It never crossed my mind that the young boy who once polished cars at dawn, hustled tirelessly for customers at the bustling Balogun Business Association Tradefair Market, and endured hunger in a cramped two-room face-me-I-face-you apartment in Lagos, would eventually oversee multi-million-pound grants as a Finance Officer in the United Kingdom.
My roots trace back to the slums-64, Okito Street, Ifelodun Ajegunle. Later, my family moved to Ajangbadi, a modest step up but still a face-me-I-face-you apartment shared with my parents and five siblings. Life was a daily battle for survival. Some days, we managed only one meal; on others, we relied on the kindness of neighbors for rice and palm oil just to keep going.
Despite our hardships, my father was resolute that all his children would complete secondary education. He made countless sacrifices to cover our school fees. However, he was realistic about university expenses and planned for three of his sons to enter the Igbo apprenticeship system, known as Nwa Boi. Their earnings would then help fund the higher education of our sister and youngest sibling.
As the second son, I began my apprenticeship on October 5, 2005, at 16, right after finishing my WAEC exams. My older brother had started a year earlier. When my father broke the news that night, tears welled up-I feared I might never see my family again because the Nwa Boi tradition restricts contact with one’s master to prevent suspicion of theft. I understood then that my life was about to take a drastic turn.
The Apprenticeship Experience
The fair-generates-120bn-in-investment-deals/” title=”Intra…African Trade … generates 0bn in investment deals”>trade fair was a world of its own. Apprentices rose before sunrise, washed their master’s cars, and hurried to clean shops before the market opened. Every day was defined by relentless hustle: shouting to attract customers, bargaining prices, running errands, collecting debts, and closing shop late into the night.
My master was strict but fair, which I considered a blessing. Still, the apprenticeship was tough. I quickly learned never to question my oga. Once, I asked which of his three cars I should wash the next day to save time. The sharp slap I received taught me a vital lesson: an apprentice must never assume or question.
Despite the challenges, I was an avid reader. From a young age, books were my escape. By 11, I had finished Tom Clancy‘s Red Storm Rising, a hefty 500-page novel. By 14, I had devoured works by Chinua Achebe, John Grisham, Sidney Sheldon, Robert Ludlum, and others. My father brought home old newspapers from Alaba International Market, which I read meticulously, analyzing both local and global events. Books opened a window to a world beyond the trade fair, fueling a hunger for knowledge that never faded.
A Defining Moment
Working alongside other apprentices, I noticed many were content with the cycle: serve their master, receive a settlement, open their own shops, earn profits, build homes in Lagos and their villages, and repeat the pattern. I wondered, Is this the full extent of my future?
My closest friend at the trade fair, who had also completed secondary school, chose a different path. He saved money, sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, and gained admission to study Mathematics at the University of Benin. His bold move left me both inspired and wistful. If he could take that leap, why couldn’t I?
In 2009, four years into my apprenticeship, I reached a turning point. Secretly, I had been saving a portion of the small commissions earned from helping customers navigate the market. I had accumulated ₦38,000. When my oga discovered this, he confronted me. According to Nwa Boi rules, apprentices were forbidden from holding personal money to avoid accusations of theft.
A tense family meeting ensued. My oga demanded I surrender the money or risk losing my entire settlement. Though my family urged compliance, I stood firm. I knew trading was not my destined path. Consequently, my settlement was slashed from the anticipated ₦2 million to ₦250,000. It was a harsh setback but also my liberation. I left the trade fair with little cash but a fierce determination to forge a new path.
I registered for the GCE, retook my O’Levels, and sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. I passed and was admitted to study International Relations at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). Seeing my name ranked fourth on the admission list felt like winning the lottery.
OAU was transformative. I dedicated myself to my studies and excelled, graduating in 2015 as the fifth-best student out of 120, with a CGPA of 3.94/5.0. My ambition was to join the foreign service and represent Nigeria diplomatically. I believed my future was secure.
However, reality proved harsh. Nigeria’s job market was unforgiving. Age restrictions disqualified me from many graduate trainee programs. Despite applying to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other agencies, no offers came through.
Challenges Back Home
Returning to Ajangbadi, I faced mockery from relatives who said, “If you had stayed at the trade fair, you’d be wealthy by now.” My youth service at the National Assembly didn’t lead to a permanent position-without connections, retention was impossible.
By 2018, after numerous rejections, I secured a ₦40,000 monthly job at an insurance firm. Though modest, it was a relief. Gradually, I earned ₦75,000, with commissions pushing my income closer to ₦150,000. It wasn’t the dream, but it was progress.
Then came the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Lockdowns stalled the economy but also unveiled global opportunities. My best friend from the trade fair, now thriving professionally, relocated to the UK. Watching his success reignited my long-suppressed ambition.
Embracing a New Chapter Abroad
In September 2021, I met my future wife, a telecommunications professional who also dreamed of leaving Nigeria. Together, we vowed to save, plan, and make the move. With financial backing from my elder brother and a mentor who lent us ₦10 million, we set our plan in motion. We married in August 2022, and by October, we boarded a Qatar Airways flight to the UK.
Starting over was humbling. I endured 10-hour shifts at an Amazon warehouse through a harsh winter. Friends suggested switching to care work for faster sponsorship, but I declined. I reminded my wife that we hadn’t crossed continents to trade ambition for mere survival. My ancestors endured slavery; I refused to chain myself to menial labor for years just to gain indefinite leave to remain.
Instead, I pursued the UK Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) certification. Passing Level 2 secured my first finance role at the University of Leicester. Completing Level 3 led to a position at the London School of Economics.
Now, approaching the completion of Level 4, I oversee a £16 million grant as a Finance Officer at a prestigious UK institution. From washing cars at dawn and apprenticing in a trade fair to managing significant budgets in the UK, my journey has been extraordinary but genuine.
The Igbo proverb says: Onye kwe, Chi ya ekwe-if you are determined, your spirit will agree. My life exemplifies this truth. At every crossroads, conviction propelled me: to leave my oga despite losing millions, to return to school when others said it was too late, to endure mockery rather than settle, and to upskill abroad rather than take shortcuts.
Even if things hadn’t worked out, I would still choose this path-the path of faith and relentless pursuit-over living with regret about the road not taken.
I am deeply thankful to God for His grace, to my wife for her unwavering courage, to my elder brother for financial support, and to mentors and friends who stood by me, including the one who lent us ₦10 million to start our UK journey. Special thanks to lifelong friends like Wisdom Obi-Dickson, with whom I wrote JAMB years ago and who welcomed me upon arrival in the UK. Every person who played a role, big or small, shaped my story.
If you are beginning from humble origins-whether in a trade fair, Alaba market, or any corner of Nigeria-reflect deeply on your convictions before taking a leap of faith. Falsehoods will be exposed by poverty, but when passion aligns with action and conviction is genuine, the universe will conspire to support you.
Never belittle small beginnings. Don’t surrender your dreams to cynicism. Your background does not have to define your limits. The boy from a two-room face-me-I-face-you apartment in Ajangbadi is now a Finance Officer in the UK. If I could achieve this, so can you.
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