The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� and she鈥檚 a pornstar. Juliet tells us about some of the stereotypes she faces in her line of work, managing her family’s expectations with her job, and how powerful she feels when she鈥檚 in front of a camera.

MONDAY:

I鈥檓 awake every day between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. I stand up from my bed by 6:30 am today, and the first thing I do is check my phone to see if there are any messages I missed while asleep. Then I start my morning ritual 鈥� I drink Seaman ogogoro to clear my eyes, do some squats to keep my body fit [because I don鈥檛 want to have a fat stomach], and look for something to eat. I鈥檓 done with my routine by 11 a.m. After that, I make content for my paying subscribers 鈥� I have a WhatsApp group where people pay 鈧�5,000 per month to see my nudes, watch me masturbate, rant or just dance. It would have been easier to manage the subscribers if I could go live on Instagram or Twitter, but I鈥檝e been banned on both apps. I鈥檓 grateful that at least I still havewhere I can post even though I don鈥檛 fully understand how to use that app.

I don鈥檛 have time to be worried about Snapchat because there鈥檚 work to be done, and my major 鈥渉eadache鈥� now is entertaining my subscribers on WhatsApp. I鈥檒l video call my over 20 subscribers in batches of seven. The signs are clear that I have a long day ahead of me.

TUESDAY:

I don鈥檛 shoot porn videos every day because I don鈥檛 own a personal camera. Instead, I have to shoot once or twice in a week depending on the schedule of the actors, video crew and location. There鈥檚 a lot of planning that goes into making these videos. We travel outside Lagos, sometimes as far as Badagry, to make them. You can鈥檛 just say you want to act porn in your room or a hotel in Lagos. From the screams and moans alone, oversabi people will call police to arrest you for trying to murder someone鈥檚 daughter. There鈥檚 also the part of choosing the men I鈥檓 acting with because I have a preference 鈥� neat, honest, and willing to show face on camera 鈥� that must be followed. After making my choice, I invite the person for lunch to gauge them before we go for routine [HIV, Hepatitis, etc] tests. Then we can now shoot a video. 

During video shoots, I tell my men that it鈥檚 acting we鈥檙e acting so they shouldn鈥檛 get carried away thinking it鈥檚 their girlfriend they鈥檙e fucking. I also make it clear that they must not cum in me 鈥�  they can cum on my laps, face, tummy but not inside me 鈥� because the viewers want to see the sperm.

Anytime I鈥檓 stressed, I remind myself that it鈥檚 my channel that these videos are being uploaded to and that makes me happy. I鈥檓 excited anytime I look at my money counting and see that it鈥檚 dollars. I can鈥檛 wait till it鈥檚 plenty so I can cash out. 

WEDNESDAY:

People ask me if I鈥檓 shy to have sex in front of a camera. Me, Juliet, shy for what? For why? I even think I鈥檓 addicted to the camera. I鈥檝e been acting for a while, so I鈥檝e gained confidence. Although I started acting porn three years ago, my dream was to always get into Nollywood, so I grew up participating in dramas, teen plays and being a drama queen. I wasn鈥檛 shy when I used to act for people, why will I be shy now that it鈥檚 my channel?

Anytime I鈥檓 in front of the camera, I feel like I鈥檓 Wizkid, Davido or even Burna Boy, and all these people are coming to look at me. I won鈥檛 lie, the first time I acted in a porn video, I didn鈥檛 know it鈥檇 go far. It wasn鈥檛 until my brother in Dubai called to say: 鈥淛uliet, you don dey act porn?鈥� I was 鈥淪hoo, this thing is international now? This is my chance to shine.鈥� In fact, during lockdown, I became famous again because one of my videos did like two million views. I noticed that anytime I passed my street, boys would be looking at me. It was one of my male friends that now gave me the gist that someone downloaded my video and people started sending it to themselves. Sometimes, too much of the attention in real life makes me shy, so I stay indoors. Other times when I want to do my werey, I wear my shades and don鈥檛 give them face. Is it pussy they鈥檝e not seen before? Is it dick they鈥檝e not seen before? 鈥� it鈥檚 everywhere. And if anybody comes to challenge me that why am I acting porn, I鈥檒l also challenge them that why are they watching porn. Wetin carry their eyes go there? Are they also pornstars?

THURSDAY:

I鈥檒l say this anywhere: I鈥檓 not addicted to sex. It鈥檚 just that I can鈥檛 see dick and run. I know that pata pata na you go tire because I don鈥檛 see sex as stress. I also don鈥檛 pay attention to that thing they call body count 鈥� how does it affect me? I can’t count how many guys I’ve fucked.  I also know that I鈥檒l stop acting one day. I鈥檒l move into 鈥減ure鈥� acting and make money from my old videos. By then I鈥檇 have settled down with the man of my choice that loves me. I鈥檓 not worried because I’ve swimmed into the world and seen what’s there. 

For the moment I鈥檓 making my money and facing my business. I鈥檒l advise people to do the same and leave judgement between me and God. I am at peace with my God.

FRIDAY:

I have a few secrets. My mum thinks I鈥檓 an actress in Nollywood, and although my siblings know what I do for a living, they didn鈥檛 cast me. My dad is dead, so he doesn鈥檛 need to know. Sometimes, people whisper to my mum but I encourage her to ignore them. As far as I didn’t kill anyone, I didn’t rob or collect anyone’s money illegally, my life doesn鈥檛 concern anybody. If my siblings could go from an initial violent reaction when they found out I was acting porn to a cordial one, people鈥檚 opinion don鈥檛 matter much to me. 

Another secret is that I enjoy slow fucking and not knacking-knacking like you鈥檒l see in porn videos. I think that鈥檚 even a major reason why it鈥檚 difficult to enjoy sex while acting. If I like the guy and we鈥檙e done shooting, I鈥檒l ask him to come and have the slow sex that I like.

My last secret is that I don鈥檛 make friends with people outside the porn industry because they won鈥檛 understand me. And insult can even enter. But if you鈥檙e in my industry, how can you abuse me when we鈥檙e partners in crime? Even if you abuse me, it’ll be work-related 鈥� you鈥檒l say I didn’t cash out last month or my video quality is poor 鈥� and I know you鈥檙e correcting me. Let me tell you a secret: The people insulting me about pornography will grab this opportunity I have if they see it. Them go too rush am. 

 SATURDAY:

I can鈥檛 help but think about the pornography industry here in Nigeria because there鈥檚 potential that we鈥檙e not tapping into. There鈥檚 a lack of trust amongst us, so we don鈥檛 collaborate. You鈥檒l watch Oyinbo porn and you鈥檒l see crossovers and collaborations making people money. But Nigerian slogan is 鈥淓veryone be on your shoe oh because na only you know as your shoe dey pain you.鈥� I know there鈥檚 the opportunity to make money. When I was still upcoming and working for people, I鈥檝e made around 鈧�300,000 and above per month before. As long as we don鈥檛 combine resources, we can鈥檛 regulate and grow the industry. 

I鈥檓 always looking for people to collaborate and work together because I want to blow to the extent where I can establish a business for my mum and myself. Once I remove black tax and set up a passive source of income from my old videos, then I鈥檒l stop acting porn. Maybe then I鈥檒l finally be free to pursue my childhood dream of acting in Nollywood.

Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more 鈥淎 Week In The Life 鈥� goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, fill this

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The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life,鈥� is an interstate driver. He tells us about the risk involved in his job, his love for his wife and kids, and how he manages his girlfriends alongside his loving family.

