Working Lives: The Street Sweeper Whose Dad Is a University Lecturer

“My dad is a lecturer at the University of Ado Ekiti. My mom is a trader. I know you are wondering why I could not further my education since I have an educated father. Well, my dad and mom are divorced. I was living with my mom and my stepfather. The family didn’t have extra money to send me to university”.  

As fashionable office work becomes harder to find, more Nigerians are turning to the market for unskilled labour to survive. In Lagos, this new class of blue-collar workers includes graduates of polytechnics and universities who are employed as street sweepers. This Working Lives series talks to them about their past lives, their experience on the job, how they make ends meet, and their aspirations.

 

Where are you from?

I am from Otun in Ekiti State.

When did you get to Lagos?

I got to Lagos in 2014. I endured a long period of grief due to the death of my child. To heal from the loss, my mother recommended I left Ekiti for Lagos.

What school did you attend and when did you leave school?

I had my primary school education in Ekiti. I went to Moba Grammar School also in Ekiti. I finished in 2010. I tried to further my education at Ilaro Polytechnic but I had no money.

Tell me about your family?

My dad is a lecturer at the University of Ado Ekiti. My mom is a trader. I know you are wondering why I could not further my education since I have an educated father. Well, my dad and mom are divorced. I was living with my mom and my stepfather. The family didn’t have extra money to send me to university.

Also Read: Working Lives : The Fashion Designer Who Became a Street Sweeper After Losing Her Customers

Where do you live and how much is the rent?

I live with my husband in Meiran.  We live in a room and we pay N3,500 monthly.

What were you doing before you started working as a street sweeper?

I worked as a waitress in a restaurant in Ekiti and I was paid N4,000 monthly.

How did you start working as a street sweeper?

I worked as an apprentice at a building material shop until last December. I started looking for a job then I met a woman I have worked for before and she told me about this job. At first, I was uninterested because of the nature of the job. I mean the stigma that comes with sweeping on the highway. But the woman encouraged me to take the job and that was how I started.

Did you go through some sort of training before you could start the job?

I started in May so I did not go through any training because the training had been concluded before I joined.

For how long have you been doing this job?

I started in May 2020 so it is about 2 months and some weeks.

How many hours do you work in a day? 

I start working 6 a.m. and finish 1 p.m. I do this from Monday to Friday. I do not work on weekends.

What is your best day like?

Work is less tedious whenever it rains.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Man Who Left His Family So He Could Become A Street Sweeper

How much are you paid? 

I get paid N25,000 monthly. Even to get the money is a struggle. We have not been paid our salaries for three months now.

How much do you spend in a day? 

I do not stay so far from where I work so I mostly trek to work. I just spend about N400 on my feeding for the day.

Have you ever opened a bank account?

Yes, I have a bank account.

Do you have savings and how much do you save in a month? 

I just save as the money comes. May be N1000 or N2000. Sometimes when relatives send me money, I do not spend it. I always save such money.

Are you married?

Yes, I am married.

Any other job or business you would like to venture into?

I would just venture into the building materials business. People will always build houses and of course they will patronise me. If I can get enough money to start the business, I am off!

Subscribe to Notifications