Women taking up ‘Men Work’  for self Reliant 

…so there is need to encourage them by patronizing them, supporting them and showcasing what they can offer.

Before now, to a typical African person, some skills or jobs labelled as ‘hard work’ have always been considered as the exclusive reserve of men, thereby, technically or out rightly keeping the women folks out of such jobs or professions, even when they have passion for such jobs.

Over the years increasing number of African women have summoned courage to join the men in doing the ‘men’s’ work, demanding hard labour like Carpentry, Mason, Mechanic   and so on.

In a chat with some of these industrious women who have defied the belief or mindset held by the society in time past, show how they fulfilled the common adage that says “what a man can do, a woman can do it better: Some of these women revealed that it was the circumstances of life that push them into doing the work but for others they had passion for such job.

For 29 years old Miss Blessing Amemanane Freejob, who is making waves in the work of Screeding, Plaster of Paris (POP), Painting and Washing of rooms, she was driven to that work by mere observing the men doing it while she was working at a building construction site in Pankshin, Plateau State. According to her she finds joy in what she is doing especially when it pays her bills.

She narrated that initially, she used to follow some Masons to help them in building construction sites, and when they were building a house for the late Ngolong Ngas, Nde Joshua Dimlong in Pankshin local government area, some men were casting the POP of the boys’ quarters where she used to visit to watch them working during her break time.

She added that as she observed how they were working on the POP, she picked interest in the work, and then asked the Boss if she can be following them to learn the work and he agreed because he saw her seriousness and determination. 

But for Mrs. Hannatu Terry a mother of 3 who is into carpentry, the circumstance that forced her into that hard work was the challenges of life. She said her father died when she was about 8 years old in the village, leaving them with their mother to fend for them. Meanwhile, she used to visit her uncle’s carpentry workshop at a tender age where she observed how her uncle who was a furniture craftsman made furniture.

According to her when they moved to Abuja, she saw some people doing carpentry work and when she wanted to fix a passage in their house, she sought the help of a carpenter who helped her with the measurement which she followed and it worked.

She added that along the line, things became very difficult for them so she had to complement her mother’s efforts and she had to abandon her education after primary. Since then, she could not further her education; she attempted to go into tailoring but noticed that it might not be of help in meeting her needs, so she left.

The Akwanga local government native in Nasarawa State said she joined the carpentry profession at the age of 17 and was encouraged by the little experience she had from her visits to her uncle’s carpentry workshop. Although she had challenges at the initial state she is now happy doing her work.

She said when she wanted to fix their ceiling, she asked the same carpenter who once again guided her on the measurement and that was how she picked up the challenge, and started but any shop she visited to work they will say its men’s job. She added that one day she just went to site where they were doing carpentry work and she told them that she can do the work. 

While, Mrs. Nanman Nanfwang who is a vulcanizer based in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State said she started the work in order to assist her husband in his mechanic workshop where he combines both mechanic and vulcanizing at the same time. Besides, the work also helps in meeting some of the needs at home. The husband had to relinquish the vulcanizing work to her.

Even though these women have passion and enjoy the work they are doing, it is not without challenges which they encounter daily in the course of their work, as it is not seen as the usual work space for women. These challenges range from discrimination to lack of adequate resources. This is in addition to poor education and family background. 

According to Miss Blessing, those that scoffed her and said all sort of unwholesome words to her when she started learning the work are the ones celebrating her success today in what turned out to be her source of livelihood. She said even her father did not supported the idea when some people reported to him what she was doing.

Blessing who moved to Jos, the Plateau State capital after her Boss whom she was learning under him moved to Jos upon completion of the project in Pankshin, to continue with her 3 years training, said she never knew that women were not into the work of POP, until she came to Jos where she discovered that it was strange to many seeing her doing it, but that did not make her to change her mind because she was determined.

Narrating some of her challenges, Blessing said there was a time someone stopped her and asked if she is a Nigerian and she answered yes, she is from Plateau State. He went on to tell her how they argued with his friends that she is from Togo, adding that no Nigerian lady will do the kind of work she was doing.

For Mrs. Hannatu the carpenter, she recounted how the other set of people she worked with mocked her saying “by mere seeing of your hands, you cannot even kill a fly” and some even sent her out of their shops or refused to give her work but because she was determined she was not discouraged.

The vulcanizer, Mrs. Nanman Nanfwang who is known for her work said she needed more advance tools so she can fix car tyres. She only works on motorcycle tyres as at the time of the interview. Again, her generating machine is also faulty, hindering her productivity in the work and she has insufficient resources to buy bigger equipments. 

While narrating some of her successes the 32 years old female carpenter Mrs. Hannatu noted that so far her work has taken her to Plateau, Bauchi, Lagos, Ilorin, Rivers, Delta, Anambra, Cross River, Kaduna, Abia, Kogi, Nassarawa and Abuja. Through her carpentry work, she has been taking care of her grandmother, her 3 kids, younger brother and her late Sister’s son including school fees and other extended family responsibilities.

Miss blessing appreciated God for the favour he bestows on her in pursuing her handwork “Sometimes if I don’t have the POP work, I get Screeding or painting or washing of room, so I thank God because I’m always busy with one thing or the other that will help my life.” She said. According to her she only finished secondary school but she is hoping to further her studies. She said she want to study Building or civil engineering.

Having attained success in their various handworks, these women have challenged their fellow women to dare the uncharted waters of male dominated handwork or profession if they are inspired to do so without fear.

Blessing encouraged other ladies especially those who are not married to do away with the African mentality of seeing some professions a men’s work but be courageous as God did not give them the spirit of fear but of courage in order to meet their needs if they are move by the spirit to do it.

She also advised parents to support their children in whatever vocation of their choice, recalling how even her father didn’t support her initially but because she was determined and focused, she tried not to disappoint him and today he is very proud of her as she is being celebrated and being a reference point to other people in the society today.

Mrs. Hannatu the carpenter said there is also need for ladies to look beyond white collar job, tailoring, saloon work and make up as there are many other alternatives to pay their bills.

On her part, Miss. Nanman the vulcanizer called on the women folk to put behind them pride and embrace whatever genuine work that can be of help to their lives and that of their families.

There is a paradigm shift in the society today as the women are getting involved in more ‘men’ work, so there is need to encourage them by patronizing them, supporting them and showcasing what they can offer.