MONDAY:

I don’t have a fixed time to wake up because my job is flexible. In the past, when I was a driver for Taxify, I’d wake up early so as to make a profit. However, since I stopped doing Taxify, I don’t have to wake up that early. I now do strictly calling. People who need my services call me for what they want and I help them out. I do anything transport 鈥� I drive people from one state to another, I help them drive their car for delivery from one state to another, and sometimes, I even help people buy cars. All na hustle. 

I’m lucky that I have a good customer relationship and that’s why I have clients who always need me to help them do one thing or the other. And the funny thing is that I developed these relationships while I was still a driver on Taxify. 

I tell people about the importance of honesty and human relationship because it has helped me. No be say na me holy pass, but I dey try. For the past three months, I’ve driven only one person, and we met on that same Taxify. One day in 2017, he ordered a ride and we were flowing. The next day, he called me to pick him up. We just clicked. From there, he became a plus in my life. Even though he’s based abroad, anytime he’s in Nigeria, I’m his driver. I leave all my other clients to strictly drive him for the duration of his stay. I can鈥檛 lie, he has been wonderful in my life. Even when he sends me message from abroad, I accomplish it. Always on point. In fact, today, we’re preparing to travel to his village. I need to put one or two things in place to prepare for the journey.

TUESDAY:

It’s very rare to see a faithful man.  I don’t want to know how bad or ugly he is, as long as he moves around, he must have one or two babes to pass time with. That one is certain. It’s even worse for people like me who drive around all the states. I don’t have active babes in all the 36 states, but I have enough. Any state I enter, I must observe the ground and find at least one babe. Once I arrange the babe, anytime I visit that state, I holler at her. To make sure that she responds, I make our first meeting memorable for the girl. I will burst her head and flex her. And when we’re done enjoying, I will even dash her money. After that, many of them will be thanking me like fifty times. Me, I like honesty, so I tell them before we do anything that I’m married. I love my home. And this one is just both of us enjoying each other. 

My parole is tight, and I talk in a way that they can’t say no. Again, with me, no dull moment. Haha.听

WEDNESDAY:

Today, I鈥檓 thinking about how I don鈥檛 deserve my wife. I’m just opportuned to have this wonderful woman. It鈥檚 God that said she’ll be my own and love me for who I am. She鈥檚 my number one, and it鈥檚 because of that love that I don鈥檛 let her see any clue of my girlfriends. If any of my girlfriends calls my wife, I cut her off immediately because I don’t want anything to ruin my home. 

I guard my home well because growing up, I saw my parents fight. And I don’t want my home to be like that. I love my two boys and one girl, and I cherish their mother. I can’t afford to send my kids to a big school, but the little I can afford, I give to them. I didn’t go to university even though I did all I could to make it work out. That鈥檚 why I made a vow that I鈥檒l do whatever it takes for my kids to go to school. So far so good, I鈥檓 on track. My daughter is in JSS1 while the boys are still in primary school. I鈥檓 sending them to school, not because education guarantees success but because it’s vital 鈥� it’ll always set them apart.听

People have asked me how come I have a wife, three kids and still have space for girlfriends. The truth is that I dey hustle well. Sometimes I may not make one naira in a week, but the next week, I’ll make 鈧�200k. I have clients that pay 鈧�20 – 鈧�30k here and there, and I join everything together. It’s God that’s helping me because the little money I get, I shuffle it. All departments must chop inside. It must sha go round.

THURSDAY:

Interstate driving is risky. I remember my accident on Christmas day of 2019 at Benin Bypass. I was going with this same friend that stays abroad when our car tumbled. I wasn’t the one driving, so I was in the back seat. The funny thing is that I was on the phone talking to my wife when it happened. One minute I was on the call, the next, I鈥檓 upside down inside bush. Fear catch me die. I was upside down looking at my phone still on, fuel was leaking out of the car, and I was strapped to the chair with the seat belt. I had to calm myself down to get out of the car. Then I also told my guy not to panic while I loosened his seat belt. Thank God for motorists who helped us out of the whole situation. With their help, we turned the car back straight and then Road Safety came to tow the vehicle. Even after that incident, I didn鈥檛 stop driving. I can鈥檛 stop driving. It鈥檚 a part of me. Anytime I touch a car, I鈥檓 at peace.听

If I have my way, I’ll invest in a transport business because I know there’s money in here. This is the field where I’ve spent all my life. This is all I know and this is where my talent lies. 

FRIDAY:

I love my kids so much. No matter how bad my day is, once I see them, I just brighten up. My work doesn’t give me enough time for my kids. When I’m in Lagos, I make sure I spend time with them. Sometimes I won’t travel for two months and other times, I wouldn’t be in Lagos for three weeks straight. There鈥檚 just that fatherly love that they bring out in me.

Even when I鈥檓 with any of my girlfriends, I must still speak to my kids. I鈥檒l call to hear their voice: I鈥檒l ask them about their studies, if they鈥檝e eaten, and how their day went. I’m never far away from them. 

I honestly don’t know how they鈥檒l feel if they know I have girlfriends. All I know is that I won’t bring any drama near my house. Even if I鈥檓 a killer outside, I want to be a saint in my own home. I may not have a lot of money but home matters to me.  I鈥檝e been married for twelve years, and I don鈥檛 know if I can keep on living if anything happens to my family.

To be honest, I鈥檓 even changing. I鈥檓 not bad like that. If I count my girlfriends, I have only five consistent ones. I鈥檝e removed the inconsistent ones from my list because no time. I鈥檓 also thankful that God take libido bless me to be able to keep everyone satisfied. It鈥檚 grace. I be pure Igbo guy, I strong die. 

Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more听鈥淎 Week In The Life听鈥�听goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, fill this

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Since then, I鈥檝e spoken to over 40 Nigerians with different jobs, struggles, and wins. These stories have opened minds, sparked conversations, and 

As the year comes to a close, I鈥檝e picked 10 of the absolute must-read in this series.

1) A Week In The Life Of A Kayan Mata Seller Focusing On Sex Education

Today鈥檚 subject is Maryam Usman, a Kayan Mata seller from the North. She talks about the challenges that come with her business and more importantly, the need for sex education amongst Northern women.

Read here.

2) A Week In The Life Of A Flight Attendant

Today鈥檚 subject is *Tunde. A 29-year-old flight attendant of mixed heritage who tells us that part of the training to become a flight attendant involves learning how to deliver babies.

Read here.

3) A Week In The Life Of A Call Center Agent At The Suicide Hotline

Today鈥檚 subject is **Mark, a psychologist who is a call center agent at the suicide hotline. He walks us through his battle with faith, the need to help people, and the challenges that come with his job.

Read here.

4) A Week In The Life Of A Nurse On The COVID-19 Frontlines

Today鈥檚 subject is *Agnes, a nurse currently caring for Covid patients. She tells us her fears as a young person working in close contact with an infectious disease.

Read here.

5) A Week In The Life Of 鈥楢gba鈥�, The Entertainer Who鈥檇 Rather Be Rich Than Famous

The subject for today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is Olubiyi Oluwatobiloba, an entertainer popularly known as 鈥楢gba鈥� of Konibaje baby fame. He tells us about the good and bad side of fame, his creative process, and his exit plan when skits are no longer sustainable.

Read here.

6) A Week In The Life Of An Imam Navigating A Zoom Ramadan During Covid-19

Today鈥檚 subject is Imam Nojeem Jimoh. He tells us how he鈥檚 navigating Ramadan using technology in this special time.

Read here.

7) A Day In The Life: The Soldier Eagerly Looking Forward To Civilian Life

Today鈥檚 subject is a soldier in this mid-thirties who walks us through fighting bandits in the North, corruption in the military, and his plans for civilian life once his military service is over.

