Working Lives

Working Lives: The Imo Village Teacher Who Became an Affidavit Agent in Lagos

Working Lives: The Imo Village Teacher Who Became an Affidavit Agent in Lagos

Michael was teaching for N6,000 in a private school in Uvuru, Imo State. He came to Lagos to visit his brother Uchenna, a clearing and forwarding agent in Apapa Ports. He never went back home. Michael worked as a barber and as a driver for a furniture company and a pure water company. He then met someone he trained him to become an affidavit agent.

 

“I was teaching primary three in a private school.  My salary was N6,000. It was a very poor salary but I did not have a choice.”

What is your name and where are you from?

My name is Michael Osuji. I am from Imo State.

Tell us about your education.

I attended Community Unity primary School and Oke-Ovoro Secondary School. Both schools are in Uvuru, Imo state.

When did you come to Lagos?

When I came to Lagos in 2013, I stayed with my uncle at Oko Afo along Badagry road. I had come for a brief visit. My brother encouraged me to get a job and stay in Lagos. I got a job as a barber and was paid N5,000 per month. I left the job and started working as a truck assistant at a furniture company. They paid me N10,000 per month. The good thing about this job was that I learned how to drive.

My job was to assist the driver while driving along Lagos Road. I also assisted in delivering the furniture. The company folded up, and I had to get another job. I later got a job as a truck driver in a pure water company.  This job lasted for a year and a half. The salary was N25,000:00. I met my boss who brought me into the affidavit business while driving for the pure water company.

Where do you live and how much is your rent?

I live in a single room in Shomolu. My house rent is N4, 500 per month.

How did you start this business?

I left Imo to visit my brother Uchenna in Lagos in 2013. I intended to spend a few weeks with my elder brother and go back to Imo state. But it didn’t. I was teaching primary three in a private school.  My salary was N6,000. It was a very poor salary but I did not have a choice. It was a private school but people in the village cannot afford to pay high school fees.

My brother was working at the port in Apapa with a clearing and forwarding company. He tried getting me a job at his place of work, but he wasn’t able to secure one. I did other manual jobs like barbing, driving, etc. I later met my current boss while working as a driver. He trained me for a month before he employed me as a staff. He realized I was not a lazy fellow.

How much do you pay for rent?

The shop does not belong to me. It belongs to my boss. He is the one paying the rent. I am only working here. I don’t stay in the shop often because I have to look for customers.

Who are your customers?

Anyone coming into the court premises to process any documents is my customer. I approach anyone I see coming into the court premises. I will ask the person what they are there for. If they need direction to a specific office, I will assist them in finding their way. The kind ones will show appreciation by giving me money. It is just something to buy water. The highest anyone ever gave me for showing them where to go was N500. This is how I make little income aside from my salary. I direct those who need affidavits to our shop.

Also Read: The Working Girl Who Wants a Faithful Husband

Give me a list of the documents you process for people.

Marriage certificates, birth certificates, change of name, car documents, loss of the document, and some traveling documents.

How much do you charge for each?

It depends on the document. I can’t start mentioning all the documents here and how much we charge.

In a good week, how much do you make?

We make N40, 000–N45, 000 each week and sometimes we make more. It depends on the number of customers we have.

How much profit do you make on each document?

It all depends on how much my boss charges our customers. The price we give when there is NEPA is not the same as when we are running a generator. The cost of papers and ink and some other things also influence our price. We have to include these costs and our profit before giving the customer a price.

For how many hours do you work in a day?

I resume by 9 am and I close by 6 pm.

Do you have savings?

Yes, I have savings. I save 20% of my monthly income in the bank.

Apart from the affidavit, do you do other things to fetch yourself money?

No, I don’t have any side hustle.

Did you have to register with anybody or a union before starting the trade?

No, I did not. Everyone knows I am working for someone.

If I wanted to start the trade today, what do I have to do?

The first thing you would do is to come around and get acquitted with people working here. Ask questions and get to know what they do and how the business works. You will need permission from the court personnel or chairman who will tell you the rules and regulations. It is best to start by working with someone to gather experience.

Also Read: The Generator Seller who used to work as a Motor Boy

For how long have you been doing this and for how much longer do you see yourself doing it?

I have been in this business for about 4 years. I don’t see myself doing this forever.

Tell me about your dreams or plans to venture into something else.

I intend to go back to school and get a degree. This is the most important thing on my mind. After I accomplish this, I can think of starting a business. For now, I will work and save enough to send myself to school.

Obande Friday

Friday is a Mass Communication graduate of The Polytechnic of Ibadan. He has four years of content development experience. He loves lifting weights in his spare time.

Related Articles

Back to top button
Arbiterz

Subscribe to our newsletter!

newsletter

Stay up to date with our latest news and articles.
We promise not to spam you!

You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter

There was an error while trying to send your request. Please try again.

Arbiterz will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.