Being a bricklayer's laborer was the worst job I've ever had and the most disappointing one I've ever taken. It was 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) was also on strike.
My parents stopped giving me a monthly allowance after I graduated from university. This bugs me a lot because I always need money in some way, but pride forbids me from asking my parents for any money. I was always at home due to the ASUU strike, which also delayed National Youth Service Corps mobilisation, results were still pending at schools.
On a humid Wednesday morning, Mr. Ahmad, a man who lived in the third building nearest to our house, called me and asked the following: "I'm going to work. Would you follow me?"You'll collect N1000 at the end of the day."
"Of course, I will do it," I told him.
"Go get ready, we leave in 10 minutes," he said, and left for his home.
I quickly hurried into the living room to tell my sister. My sister encouraged me not to take the job, but I decided to disregard her words.
She yelled for me, but I didn't respond, so I stumbled out of the room without waiting for her to continue going against the job.
At the workplace, I was given a headpan to carry mixed concrete from one brick to another; that was my work. So for seven hours, I kept carrying the concrete. When it got to a stage, two hours before the end of the day's work, I wasn't able to walk again. I lay on the dirt till Mr. Ahmad was done for the day.
When we were going back home, he slid the N1000 note into my pocket. For the rest of that week, I was in bed, sick and weak, receiving treatment that cost over five times the money collected from the task.
On the fifth night, when I wasn't getting better, my mother and my sister abused me till I almost started crying. My sister said, "Next time I advise you not to get involved in this kind of work and you refuse to listen, I won’t even do as I know you when you are facing the consequences."
A few months later, the lockdown was lifted, and all work and school were to resume, but ASUU remained on strike. I decided to go out and look for something to do, and I was lucky to get a teaching job.
The pay was little, but at least it was better than sitting at home and asking my parents for everything.
I didn't like the job at first. I only accepted it because I was sick of sitting around at home idle and broke. I had no idea that I would end up enjoying it.
Despite the many ups and downs of teaching, I found it to be enjoyable, and I adore the students for never ceasing to amaze me.
I enjoyed the job for a variety of reasons.
First, I was able to impact knowledge on the lives of the students. Second, I was able to influence the students positively. I also learn from teaching and many other things.
I occasionally wish that the short months I spent teaching before being posted for the National Youth Service Corps to serve my father's country would never come to an end, and I even wish my Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) was a primary or secondary school.
In conclusion, teaching is an incredibly rewarding job, though it is not the kind of job that will make one rich, but I thoroughly enjoyed the job. Actually, all professions in education are wonderful.