Read here.

8) 鈥淏order Closure Is Only Enriching People鈥� 鈥� A Week In The Life Of A Smuggler

The subject for today is Mr M, a businessman and smuggler. He talks about the risk involved in his job, how bribes affect the prices of goods, and his hope to diversify his source of income.

Read here.

9) 鈥淢en Try To Take Advantage Of Me鈥� 鈥� A Week In The Life Of A Female Bouncer

The subject of today鈥檚 A Week In The Life is Tope. She鈥檚 a bouncer and she talks about the stereotypes she faces at work, advances from men, and how difficult it is to be a bouncer during COVID.听

Read here.

10) A Week In The Life Of A Fish Specialist Earning $5,000/Month

The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is a twenty-six-year-old fish specialist. He talks about making over $30,000 from selling fishes, how he stumbled on the business, the cruelty fishes face, and why he left paid employment.

Read here.

Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more听鈥淎 Week In The Life听鈥�听goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out.听Reach out to me: hassan@bigcabal.com if you want to be featured on this series.

[donation]

Since then, I’ve spoken to over 40 Nigerians with different jobs, struggles, and wins. These stories have opened minds, sparked conversations, and

As the year comes to a close, I’ve gathered 10 of the biggest hits in this series.

1) A Week In The Life Of An NCDC Call Centre Agent

Today鈥檚 subject is Joke, a call centre agent at the听听She tells us how her life has changed since Coronavirus was听and what she looks forward to the most after the pandemic is over.

Read

2) A Week In The Life Of A Sex Worker

Today鈥檚 subject is *Yemi, a 27-year old sex worker who tells us how sex work has affected her outlook on life.

Trigger warning: Strong content of drug use and rape ahead.

Read here.

3) A Week In The Life: The Agbero Trusting God For A Better Life

The subject for today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is *Tola. He collects money at the bus park, and he鈥檚 what Nigerians refer to as Agbero. He talks about wanting to quit his job, his faith in God and why he shows up every day.

Read here.

4) A Week In The Life: A Sex Toy Seller Juggling Business With Her Christian Faith

Today鈥檚 subject is, a Nigerian woman who sells sex toys. She walks us through business during COVID, her Christian faith, and not being ashamed to promote her business using her face.

Read here.

5) 鈥淧eople Ask Me For Body Parts鈥� 鈥� A Week In The Life Of A Mortician

The subject for today is Mr A, a mortician. He talks about his first day on the job, people asking him for human parts, and why he lives intentionally.

Read here.

6) A Week In The Life Of A Coffin Maker

Today鈥檚 subject is Chief Ogunsekan, a coffin maker. He tells us how being the boundary between the living and dead has shaped his outlook of the world.

Read here.

7) A Week In The Life: The Online Sex Worker Who Hates Her Body

The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is an online sex worker in her early twenties. She talks about hating her body, the Nigerian factors like NEPA that affect her work, and her biggest fear of one day getting exposed.

Read here.

8) A Week In The Life: Jumia Delivery Agent By Day, Family Man By Night

The subject for today鈥檚 A Week In The Life is Micheal, a Jumia delivery agent. He walks us through combining being a delivery agent with fatherhood.听The challenges of business in a pandemic and his plans for the future.

Read here.

9) A Week In The Life: A Tanker Driver Living Her Best Life

The subject of today鈥檚 A Week In The Life is Adeyemi, a tanker driver. She tells us about being a woman in a male-dominated field, dreaming big, and discovering herself through her job.

Read here.

10) 鈥淚 Don鈥檛 Want People To Say I Eat Too Much鈥濃�� A Week In The Life Of A House Help

The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is Mercy. She鈥檚 a house help in her early twenties. She talks about leaving home to come to Lagos, the difficulties of her job and how bosses can be mean to house helps.

Read here.

Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more听鈥淎 Week In The Life听鈥�听goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, don鈥檛 hesitate to reach out.听Reach out to me: hassan@bigcabal.com if you want to be featured on this series.

[donation]

The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life” is a twenty-six-year-old fish specialist. He talks about making over $30,000 from selling fishes, how he stumbled on the business, the cruelty fishes face, and why he left paid employment.

MONDAY:

I quit my job today.听

With everything going on this year, it just felt like the job was one more thing that wasn鈥檛 working because the company wasn鈥檛 offering me the growth I wanted. Even though I鈥檓 worried about the next step, I鈥檓 happy because I have a side hustle which involves exporting fishes alive as pets or for whatever use the person buying needs it for.听

As a kid growing up, other people had televisions in their house, while we had an aquarium. Because my dad studied Fishery at the university, I learned a lot about fishes from a young age. The only downside was never having anyone to discuss them with 鈥� everyone looks at you weirdly when you bring up a conversation about fish. So, I turned to the internet where I started a community of over a thousand like-minded people. I鈥檒l never forget the first time someone outside Nigeria offered to pay me $400 to send fishes to him. In my head, I was like does this guy know what the exchange rate is? Those were cute times because I鈥檝e since gone on to make up to $12,000 in one sale, and $30,000 in the total sale听鈥� the profit margin is insane.听

I buy fishes for $100 outside Lagos from fishermen who catch and kill them for sale. Fishes are only useful to fishermen when they鈥檙e dead, so I have to beg them to catch mine alive. Because there are many cruel methods fishermen use to catch fishes, this is usually a struggle for them. And many times, I have to buy a net and even build ponds by the rivers for them. I鈥檝e heard that fishermen pour herbicides on the water to kill the fishes and then pack the dead bodies for sale. I鈥檝e also heard some of them pour palm oil on the water and because of the viscosity 鈥� oil stays on the water 鈥攆ishes can鈥檛 take in oxygen. When fishes take in 鈥渙iled water,鈥� it blocks their gills making it impossible for them to extract oxygen from water so they die. Whenever I beg them not to employ regular tactics, they always look at me like I鈥檓 stupid because they can鈥檛 fathom what I鈥檓 using the fishes for. 

The more I think about it, the more I realise that Nigeria is not even a place for a human being, talk less of a fish.

TUESDAY:

God will bless white people and they’ll go to heaven because they came to Nigeria, assessed our rivers and compiled a book about all the species of fishes in them. Published in the 80s, this book is one of those dusty, dog-eared books that has seen different regime changes in Nigeria. In the book, you鈥檒l see how rivers are connected, the number of fishes in each river, and migration time table of these fishes. Just by reading the book, I know the time of the month and river to go search for a specific fish. All I have to do is go to the community with a picture to show the fishermen and speak small Yoruba. That鈥檚 the easy part. 

The hardest part is transporting the fishes alive down to Lagos. 

I have to beg the driver to pack the fishes in a certain way because if the water gets too hot, the fishes will die. I also have to beg for water to be changed at certain bus stops during the journey. It’s stressful in its own way not because of the cost of the fishes but because the people [fishermen, driver] I鈥檓 dealing with don’t know the value, so I literally have to teach them. 

I don鈥檛 even want to get started on people at the airport. Those ones have no clue on how to handle my goods because they are running on vibes. 

WEDNESDAY:

I鈥檓 exporting some fishes today so I鈥檓 making preparations. The basic things are oxygen, water and packaging boxes. Fishes are funny because some of them require little oxygen while others require a lot of oxygen. For the latter, I spray oxygen from my oxygen tank [used in hospitals] into their water. After that, I place the water into a bag which then fits into a styrofoam box, and we bind them for the journey ahead. During winter, I鈥檇 wrap the styrofoam box with a lot of newspapers to insulate against the cold. It鈥檚 a crude method, but it is what it is. Everything I鈥檓 doing is basically trial and error because there鈥檚 no rule book per se.

