Abuja - August 27 - (Mediaage NG News) – Life is abound with opportunities, only those that are ready to take them fulfill their purposes while living. Opportunities to make a difference in our lives and environment is right there before us.
Spending life wisely requires a holistic approach that encompasses belief, determination and open-mindedness. Exploring an environment births opportunities to grow and less time to waste on murmuring.
Twenty-nine year old Andrew Joseph chose to resign from a ₦40,000 hotel paying job because, it was not taking care of his family needs. Bulk of his earnings while working with the hotel went into transportation.
The graduate of NCE (Nigerian Certificate In Education) from Calvin Foundation College of Education, Naka, Benue State found life extremely difficult while working with Newton Hotel in Abuja.
What was usually left out of his wages after transplantation, was very meagre to take care of his children’s school fees, house rent and food items to be bought at home.
“The recent fuel subsidy removal that introduced the new administration of President Bola Tinubu, only got the situation worse”, he said.
“I spend ₦1,000 everyday on transportation and I go to work every day”.
“When I calculated all these, I told myself no need because, my family is not enjoying. They were not benefitting from the work I was doing. So, I decided to find a local thing to do and take care of my family”.
Mr. Joseph said he discussed with his wife and arrived at a decision to sell maize by the roadside, on New Nyanya, Keffi road.
Recently, while on an assignment, I had patronised him but, on a second visit to buy from him, I decided to enquire why he chose to sell maize, a business mostly know to be feminine.
“I’m so happy with what I’m doing now because, it’s part of practice”, he said.
“It’s God’s gift to me now, my family is enjoying. As we are speaking now, they eat what they want. This business has given me lots of encouragement. As a young guy, I don’t want to beg or steal. Now, I don’t have any problem with my wife.
“My wife encouraged me that if I can do the work (maize roasting), I should go ahead. She became more happier when I began doing it”, he said.
He said he went into the business on the 12th of June, 2023 and felt so shy on the first day but, on the second, everything looked normal and “I began having good patronage”.
Daily, he goes home with a reasonable amount. “The ₦40,000 I collect as a monthly wage from my former place of work, I can get it within three days doing this business”, he said.
Even God is aware of what I’m doing
Everyday, he gets encouragement from passersby who are compelled to patronise his business, some leave with an advice, while others support him financially.
A business he began with just selling roasted maize, has blossomed into coconut selling, bread, added with chilled drinks in a cooler. He opens business from 12 mid day till night.
“My wife supplies these maize to me every day. She goes to the market early in the morning to buy and come back before 12 pm to supply them to me. She has been very supportive since I began this business.
“I sell maize from the range of ₦50 to ₦150.
“Passersby are patronising and encouraging me, giving me advice, supporting me financially. Though, some persons see me and start speaking in their dialect, laughing at me but, they don’t know I understand some languages.
“My reaction to them is very simple, silence, because, I know the fulfillment I’m getting from the business, which is relishing the satisfaction that comes when you’re meeting your family needs. Even God is aware of what I’m doing.
“I speak different languages, so, I know when they mock me. I speak Igbo and chose to respond when people are speaking Igbo around me. I speak Yoruba and understand Hausa.
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