The Story of an Apprentice in Nigeria Who Worked Hard for Money. A 35-year-old who knows this path is difficult but remains steadfast believes that his hard work will one day pay off
Money flows into and out of people’s lives are a weekly mystery for TNT. There will be spectacular stories and there will be tough stories. These stories never fail to teach us something new.
#MoneyvsMe 13; The Hustling Story of an Apprentice. I’m a young man who lives in the busy streets of Lagos. Our family was not very fancy. My dad was a taxi driver and my mum worked at a store. Even though things were never easy, my parents worked very hard to take care of me and my three younger brothers. From a very young age, I was set on making things better for my family. I am smart and driven, and I want to live a life that isn’t limited by where I am now. When I was done with secondary school, I understood that going to college was an extravagance that my family couldn’t afford. I thought that learning a skill would help me get ahead in life, so I did it.
My apprenticeship began at a neighbourhood auto mechanic shop owned by a man named Alhaji Musa. Alhaji Musa was famous for fixing cars very well and teaching trainees in a strict, no-nonsense way. My days were long and hard, with boring work, clothes stained with oil, and the constant hum of engines. Even though things were hard, I was motivated. Getting help and skills from Alhaji Musa and the other workers helped me learn the ropes quickly. I worked hard and stayed late a lot to get better at what I did. My easy dream was to learn how to fix things perfectly, open my own shop, and get my family out of poverty.
It was hard to work after five years of training. I finally got my degree. Using the little money I had saved, I rented a small shop and began my own car repair business. At first, business wasn’t great, but word started to get around that I did good work. A few customers came in at a time, and over time I built up a loyal following. But soon I realised how hard it really is to run a business in Nigeria’s tough economy. Due to inflation, the prices of spare parts went through the roof, and I had to spend a lot of money on fuel for my generator because the power was so unpredictable. Plus, the rising cost of living made it hard for me to pay my bills. It was hard for me to save money and put it back into my business, even though I worked very hard.
It became a steady hustle for me. Before dawn, I’d rush to my workshop and work until late at night. In order to make ends meet, I took on extra work, like fixing generators and even motorbikes. I worked hard, but the money I made wasn’t even enough to pay my bills. The dream of a better life got farther away. I felt stressed out because of my family’s wants. My brothers needed to pay for school, and my parents’ health was getting worse. I had to put their needs ahead of my own a lot of the time, giving up my goals for their sake. The amount of duty was huge, and the problems with the economy never seemed to go away.
The Truth As the years went by, my situation didn’t change much. I was still working very hard, but the benefits didn’t seem to be coming my way. The cost of living in Nigeria went through the roof as the economy continued to go up and down. It was hard not to feel down when I saw friends and acquaintances who had gone in different directions than me succeeding. Even so, I found small victories in the midst of the fight.
It gave me a feeling of purpose to see every happy customer, every fixed car that drove away smoothly, and every grateful smile from my family. It wasn’t the big change I had hoped for, but I knew I was making a difference. I often thought about my journey. Starting out, I was full of hope and motivation because I wanted a better life. I wasn’t as wealthy as I had hoped, but I had become stronger, learned new skills, and got a deep appreciation for the worth of hard work.
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Nigeria’s economy may not have been kind, but my heart never broke. In that moment, I understood that hustling wasn’t just about making money; it was also about sticking with it, making sacrifices, and finding meaning in this journey. My story and the stories of many others in Nigeria show how strong people can be when they keep going even when things get hard.
Even though there were problems, I kept dreaming. It’s funny, but I kept dreaming. Still, I wished for a time when my business would do well, I could get the things I wanted, and my family would no longer have to struggle.
Money makes me 5 out of 10 happy, if you can rate happiness from 1 to 10. Even though I knew this road would be hard, I stuck with it because I thought my hard work would pay off one day. My story will always tell people in the middle of Lagos, where there is a lot of noise and chaos, of how strong and determined people are who work hard to make their lives better. It is a story of hope, hardship, and the unwavering human spirit that keeps looking for a better tomorrow.