The internet has been helpful in helping me figure things out and it has also shown me that no matter how stupid you think what you write is, someone will find it useful. For me, I鈥檓 just glad that my passion is allowing me to connect and earn the kind of money I鈥檇 not earn on a regular day.

THURSDAY:

On this day last month, a Japanese man cheated me out of $6,000. My plan was that the money would be my safety net after quitting my 9-5. We had an agreement of $9,000 鈥� $3000 for freight cost, and $6000 for the fishes. He ended up paying only the freight cost and leaving me in almost 鈧�2 million debt. Before this incident, I used to say Japanese people were the most trustworthy people in the world and that鈥檚 why I shipped without complete payment. When he blocked me on Instagram and stopped replying to my texts, e shock me.

The only reason I鈥檓 remembering is that I just got paid for another batch of fishes I sent, so I鈥檓 finally debt-free. I鈥檓 just thankful for friends who loaned me money during that period because I was as broke as a church rat. 

Will I do it again? Yes. For me, it鈥檚 more than the money; it鈥檚 finding people who share the same passion with me. And that sense of community. 

I didn鈥檛 start out looking for money, someone just told me they鈥檇 pay me to ship fishes and that鈥檚 how I stumbled into this business. The upside is that one shipment from this month already offset the loss from the Japanese guy. And I have another shipment in December. I鈥檓 not worried because I know that with at least $5000 profit a month, I won鈥檛 go hungry. Coupled with the fact that I鈥檓 also doing something I enjoy, it鈥檚 a win for me. 

Whether I make money or not, I鈥檒l always love fishes and I鈥檒l always own an aquarium in my house to be gazing at them. Even though other people are worried about my unemployment, I know I鈥檒l be fine at the end of the day. And if I鈥檓 not then it鈥檚 not the end. 

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The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is a pilot and businessman. He tells us about the challenges of aviation in Nigeria, the best part of being a pilot, and the importance of friends. 

MONDAY:

Let me tell you one cool part about being a pilot 鈥� one time I was stuck in a club in Florida and some hot chicks asked me what I did for a living. I was like, 鈥淚鈥檓 a pilot.鈥� And they go: 鈥淥MG, you’re a pilot? Do you fly planes? That鈥檚 so cool.鈥� I was like: 鈥淭here’s nothing special about being a pilot.鈥� [laughs] 鈥渂ut I鈥檒l take the compliment.鈥� Saying I was a pilot at that moment was an icebreaker that led to the most amazing conversation. In hindsight, that was a good time, unlike today where I have to wake up by 5 a.m. because I have to go to work. I love my job, but I also like stress-free life.

I鈥檓 up early because I want to use the gym for 30 minutes. After which I have to get ready for work because the staff bus arrives at 6:30 a.m.

I stay in the office 鈥渃ompound鈥� because I do a rotation called 6 and 6; that is, six weeks on and six weeks off. In my off time, I can decide to 鈥渒ill鈥� myself as long as I resurrect myself back to work. There鈥檚 an aviation rule that you must have an off day in every consecutive seven day week: If you work Monday to Saturday, you must rest on Sunday. The rule also states that pilots are not allowed to fly more than 8 hrs a day, 30 hrs in a week, 100 hrs a month. If I hit the 100hrs limit in 20 days, I鈥檓 going to sit around doing nothing for the next 10 days. And all this is still when I鈥檓 on the job for six weeks. My work gives me time because I alternate between free days and busy days. 

I spend my six weeks off work in Lagos, and the six weeks on duty is split between Aberdeen and Port Harcourt. Every six months, pilots are expected to do an [OPC] exam to evaluate their competence and depending on the aircraft, the tests are held in either the US, UAE or Aberdeen. I鈥檓 the training captain for my company, so for one week, company pilots come to fly with me in Aberdeen as part of the fulfilment of their OPC. When I’m not doing that, I start and end my day in Port Harcourt.

TUESDAY:

In Nigeria, we have two functional flying schools: one in Zaria and the other in Ilorin. The Zaria school used to be the biggest in Africa but now South Africa has overtaken it. Now, I always advise people to go to the US for aviation school. I may be biased because I went there, but I believe that there are so many flying schools to choose from and the system is pretty straight forward. This is minus the fact that Nigerian schools don鈥檛 have enough aircraft for students. I鈥檝e heard of cases where because students didn鈥檛 get enough flying hours, they ended up spending two years for a one year program. 

When you鈥檙e fresh out of aviation school in the US, the best place to fly is in Nigeria. In aviation, we rate experience with hours spent in the air. So instead of saying I have 20 years experience, you鈥檒l say I have X number of hours. As a Nigerian, you鈥檙e at a disadvantage competing against Americans for spaces because you have neither experience [hours] nor the means to gain them. Unlike Nigeria where pilots are few, there are many pilots in America. Therefore, it鈥檚 easier to get a job and gain hours when you come back to Nigeria. 

The only challenge is dealing with Nigerian factors. While my company doesn鈥檛 have the Nigerian factor, I鈥檝e heard tales…

Another issue is overbooking tickets with the hope that Lagos traffic or some other thing will make people miss their flights. To be fair, airlines all over the world overbook, but these airlines compensate you if everyone shows up and you don鈥檛 have a seat. In Nigeria, you’ll hear them say: 鈥淥ga you came late,鈥� even though you鈥檇 been sweating on the queue for the past two hours. 

I was gisting with my friend one day, and he told me that most companies use aviation in Nigeria for money laundering. These days, I鈥檓 starting to agree. 

WEDNESDAY:

I can tell you how beautiful the creeks of the Niger Delta is, or how beautiful the coastline of Nigeria is from the sky. Alternatively, I can tell you how scattered and horrible Lagos looks from above. If you want a fun fact, I鈥檒l tell you how the Abuja airport is located in between two mountains. Seeing the world from above makes you admire nature and the creator. As one who admires art and artwork, I鈥檓 in love. Sometimes, I鈥檓 just looking, marinating and taking in a scene. 

This job has also given me the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. One time my company was working with the United Nations, and I got to share a cockpit with almost everyone from different parts of the world. Without necessarily going to some places, I know about their culture, tradition and food. There鈥檚 the guy from Bali who described his house to me in detail alongside fun activities to do there. There鈥檚 also my friend from Singapore who talked about the food. I鈥檓 thankful for the knowledge. It鈥檒l help me fit in better when I eventually decide to visit. 

It鈥檚 hard not to love this job. Today, I鈥檓 telling a colleague that the best-kept secret about being a pilot is that the job is not as complicated as people think it is. Yes, you need to be relatively smart and intelligent to do it, but I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 difficult. I’m probably saying this because I’ve been flying for 11  years, and I’ve witnessed many scenarios. I tell people that I don’t think pilots get paid for what we do. We get paid for what we may have to do. Every day a pilot takes off and lands without a problem is a good day. The day you lose an engine or your plane has a hydraulic problem 鈥� that is, shit hits the fan 鈥� is when you know who’s the real pilot and who has just been sitting there doing take-offs and landing. God no go shame us. 

THURSDAY:

Due to the exchange rate in Nigeria, we earn at 鈧�365 but spend at 鈧�490. It’s unfortunate and it hurts me badly and that makes me broke. 

