so she can help reduce the burden, she traded for few months and the money just vanished... Now, I am 24 and still doing my business which isn't too profitable and I am still shouldering the responsibilities in the house and my classmates are all doing their NYSC while I am stuck here...
They keep asking me when I'll go for service but they don't know I didn't even attend the university, I am so sad about how my life played out and I have no one to help me I am doing all these by myself still catering for my family, anytime I discuss with my mom she'll tell me God's time is the best but she was the number cause of all these, I am still with her because I don't even have the money to move away, and I really want to attend the university and go for NYSC I am 24 turning 25 this year and I feel it's too late to do that... I plan on writing jamb next year can I still make it to become a graduate and serve my country...

Agozskey:
I appreciate everyone who contributed... I hate the family I came out from but it is what it is, once I have some available funds I'll leave the house to work on my growth, the responsibilities are too much... Thank you all

lowkeybahdguy:
Bro I understand your pain. You have paid your fair share of black tax. Whether it is enough, time will tell. How old is your brother now, and has he started hustling to support the family?

Women I have come to see are terrible with money/business/investment despite their acclaimed love for trading.

Do not continue to pour water into a basket, if not you'll wake up 40 one day and ask yourself what you did with your life, though you spent every single day fighting for your life.

Black tax is real, and I doubt you can escape it.

On the issue of education, it's called higher education for a reason. Even at 50 you can always go back. But nor use shame drink gutter water. Do not compound your expenses because of friends. We all have our different graces and races to run in life.

Not everyone who graduated later became successful. And also I know some made men who achieved success without education.

School is not a scam. But the cost of running a full time program for four years without sponsorship is challenging. To succeed you must become selfish for your own survival. Meaning you may have to cut off the only lifeline your only family (your mum and brother) have.

In all, know this; a drowning man cannot save another drowning man. Save yourself first, and when you get to shore, call for help.

There will be consequences for whichever decision you make, I wish you courage to bear the weight of your decision(s).

Nnamdipapa:
You have to first disconnect from your mom and family in order to succeed in life. They are destiny killers and your mom made the wrong decision which costed you four years you will never get back.

Next, you may not need university per se to succeed in life. All you need is a skill to solve real life problem and a business knowledge to effectively organize such a skill into a profitable business.

I learnt a business 2021 I was seeing some money but with the level of poverty we were in I had to step up and pressure from my mom as well, I started buying some properties for her and when I said I want to find my path because I feel I have done enough she said I must settle her before I leave, I gave her 300k...

From the day my dad died till today I have been the one catering for my family since the age of 17 and I am almost 25, all the money I make is on my family, feeding, clothing, rent, everything and right now I am stranded but I'll move soon, I have business I am doing but the much responsibilities is almost killing the business for me...

Lots of skilled tradesmen in Nigeria are stark illiterates with little to zero business knowledge so, it is more feasible to start from there.

You will have to forget about your friends as lots of them will be stuck at N50k per month jobs the next 15years after NYSC and be more miserable than you, just focus on yourself and what you want to achieve. Lots of people jump into university without asking the important question about the skill the education will add to their lives.

Look for a need around you like welding, tailoring and, go learn the skill to meet those needs for about a year, make sure you totally master the skill involved. After that, you may enroll for a diploma in business management in open university or online so as to fully grasp the business side of your skill.

Wish you best of luck and if you have any question, I will be glad to answer.