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A MIRROR OF HOPE

You forcefully open the double doors to your room to see your reflection in the large spotless mirror staring at you, as you try to avoid the Master. Your image kills the mustard seed of hope you have been trying to nurture – your eyes exhausted from too many tears. Your lips are chapped, and the glory of your skin is in the past - your beautiful skin as your mother would remark. You wonder if it’s because of its fairness or the hairless sight of it, or the chubby feeling when touched. And then you reckon the eyes of your mother are not yours. Your beauty lies in your freedom, you think to yourself. You affirm that you don’t belong here, not in this castle with grey walls, lofty ceilings, and heavy brown curtains. Not viewing ancient paintings of wars. Not on a bed for a crowd and certainly not wearing these expensive clothes too pure to smear. You recall the first day of your arrival at your new home. You were greeted by a servant who avoided your eyes as he bowed his head and sai...
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The Roadside Mechanic


THE ROADSIDE MECHANIC

My brain was never interested in school work. Sometimes I wish I had listened to my father and many other relatives who wanted me to have an education. I remember getting flogged constantly in school for failing one subject or the other. I honestly tried my best but it never was good enough. SO I TOOK TO MY FATHER’S ADVICE:
“Okoro, since you no wan go school, oya go learn handwork.”
Being a mechanic like other jobs, is not easy. The curiosity I have for it however makes it interesting and I try to improve myself every day. I started my apprenticeship in 2005, at the age of 18. Ah! I suffered during those years. Frequently my Oga would ask me:
“Okoro, you sure say you get head for this work? No come waste your time here o…”
But I kept on for five years amidst all the setbacks, insults and discouragement from many people around me then. Now I am my own Oga!
For me, speaking and trying to convince my customers tends to be one of the difficult aspects of my job. If something goes wrong with a car I’ve just worked on, it makes matters even worse especially when the owner is a woman. You know they don’t take nonsense. Sometimes I offer to correct the mistake which might not have been my fault for free and other times after much talking forth and back, the customer pays for the unforeseen repair.
To many people I am nothing but a roadside mechanic and that’s fine. As long as it is not a crime and it puts food on my table, clothes on my body and shelter over my head, I am a hero in my lane. I have been saving all these years. One day, very soon, I hope to have my own mechanic workshop that I will call Jomiloju Nigeria LTD.

A Shared Experience

Don't forget to be honest. 

Comments

  1. Unknown8 July 2019 at 01:53

    Despite the odds, he was able to scale through. This days is what you can do with your hands that matters. Not your certificate. #laslasschoolnascam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Murphy8 July 2019 at 02:09

      School is not a scam. People scam themselves by going to school and focusing only on academics without adding extra value to their lives. Of course there are rich people without proper education, but a diligent educated man will beat an uneducated man any day, because his horizon has naturally been broadened by good education. I rest my case.

      Delete
    2. EMMAWAD8 July 2019 at 07:23

      Lol nice hashtag! We will get to that point where school or no school won't define who we truly are and what we are capable of doing.

      Delete
  2. Unknown8 July 2019 at 02:50

    Nice story. Although it's kind of cliche, so to speak. But my question is, why would a guy whose name is okoro(an igbo name) call his company jomololu(a Yoruba name)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous8 July 2019 at 07:20

      Hmm that's life for you. To you it's cliché to someone out there it might be an eye opener. And trust me, I have seen many Yoruba having Igbo names. Guess it's what his circle if friends call him...

      Delete
    2. EMMAWAD8 July 2019 at 11:21

      Okoro is actually a nickname

      Delete

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