Then there鈥檚 also the societal expectations of a pilot. Pilots earn good money, but I still find myself anxiously waiting for my paycheck. Somebody who earns less than I do probably looks up to me thinking my salary will set them up for life. The truth is that more money equals more problems. Apart from the extravagance that sets in when you have a higher disposable income, there鈥檚 pressure on all sides. Every uncle, aunty, cousin, nephew, friend of friend wants you to give them money. At the end of the day, if you鈥檙e not careful, you鈥檒l find out that you鈥檝e finished spending all that 鈥渂ig pay.鈥�

Today, I鈥檓 counting my blessings. I鈥檓 grateful for what I have and what is yet to come. 

FRIDAY:

In ten years time, I honestly don’t think I want to be actively flying. I hope that by that time, some of my current businesses have become million-dollar companies so I can go to the Bahamas, cross my legs and do something with my life. 

I was telling some people that if you have another business that makes you a lot of money, you’ll suddenly start to see how dangerous this job is. One day someone will scare you and do one horrible landing or take off, then you’ll tell yourself, 鈥淚 think it’s time to draw the curtains. It’s time to go.鈥� For now, the pay is still distracting us. 

I鈥檓 glad that today is Friday. I鈥檓 looking forward to getting off work, drinking Ciroc and having conversations with friends. After all, friends are part of the reason why we smile in this difficult world. I can鈥檛 imagine how lonely it鈥檇 be if I had no one to talk to about my wins, frustrations and even my dreams. It鈥檚 never lonely at the top if you have friends there with you. 

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The subject of today鈥檚 鈥淎 Week In The Life鈥� is Mercy. She鈥檚 a house help in her early twenties. She talks about leaving home to come to Lagos, the difficulties of her job and how bosses can be mean to house helps.

MONDAY:

Every day except Sunday, I wake up by 5 a.m. It takes me roughly one hour to have my bath, dress up and prepare to start my day. I live downstairs, and the family I鈥檓 working with stays upstairs. Before 6 a.m., I go upstairs, knock on their door, and they let me into their side of the house. And so my day begins.

The first thing I do is make breakfast. I have to ensure that before everyone wakes up, food is ready. Breakfast in this house is by 7:30 a.m. Sometimes, if I鈥檓 done making the food early, I鈥檒l clean the house. Other times, I鈥檒l do laundry. There鈥檚 a washing machine in the house, but there are some clothes [white shirts, nativewear] I prefer washing with my hand because the machine would spoil it.

Sometimes, if I鈥檓 hungry while preparing breakfast, I take out my own food and eat. Then I continue working. If I don鈥檛 feel like eating, I cover the food and continue with chores. Before 8 a.m., I鈥檓 usually done with anything chores and breakfast, so I go downstairs to rest. 

Lunch is by 1:30 p.m, so I start preparing it by noon. We eat swallow for lunch because mummy says eating it at night won鈥檛 allow the food to digest. After lunch, if there鈥檚 no other work, I go back downstairs to rest. 

By 4 p.m., I go upstairs to prepare supper, and I鈥檓 done under two hours. In the evening, we eat light food like beans or spag or potato. We also try to eat around 6 p.m. There鈥檚 nothing to do after I鈥檓 done cooking today, so I go downstairs for the last time. The next agenda is to have my bath and sleep.

TUESDAY:

 I鈥檓 thinking about how staying alone downstairs is boring for me. I have nobody to talk to. I鈥檓 the only one downstairs, and nobody talks to me upstairs. It鈥檚 only when they want to send me on an errand that they talk to me. 

I was using a phone that had Facebook. I used it to waste time whenever I was downstairs. But the other day, heavy rain came and I went upstairs to close their windows. By the time I got back to my room, rain had entered and soaked my bed, my phone, everything. That鈥檚 how the phone stopped working. I don鈥檛 think the phone can be able to on again. I just have one small phone I manage to make calls with.

Loneliness can make someone tired. There鈥檚 no one to talk to, no TV to distract you from your thoughts. There鈥檚 a TV in the house, but I don鈥檛 watch it because how can I say that I鈥檓 sitting in my oga鈥檚 parlour to watch TV? Even on Sunday, which is my day off, I still can鈥檛 do that. 

I always remind myself to focus on the work that brought me to this house. I have to remember that I鈥檓 looking for something. If I work and exhaust myself, I won’t have time to be thinking too much. I鈥檒l sleep immediately I land on my bed. It鈥檚 that afternoon boredom I need to work on because that鈥檚 when the thing bothers me the most. Though I don鈥檛 mind it much because I always remember to focus on my reason for being here.

WEDNESDAY:

I鈥檓 in Lagos because I have a plan for my life. I’m a hairdresser; I used to make hair very well. It鈥檚 just that I never had money to open my own shop, so I decided to drop out of secondary school and do any job to raise shop money. I was supporting myself through secondary school with the business, and it was barely enough. When I now enter university where it鈥檚 harder to combine work and school, how do I want to survive? 

There鈥檚 no support from home like that. We are six in our family, so whose education will they pay for? That鈥檚 why I dropped out in SS 2 to look for money. Let me start my own business. Maybe it can help my future. 

It鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 even perfect in housework. I just know that nothing is hard as long as you put your mind to it. So I spoke to an agent that I needed work. He asked me what kind? I said anyone that鈥檚 available. He gave me some options, and I chose housework.

House girl work favours me because I’m not a Lagos girl. I’m a Hausa girl who came to Lagos. If I鈥檓 doing work that requires me to enter buses, I can鈥檛 survive. Back home in Taraba state, I used to stay indoors. This Lagos that I came, I didn鈥檛 tell my parents until I landed. 

I like Taraba state because everything is peaceful and the food is plenty. I miss eating fresh yam, fresh corn, groundnut stew. The only bad thing there is there鈥檚 no money. The jobs there don鈥檛 pay like in Lagos. If I was still in Taraba and someone told me to do house girl, I won鈥檛 lie to you, I won鈥檛 be able to do it. Me that I was living with my parents and they were feeding me. But since I鈥檝e left home, nobody is feeding me or giving me money, so I have to do the work.

Every day my mum is always crying for me to come because Lagos life is different. She鈥檚 always saying that people from the north are dying in Lagos, and they don鈥檛 know why. She鈥檚 like if I don鈥檛 take care in Lagos, she鈥檚 not sure I鈥檒l still be a human being.

I keep telling her that I can’t come back home without money. I don鈥檛 want to go back home and someone will insult me that I left home and didn鈥檛 make anything. I call her at least two times a week so she can be hearing my voice. Today, after work, I plan to call her. I just pray that I don鈥檛 sleep off because I鈥檓 feeling tired. 

THURSDAY:

The hardest part of being a house girl is being patient. Every job requires some level of patience if you want to get something from it. Another thing is that you must accept that the work will be hard. If it鈥檚 not hard, why will my madam bring someone to help her? 

You need to have the mind to do house girl work. The reason is that when you鈥檙e working for someone, even if something is right and they say it鈥檚 not, you have to accept. If the person gets you angry, you can鈥檛 show it. If they say you should do something you don鈥檛 agree with, you must do it. 

I have come to realise that in Lagos, many people who are oga or madam treat house girls like slaves. They talk to you anyhow, and if you try to explain yourself, they鈥檒l say you don鈥檛 have manners. Some ogas will call you and on your way to meet them they’ll shout: “I called you since; why didn’t you answer me on time?” When you鈥檙e doing a chore, they鈥檒l complain you’re doing it slowly. They take you like you don’t know anything and control you. 

You can鈥檛 get angry or take the shouts seriously because you can鈥檛 get money easily, and to make money you have to suffer. That one is a normal thing. 

