WAGES AND SALARY
Nigeria is my country, and the system is different from what I used to know in Togo when it comes to wages and salaries. Myself and my family came to Nigeria running for our lives, hoping that we would come to a better place. Because my dad was hunted by men who wanted to see him dead, I don't believe in spiritism, but I have to believe at some point.
The few years I spent in Nigeria made me believe in the selfish ways employers pay their employees. My first experience was at a construction company. I started working in the office as a receptionist, hoping to make money, even with tips from clients. It turns out that I have the wrong idea of the whole issue.
I gradually started going to the site, thinking that I was better off there, not knowing that it was another war zone all together. I tried doing what they do, like gathering iron wire, nails, and metal particles, but it turns out that I am not the only one interested in the metal money.
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So I decided to learn how to mix concrete and carry blocks. At first, it seems like the wages are good, though food and medicine for recovery will take it all. So when I went deep into it, it became annoying. I would labor for the whole day carrying sand, gravel, and water on my head while climbing a four-story building. At the end, we would have to wait for the engineer till dark for our ways. Some days after the day's work, information would get to us that he had traveled, so we had to go home without any money. Some of us had to track home with nothing to eat for dinner. While some who buy on credit for that day will beg the sellers to pay tomorrow, I did it on many occasions. It was not funny because at times the sellers, if not in a good mood, would disgrace me in front of people around me. I decided to leave the job because it's life-draining and makes me look older than my age, even though I eat a lot.
So I went into teaching thinking it would help me boost my knowledge; it actually did, but the payment structure was not something I could live with. I started with no experience, so they said 8,000 naira was the salary. At first, I thought of going back to the labor job because I made up to 20,000 naira in a week, depending on how hard I worked. But I don't have a choice but to take the job. I worked my way up to the point that my salary was increased to 25000 naira.
But here is the heartbreaking part of this private school: they owe a lot. I was even hoping that government schools were better until I learned that government schools owe their teachers six months salary. My school started it new, and SAPA really dealt with that period, which is now two months, as they always say. The worst is that before the two months started, I had spent the little I had saved up on learning new skills online, leaving me with nothing for food and upkeep.
This experience changed my mind totally, so I decided not to work for anybody again. I decided to become an entrepreneur and work for my own money instead of slaving for somebody who didn't care about my well-being.
All the pictures are from gallery except the second one.
