Michael used neighbourhood kids to learn barbing, now he makes ₦5k daily

Michael narrated how he struggled to start a barbing business in Lagos and how the removal of subsidy forced him to start using solar technology to power his work tools.

Operating a barbing salon is one of the most popular small-scale businesses many young Nigerians, including graduates, venture into to fill the gap of widespread unemployment in Nigeria.

Michael Adeji, a barber in Lagos is one of the youth who decided to make a living by cutting people’s hair. But for this young man, he had to learn the hair-styling trade through trial and error.

In this interview, Michael, whose shop is in the Obadore area of Alimosho Local Government recounted, in Pidgin English, how he started the business in 2018 and how the government’s removal of subsidy affected his business.

When did you decide to make this a means of living?

A person must find what to eat now. Na one kain job wey I like, and I dey see am like say I dey draw. I like to draw well well even though I no sabi draw like that, but drawing na my hobby. So, anytime I hold clipper, I dey see myself like say I dey draw.

A: Did you learn it somewhere before you opened your shop?

A: No, I no learn o. I no learn am anywhere.

A: I see am like a normal thing, as a guy man, you see something and you go think say e easy. E be like when you go watch football and someone talk say football no easy and you argue say na very soft thing. Na the same way I say barbing na very simple thing. Na part of the thing wey make me dey see myself say that clipper na like pen, make I dey use am dey draw. I just look am say, if I start am no how I no go make money.

So when I start am truly, e dey difficult I come see am say this thing no be ordinary drawing, but when I keep doing it, I realise say na wetin I like. Na from there I open shop for Obadore.

So how did you just open a shop without training?

Na normal thing. All those children for area, na them whether e dey okay or e no dey okay. E get one boy I dey call him and hin sister even though their heads never full. I dey use their head do freestyle that time. But then, if I cut hair for mature people, some of them no go come again because I no do am well.

Q: How much do you make daily?

A: E depend, you know say our work dey rotate. Sometimes, ₦3k, ₦4k and sometimes, ₦5k. Sometimes, market go poor and once I make my transport money, I run go house.

Q: How much do you spend on transportation fares?

A: My transportation to and fro is ₦200.

Q: How much do you pay for shop?

A: My rent na ₦10k monthly. That’s ₦120k for one year.

Q: How is subsidy removal affecting your business?

A: As I dey like this, I don dey arrange how I go take get solar. This fuel matter don make the work sef dey somehow for me.

A: I no dey enjoy am. I no go lie, the fuel make am hard. I don dey arrange for solar, but the balance wey I go take go carry the solar remain ₦20k. If to say I don get the ₦20k, I for don go carry am.

If I get am now, I no go get business with NEPA, if dem bring the light, fine, if them no bring am, get out. The solar I want to arrange is about ₦400k. These days, business get as e be and I no fit siddon dey look.

Now, Michael has started using solar energy to power his tools and appliances. He said he no longer worries about the epileptic power supply in his area.

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