I was born in a small town in Abuja, Nigeria. I am the first child of my family. There’s a great misconception about the firstborn children in my region, it is that all firstborn children especially the men are to take upon themselves the task of providing for the family as soon as they come of age.

For me, it has been hard. At the age of 17, I started working in a company and waiting upon a monthly payout. This money wasn’t worth the effort and dedication I put into doing my job so as to not get fired. I am 25 now and I haven’t for a day had time for myself, other than Sundays. I work from Monday to Saturday. Some days, I can barely see what’s in front of me.

The virus for me became the only moment I gave my body the proper rest required. It gave me time to reflect upon myself and to think out loud. I began to surf the internet and hoping for a miracle to happen. I can’t do this job forever, I kept telling myself. I needed to learn a skill or maybe start a business. I don’t even know how to make sales, neither do I understand what marketing is all about. I have been laboring and building another’s empire. It is time to build mine.

In April, I finally decided to learn how to make a face mask and also how to produce hand sanitizers. This was welcomed in the marketplace, as the demand for it was extremely high. There is this joy I felt, whenever I made little to no money. It was different from when I had to undergo various harsh treatments at my place of work. I applied for a tailoring course in my neighborhood. At first, it was boring, but now I am used to it and I have gotten the hang of cutting and styling clothes.

This is a blessing in disguise for me. I have to learn and work with the potential hidden deep in me. I’ve now developed time to visit the gym frequently, care for my mental and physical health, and also I got more closer to God than I ever was.