Last weekend, I drove to Wuse market in Abuja to get some groceries and I met a man corporately dressed in well tailored black suits, tall and dark in complexion. I noticed he was a hawker, can I call him a corporate tiger nuts seller? Oh yes, he is . He sells tiger nuts in wheel barrow. Initially, it got me wondering as in asking putting up rhetoric questions on whys . Even though I was a bit skeptical engaging in a conversation with him, I politely got close and jokingly asked him in Nigeria pidgin English: “Oga, na for this hot sun you wear dis kind suit?” He looked at me and smilingly said, madam na only dead body no fit hustle for daily bread oo.” man must work and chop , na lazy man dey fear sun o, he added. That singular gesture was welcoming and immediately got me tuned into a brief one on one interview with him. I wanted to do a video of it but I was handicapped, no phone or camera with me. I felt bad though.
In the course of the interview, I gathered that he is Isah Yakubu Liman by name, from Kebbi state, came to Abuja for greener pasture. He even told me that CNN has interviewed him. He confided in me that after his interview with CNN , it gave his business more visibility and that has made him become more proud of what he does and more dedicated to his business. Isah Yakubu is married with children.. He further told me that he makes huge money from the tiger nuts business. He said he buys them in big sacks on credit on monthly basis and makes massive sales because his tiger nuts is freshly made and we’ll preserved .He has customers among the average , middle class and the affluent. . He said that he sells in big quantity to people that makes smoothies in eateries. He reminded me that tiger nuts has nutritional health values and should be taken in place of processed food drinks. I asked if he makes profits after paying off his debts , he nodded and said he smiles homes with a lot of profits from that tiger nuts business. He ended up by thanking God for his constant provisions and favours upon his family through the business. When I asked him for a photograph, he proudly told me to Google his name , that his photos are on the internet, low and behold when I got home and looked him up , his story popped up. See how God has exalted Isah Yakubu from a humble business and changed his story for the better. At least he fend for his family.
No wonder Ayrastar , a Nigerian fast rising talented musical artist first line of her most loved debut song “Rush” lyrics goes like this , Sabi girl no dey too like talk
Animals dey in human form
Padi man nobody like work
But you must hustle if you want chop
E no finish dem want fight us
If them dey run them no fit catch up
I no dey form say I too righteous
No come dey form say you too like us
Me no getty time for the hate and the bad energy
Gat my mind on my money. Wow ! What a food for thought for lazy people. I strongly believe that this song serves as a clarion call to promote dignity of labour and hardwork. Telling us that there is no dulling with us, meaning that she despise laziness..
Biblicallly, God Almighty also spoke through Proverb chapter 24: 33 – 24, where he said that in all labour, there is profit but the mere talk of the lips only leads to poverty and the crown of the wise is their riches but the foolishness of fools is folly.
What then is Dignity of Labour ?
Dignity of labour is the philosophy that all types of jobs are respected equally and no occupation should be seen as superior over another and no jobs should be discriminated. In this view all jobs are considered good regardless of whether the occupation is physically or mentally oriented. It should be accorded with respect , appreciated. and should be legitimately superior as long as it’s well done in honesty, sincerity and with trusted intetgrity at play.
This topic dignity of labour reminded and took me to the story of Mahatma Gandhi who was an Indian lawyer, anti- colonial nationalist and political ethicist who employed nonviolent resistance to lead the successful campaign for India’s independence from British rule. He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. He fought for eradication of extreme poverty and famine in his own Gujarat province and founded an initiative that cleans up the community , he installed new schools and build hospitals. He led by example. Gandhi used to do all types of work on his own, even cleaning the toilet. He actually dignified hardwork .
He was later arrested by British-appointed landlords for causing unrest in India , was imprisoned and later freed. Gandhi implemented an improved farming conditions for the Indian farmers..
Any form of work be it manual , intellectual, is called labour and worth respecting . God almighty also encouraged people to work hard. He reassured us in Ecclesiastes that whatever our hands find to do, we should do it well with all dignity and strength . It is a virtue and a worthy necessity for a living.
Dignity of Labour and its importance in the society.
In this context ,work is work be it paid or unpaid, skilled or unskilled. Work is good for our health and for our physical well-being. It also fully contributes to our happiness in all our family ties . Work also helps us to build confidence and self-esteem amongst ourselves and it rewards financially in return . Work is an essential tool through which people as individuals can achieve their goals and aspirations, thrives , impacts more progress in life and live happily .
Work creates room for independence and makes the individual be solely in charge of his or her life and make it meaningful.
It requires time and energy in that with that time and energy he or she will constructively and voluntarily work.
In other words , work has different approaches be it physical , like the artisans, miners, carpentry or being talented or professional in a certain field. . For example, a boy that goes out to work either as a gardener, mechanic, truck pushed, factory worker or a domestic cook is a legitimate worker and same is applicable to an adult, with a skilled job ,perhaps a medical doctor , am engineer , a nurse, teacher etc who also works every other day and his or her wages is paid . I tell you from every ramification, all is labour or work .
Characteristically, people are tends to be different in talents , academic levels intelligence etc depending on their potential or specific working environment, the work is either seen prestigious or demeaning. For example prostitution, cyber crime and drug dealings can never be seen as dignified or beneficial kind of job compared to people doing good and legitimate jobs .
Problems of Labour
Unemployment and poverty.
Many people experience Poverty and unemployment which obviously is caused by inefficient and ineffective governance. and man – made influenced economic downturn. This situation has left many unskilled people jobless especially the able bodied ones , who are willing to work hard for a living . The skilled ones after school are also left unemployed too. One thing remains factual ,which is the availability of menial job which may seem a bit demeaning for the skilled workers but still in order to ease the unbearably hopeless situation of poverty and unemployment, it still remains an option to lay hands on.
Engaging in a menial job is still better than nothing. In far away Europe , many people survive with menial and from unskilled jobs like security, care giver, gardener jobs to make a living and iit pays hugely. Unskilled workers job demands is still on the high abroad because there are a few to come by.
In conclusion, Work is a dignified act and shouldn’t be looked down upon or discriminated irrespective of the it’s kind, pain or unpaid, skilled or unskilled. It deserves some respect. The unemployed should swallow their pride and lay hands on any legitimate menial jobs so as to keep the body and soul well off. I strongly believe that jobs come by easily for people that are already on the job than those that are not. Resilience, patience and perserverance works for those that never give up on their dreams and pursuit. Learn and be inspired by people who from the scratch , with no background or pedigree of any formal education and still became household names in their different endeavours of life . For example people like Cosmos Maduka ( Coscharis Group) Skilled or unskilled work still contributes to the GDP of a nation and should be respected equally and not be discriminated because all work is work.
Money gotten from cyber crime , gambling and prostitution and other kinds of illegal business and immoral work is useless and moral conduct or decadence of that person involved is being questioned too. The kind of work you do should earn you confident, respect and boost your moral values instead of degradation. This serves as an advice for our unemployed teeming youths out there there not to involve in legitimate work be it menial or not . No one should see it demanding, in as much as it solves your basic needs .
Andrea Okoye
aka Marketgirlafrica
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