I like the current family I鈥檓 with. They鈥檙e nice to me 鈥� nobody shouts at me or makes me do stuff I don’t like. I鈥檝e only been in their house for two months, so I鈥檓 praying that it remains sweet till whenever I leave. Some people will be nice when you’re new, and when you’ve been in the house for long, they’ll show you a different character. 

These people take me like I’m their family member. Everything they eat, I must eat. The mum is so nice. When she buys fruit, she鈥檒l be like, 鈥淢ercy, don鈥檛 think that the fruit is for only mummy and daddy oh, you can eat out of it.鈥� 

Me, I鈥檓 scared of eating oh. Especially when I鈥檓 new. I don鈥檛 want people to say I鈥檓 eating eating eating or I鈥檓 finishing their food. 

These people don鈥檛 care if you eat, eat, eat. They鈥檒l say take this if you want to eat. I thank God for blessing me with this very very nice family where no one is shouting at me. 

FRIDAY:

I miss my family. I miss my brothers and sisters. I miss the life I had there before I came to Lagos. Today, I鈥檓 thinking about how in Taraba, I just sleep and sleep. In the afternoon, my friends would call me for us to go out 鈥� we used to go out every day.

If someone had supported me, I鈥檇 have stayed back to graduate because I really like school. I just had to leave home. At a point, while I was at home, my uncle was starting to talk about marriage. The only thing my north people know is marriage, marriage, marriage. You鈥檒l see a young girl like this, and she鈥檚 married. Me I鈥檓 not that kind of person. Many of them even end up going back to their parent鈥檚 house, so what鈥檚 the rush? 

When you marry young, you don鈥檛 even get to know yourself. I tried to explain this to my uncle, but he was just choking me with questions: “Do you have a fiance? Do you know you鈥檙e getting old?” Me that I鈥檓 just 22. 

I want to have my own business so when I鈥檓 married, things will not be hard for me. In this life, if you don鈥檛 have money, you鈥檙e a dry person. Money stops rubbish. 

How old am I to be thinking of marriage? Right now, all I鈥檓 focusing on is my future. 

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The subject of today鈥檚 A Week In The Life is Tope. She鈥檚 a bouncer and she talks about the stereotypes she faces at work, advances from men, and how difficult it is to be a bouncer during COVID. 

MONDAY:

I woke up today thinking about the situation in Nigeria and I鈥檓 not happy. How is it possible that a graduate like me is still struggling? 

I used to work as a secretary, but the money was not enough, so I got a security job. But Corona came, events got cancelled, and I was back to square one, back to struggling to make ends meet. The only good thing that came out of this mess is that I lost weight.

When Corona started and there were no security jobs, I decided to lose some weight. I shed weight [through anaerobic exercises like jumping] to avoid health issues and because I was starting to look older than my peers. I鈥檇 be going on the road with my friends and people would be asking if I was their aunty. Who鈥檚 your aunty, please? 

At first, some people were worried that slimming down would affect my job. Me, I wasn鈥檛. Although many bouncers have big bodies, the job requires intelligence 鈥� How can I assess a situation for threats? How can I prevent a situation from escalating? Things like that. 

I was also banking on the fact that the name I had made in the industry would cover me. At least, some people knew me based on my past services. If all failed, my back up plan was to get hired as an ambassador for weight loss and I鈥檇 quit security. However, that hasn鈥檛 happened. Yet. 

That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here on a Monday morning thinking about my life. I need to shake off these thoughts so that my day can fully start. 

TUESDAY:

What do you remember about your first day at your current job? 

I remember being very passionate. My first boss was not harsh, so that made things easy for me. As a first-timer, I was put in charge of vendors at a wedding. My job was to prevent guests from going to the vendor鈥檚 side especially when they wanted to use the restroom. However, I had this one guest who gave me a tough time. After politely explaining why she could not pass, she threatened to slap me. She got so angry that I had to call my boss to save me. I was just quiet throughout her shouting because we are not allowed to talk back.

After the party, my boss commended me on how well I handled the incident. That鈥檚 how my confidence grew. I also got a mentor that gave me orientation for this job 鈥� he told me what to do, how to handle different types of guests and just general advice. One time, people were jealous because I used to get a lot of jobs, so he advised me to stop posting on social media and drawing attention to myself. He told me that as long as the right people knew me, I was fine. It鈥檚 been two years since I last posted about my job. 

Another time, when people were spreading rumours about me sleeping with men for jobs, his belief in me was what kept me going. Every time I wanted to quit, he鈥檇 encourage me to stay. It is because of my mentor that I鈥檓 still on track in this job.

I鈥檓 remembering all this because I鈥檓 frustrated today. A job I was supposed to go for got cancelled. Corona is really spoiling things.

 Let me go and talk to my mentor, maybe I鈥檒l feel better. 

WEDNESDAY:

When people hear bouncers, they think we鈥檙e fighters or troublemakers. That鈥檚 not true. A lot of our job involves brain and not brawn. Because we’re meant to keep the peace at events, we try not to employ violence that can scatter everything. You鈥檒l never see a bouncer shocking [with a taser] someone at an event because that will scare everybody. Instead, we鈥檙e always calculating the best way to resolve issues without making a scene. 

Another misconception people have is that we鈥檙e uneducated, and that鈥檚 why people look down on us. Or talk to us anyhow. In reality, a lot of us are educated. It鈥檚 just condition. At least, the job is far better than sitting at home doing nothing.  I鈥檝e come to accept that there鈥檚 no job without its own challenges. 

I know that this job is not permanent for me. It鈥檚 until I find something better or further my studies. I finished from and I still want to go to university, but it’s not easy combining this work with looking for admission. I鈥檓 just praying that it鈥檒l come through.

Today, I won鈥檛 even kill myself thinking about these things because this life is one. I plan to spend the rest of my day relaxing. 

THURSDAY:

One thing about this job is that I get a lot of advances. At work, I hear things like: 鈥淲ow, female bouncer. I’ve never seen a female bouncer before, and I like the way you’re kitted. I like your stature and all that.鈥� Most times, it鈥檚 from men who are trying to take advantage of me. In their head, they see bouncers as poor people. They believe that if they promise me little things, I鈥檒l fall for them. They want to use you while not doing anything for you. 

The ones that don鈥檛 want to take advantage of me want me to quit my job. I鈥檝e heard men say: 鈥淎h, you鈥檙e doing a security job? No oh, you must quit.鈥� The problem is that their head is not correct. Why would they tell me to quit? Did they provide an alternative for me? 

In this life, nobody can feed you. Only if the person is your husband or your relative. Even still, it’s only after you have become somebody that people will appreciate you. I know that I can’t leave this job because of anyone. Unless I personally decide that I want to leave it. Because I’m not doing it for anyone. 

You don’t like my job; can you provide me with a better one? If you can’t do that, bye-bye. 

FRIDAY:

Today, I鈥檓 thinking about how tough the Corona period has been for me. For the first time, I can count how many jobs I have in a week. This is rare. Around this time [October] last year, I was fully booked until January of the next year. By now, I鈥檇 even be referring people for work. I鈥檓 just putting my faith in God that these last few months will be better. It鈥檚 looking like this year is for us to just thank God for life. 

Corona is even favourable to people doing office work because, at the end of the month, something [salary] will still come in. For us, no work, no money. If you’re sick for one year, you’ll not get any money. The hustle is hard. One time, I had bad cramps and still had to show up at work. My boss was kind enough to put me on toilet duty where I wouldn’t be stressed. I was just standing and stretching throughout that event. There are no days off here.

During this Corona period, I started selling coconut oil and that鈥檚 what has been sustaining me. On the side, I also sell kits and equipment to bouncers as an extra source of income.

