Formal education is key, so also is skills acquisition, and this is the story of Iniongun Victor. The 23-year-old undergraduate uses his talented hands to woo huge patronage in his specialised cabinet work along MOPOL barracks road in Makurdi metropolis of Benue State.
The 200-level student of Public Administration in the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi, began his adventure into the world of furniture making in 2017 while in SSS2.
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He learnt the trade under the tutelage of his father before first setting out on his own at their family compound, located at the BSU staff quarters, and now to his present location along Mobile Police barracks road in Adeke, Makurdi.
“I came here because I hear that the area is just opening up for building development and that there were no artisans (furniture makers) doing my kind of work around. Though my expectations of the location haven’t reached the peak, my old customers are, however, still patronising me.
“I rented the shop here at N50,000. I am making enough money to be self-reliant. I don’t depend on my parents for my school needs,’’ he said.
Victor, who expressed passion for his work, posited that the beautiful furniture he makes are affordable for all classes of people.
He, however, cited irregular electricity supply as his major challenge, stressing that his work often depended on the use of generators, which is expensive due to the cost of fuel.
For the young undergraduate, he became motivated to learn the trade and become self-reliant after discovering that his father could not meet all of his needs and those of his siblings at once.
“That was how I started gradually to learn the trade under my father. I am a fast learner, so I learnt under one year while going to school in the mornings and resuming at the workshop in the evenings.
“Right now, I am in 200-level reading Public Administration. I plan to expand this business, then after my university, move to Abuja to establish a bigger furniture workshop.”
Victor said it had not been easy to combine his academics with the business, but he tries so hard to strike a balance between the two, such that none is left to suffer.
Victor now has three people working with him. And there are those skilled in the job who come around to help him whenever there are too many jobs for him to deliver to his customers.
“I have a lot of patronage,” he added.
“I can pay my school fees. It feels so nice for me to spend money that comes from my own sweat. It is really better than having your parents give you money to pay all your bills.
“I will, therefore, advise young people like me to look for something to do rather than stay idle. Government jobs are frustrating these days, such that handiwork has become the best. I plan to become self-employed by the time I complete school and my national youth service,” said Victor.