I鈥檓 just looking for the opportunity to leave Nigeria. Even if it鈥檚 just for one day. If I hustle the way I鈥檓 hustling here abroad, I鈥檒l see changes. We don’t value our security in Nigeria. People look at you like, who are you? 

I’m also looking forward to getting married to a very good person while I have a very good job. Someone that will support all my dreams. At the end of the day, I鈥檓 just looking for a better life. I can do any work. As far as money will come out.   

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The subject for today is Mr M, a businessman and smuggler. He talks about the risk involved in his job, how bribes affect the prices of goods, and his hope to diversify his source of income.

MONDAY:

I wake up with my heart beating very fast. I calm myself down by taking deep breaths. In my dream, I bought large quantities of rice from smugglers who evaded patrol. Immediately after paying them, customs officers came in and seized the rice. All my money, gone. 

God forbid.

This smuggling business is risky 鈥� you risk your money, your property and your life. However, if it goes well, it can be highly profitable. Risk varies depending on the part of the smuggling chain you鈥檙e in. We have the drivers, who convey the goods from point A to B. These ones risk their lives because they drive at breakneck speeds to avoid being caught. We also have people called crossers. Their job is to ensure that goods successfully cross from point A to B. This involves making 鈥渁rrangements鈥� with the right officials along a particular route. They risk their time and money because, sometimes, after making all the plans, goods are still seized. Most times, this is due to an unforeseen circumstance like oga from Abuja is around or your money for that day has expired. Then, we have businessmen like me.  I own the goods, the cars, and I pay both the drivers and crossers, so I risk everything. 

In Nigeria, any profitable business comes with a lot of risks. One of the worst things that can happen is when the car and the goods are seized. 

Again, God forbid. 

I鈥檓 done with overthinking this early morning. I鈥檓 going back to bed.

TUESDAY:

Thankfully, there are no bad dreams today. I spend some time thinking about how far I鈥檝e come in this business. I started out as a cab driver and then moved into conveying rice from the border into Nigeria. Then, I gathered some cash and became a businessman who鈥檇 buy from people coming from the .

Going to the border is a very desperate and dirty job. You can be there for three to five days, sometimes for two weeks and they [customs] may not allow you to pass. As if that鈥檚 not bad enough, there are so many processes involved in a single trip.

The crosser will go-ahead to do the bookings and negotiations. They鈥檒l negotiate a rate with the officers based on the number of cars that are expected to pass through. Because you don鈥檛 pay immediately, the next step is getting a tag that drivers present at the checkpoint. We use the tags to know the exact amount of cars to pay for. This is useful in cases where your car doesn鈥檛 pass through their checkpoint. I鈥檝e had cases where we booked one checkpoint, but because the officers were fighting with the next checkpoint, they didn鈥檛 allow us to pass. Or, you鈥檒l hear that special patrols are monitoring so everyone is playing safe and not allowing cars pass. That way, we don鈥檛 pay for services not provided.

We have people that we call antennas. These are bike men that we pay between 鈧�3000 鈥� 鈧�5000/day to be on the lookout for what we call 鈥渟trange Hiluxes.鈥� These are officers outside of the ones you鈥檝e booked. We mount these antennas at bus stops, and their job is to inform us when they see strange vehicles. They communicate with each other especially in cases where they are trying to get a clear picture of who鈥檚 inside the car. 

You鈥檒l also book [pay] hunters and any other person you think can delay you on the road because you can鈥檛 afford any delay while driving.

I tell people that officers are the cause of increased prices of food. All these payments and bookings are added to the cost of rice. From the border, a bag of rice costs 鈧�13,500, yet as the direct supplier, I buy for 鈧�24,000. After I add my profit when reselling, it becomes 鈧�25,000. By the time the market trader adds their profit and cost of transportation, it becomes 鈧�27,000. On and on it goes until it gets to the final consumer.

Nobody needs to tell me that we鈥檙e in trouble in this country.

WEDNESDAY:

For this job, we build our own cars so they can withstand the load of goods. We change the spring of the car and tyre 鈥� we use for trucks. 

The way you’ll drive a loaded and empty built car differs. For a loaded built car, you can run at a particular speed because that’s when the shock absorbers will work. The car will balance well. However, when you offload the goods, it becomes so light that when you’re climbing anything, you’ll just be hearing gboa! gboa! 

Some smuggling cars are built for the forest, and their raising is different from the ones built for the express. It鈥檚 hard to recognise the cars built for the express because of how neat they usually are. Some drivers even use those ones to do shakara and carry their girlfriends. However, there are some that are God forbid after offloading. You can鈥檛 drive them because of how high they get.

I鈥檓 going to spend a large part of my day inspecting the car a mechanic built for me. I sent him some samples, and I鈥檓 just hoping that he hasn鈥檛 done rubbish. 

THURSDAY:

If you ask ten drivers the toughest part of this job, they鈥檒l tell you that it鈥檚 the risk. As a driver, you鈥檙e always racing against time. I鈥檝e seen too many accidents in this job. 

One time, one Hilux was pursuing my driver. As he got to the front, road safety people had blocked the road. So, he decided to climb the culvert and that鈥檚 how his tyre burst. He lost control of the car and entered the bush. They tracked the trail of his car and still confiscated the goods. 

Another time, I was following another driver whose tyre burst while at high speed. He lost control and entered into the bush. Thank God we were able to rescue the person. All these even happened when things were still 鈥渘ormal.鈥� Unlike now where everywhere is strict. 

These days, imported rice is now as restricted as drugs, so we can鈥檛 even afford any delay in transit. As the rice is getting to us from the border, we are loading it into vehicles that are taking it straight for sale. In the past, we鈥檇 store them at home and load at our own pace, but we don鈥檛 have that grace anymore. 

You can鈥檛 even keep a bag of rice at home because customs are now bursting into houses. I know of someone that they broke into his house to seize two bags of rice. 

All this has made we business owners instruct our drivers to move fast. Like today, one of my antennas told me that one strange Hilux was headed my way. So, I instructed my drivers that they had only one hour to move my goods from point of collection to point of sale. They have only one job: don鈥檛 get caught. 

I know that this can increase the chances of an accident, but it is what it is.

FRIDAY:

Today, I can鈥檛 stop thinking about how easy it is for this business to cease. There are three things the government can do to end us totally: they can impose free duty on these imported goods so that it’s accessible to everyone. This eliminates the need for smuggling and bribes that increase the price of these goods. If there鈥檚 competition, the prices will become so cheap for everyone.

They can also subsidise the cost of buying the goods. That way, the government can even regulate the price across board. If it鈥檚 government-approved, there will be no hiding and there鈥檒l be no need for smugglers. 

They can also do proper enforcement. This way, even if you bring in half plastic of rice, they’ll come for you. This one will require a combination of army and customs officer. Customs guys can鈥檛 shoot like that but if you try to do anyhow, army will show you pepper. 

Anyhow sha, banning without proper enforcement is where we see our own money because of scarcity. The government is just wasting their time with border closure and enriching people. During border closure, rice went from 鈧�11,500 per bag to 鈧�27,500. Some people move as many as 500 bags every week. Imagine the gain per week. There鈥檚 no price regulation, so you can sell at any price you want. Even the customs officers and the military men have joined the business because of how profitable it is.

 I鈥檓 going to spend my day thinking about other sources of income. I know that this will not last forever. This is the kind of business that you use to raise capital for another business. It’s not something to do for long. Even though I can鈥檛 stop wondering: what business can someone do in this Nigeria that will even fetch good money?

Editor鈥檚 note:听Name and details changed to protect the identity of the subject. Mr M is a graduate and he says unemployment led him to this job.

Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more 鈥淎 Week In The Life 鈥� goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, fill this

The subject of today’s “A Week In The Life” is an optometrist. She debunks the myth that glasses correct eyesight, she gives us tips for healthy eyesight and tells us why she doesn’t see a future for herself in her profession.

MONDAY:

These days, I don鈥檛 have a fixed time to wake up because it depends on when I sleep. And I sleep at any time because I鈥檓 presently in-between jobs. However, on most days, when I sleep at midnight, I wake up by 7 am. 

Today, when I wake up at 7, the first thing I do is try to plan my day. If I was working, I鈥檇 have woken up by 5:30 am 0r 6:00 am so as to beat Lagos traffic. Thankfully, those days are behind me. 

As an optometrist, a typical clinic day involves assessing patients. A patient comes in and you do a comprehensive eye test. You take patient history,听examine the patient’s eyes with a pen torch or an (this helps to check the back of the eyes). Then, depending on the patient鈥檚 complaints, signs and symptoms (redness of eyes or an injury, or disease), you鈥檇 either first treat those symptoms or refract the patient.听听

Refracting the patient means checking the lens power that’s suitable for the patient to see well. And to find out what the patient can also tolerate because you can give a powerful lens that makes the patient see really well but they aren’t comfortable with it. They can’t walk because the ground either appears too high or low. Or the lens gives them a headache. Many times, we have to reduce the clarity to make the patients feel comfortable. For example, for patients who don鈥檛 read, there鈥檚 no point refracting them to the highest clarity especially if it makes them uncomfortable with their environment. So, I ask patients their occupation to determine what kind of lens to give them. 

All these things don鈥檛 matter for now. My major goal for today is to structure my day in a way that鈥檚 productive. But before I continue thinking, I need to eat. I don鈥檛 want to faint over anything. 

TUESDAY:

Yesterday was productive, but today, not so much. I鈥檝e spent a large part of today daydreaming. Like now, I鈥檓 remembering one patient that was brought to the clinic by his parents. An 8-year-old boy who, according to his father, was very stubborn. One day, while the dad was flogging the boy, the cane mistakenly touched the child’s eye. On examination of the eye, we realised that the That is, the lens was no longer in its normal place. 

When we checked the eye pressure, it was 50 something and normal eye pressure is between The boy had already lost his vision. To preserve what was left of the eye, we referred the boy for emergency surgery. Even after the surgery, his sight never returned.

On days like this, I can鈥檛 help but imagine how the father feels. I don’t know if he’ll ever forgive himself. Does he wonder that perhaps if he had controlled his anger, his son would still have two functional eyes? 

I鈥檓 starting to think myself into sadness again. I鈥檓 going to sleep and try to restart my day after I wake up.

WEDNESDAY:

People are funny sha. Today, a friend texted me asking for 鈥渇ree鈥� tips to take care of his eyes. The person didn鈥檛 even offer money for consultation but because I鈥檓 nice, I told him some things. 

The fundamental rule is that you shouldn’t put just anything in your eye. Also, if you use makeup regularly and realise that you are allergic to a particular product, it’s advisable to discontinue it. For people with a family history of (not everyone might know), it’s advisable to go to an eye clinic once every year. This is to help in early detection and control of the disease because it has no cure. Glaucoma causes nerve damage in the eyes, which can鈥檛 be restored when lost, so early detection is the best bet to slowing its progression. 

People who stare at computers all day are advised to practise the 20-20-20 rule. That is, for every 20 minutes, you should look at something 20 feet (Editor’s note: 20 feet is as tall as a giraffe or about two and a half times as tall as an artificial Christmas tree) away for 20 seconds. The computer is always in your face, therefore you should look away at intervals. 

 If that isn鈥檛 possible, then the next step should be . These help to reduce the strain on the eye because of the light from the screens of computers. Additionally, for UV light, sunglasses are recommended for everyone because UV light can cause a lot of damage to the eye. A lot of people think that sunglasses are for fashion but you鈥檙e actually protecting your eyes by wearing them. 

The most important tip I gave him was that people shouldn鈥檛 wait until there鈥檚 a problem before visiting the clinic. People should try to check their eyes regularly once a year and shouldn鈥檛 see it as a waste of money. Especially in cases like glaucoma (also known as the silent thief of sight), where you wouldn鈥檛 detect it until it鈥檚 too late.

I should have charged him for the consultation. Another time will come. 

THURSDAY:

One of the biggest misconceptions people have is that glasses are meant to fix your eyesight. They are not. 

For issues like myopia/short-sightedness (where you can’t see things that are far away) what happens is that images meant to be formed on the retina are formed in front of it. In hyperopia/farsightedness (where you can鈥檛 see close images), the image is formed at the back of the retina. While there are many reasons why this happens, the common symptom is that vision at this point is blurry.

So, how will a piece of glass change how your eyes are? What glasses do is that they manipulate the light coming into your eyes to fall on the retina so that you can see clearly. A child鈥檚 prescription changes because their eyes are developing. Even for adults, their eyes sometimes change. It doesn’t mean that glasses cure you; they just help. It’s like saying wheelchair cures paralysis, it doesn鈥檛. It’s only an aid. Some of these conditions are progressive so most people have to change their glasses every two years. Other times, it鈥檚 regressive so you also need to adjust your lens accordingly. 

Factors like diabetes and hypertension also affect vision. If your blood sugar shoots up, there can be sudden blurred vision. There are times patients complain about blurry vision, and I ask them to check their blood sugar. Some , so I don’t give them anything because once the blood sugar level comes down, the refractive index (how fast light enters the eye) changes and the lens is wasted. In cases like that, the solution is usually to get their blood sugar under control. 

The issue of glasses needing a change every time is not our fault. The refractive state of your eyes can change at any time. And because the glasses are for only one state, the glasses will have to be changed when the refractive state changes.

This is what I spent my whole day doing: convincing someone that optometrists aren鈥檛 out to cheat them. 

FRIDAY:

Optometry struggles as a profession in Nigeria because it鈥檚 not well known and the pay is low. A lot of people come to the eye clinic and don’t even know what optometry is. They just refer to me as an eye doctor. For people that even know, they don’t really understand the scope of what the job entails. Every time I tell someone I鈥檓 an optometrist, I have to explain what I do.

Having to explain all the time can be tiring. I think one of the reasons optometry is not really known is because, in Nigeria, we have over 170 universities and only about seven offer optometry. Even people who attended schools offering the course with me still don鈥檛 know what we are doing. 

One time, a patient asked if I was an , and I had to explain the difference. Then the person was like: 鈥淲hy would you spend 6 years on that? Why didn’t you just go for ophthalmology instead?鈥� For people like me who didn鈥檛 choose it as a first choice, it’s always very hurtful. It’s like a reminder that I made a mistake when it’s not the reality.

Another thing is that in clinical practice, there is no clear hierarchy like in medicine where you can become a consultant and charge some kind of money. We don鈥檛 have that option. There鈥檚 not a lot of difference between someone who has been working for the past 20 years and someone who has been working for 5. You don鈥檛 have much to make you invaluable. You can鈥檛 even threaten to leave because there鈥檚 a newer, younger replacement for you. 

Today, I can鈥檛 help but imagine my ideal future 鈥� a satisfying job where I feel like I鈥檓 making a difference in the world. It also involves having my own family and living a quiet life.

Editor’s note: The images used were taken randomly from the internet as the subject wanted anonymity.

Check back every Tuesday by 9 am for more 鈥淎 Week In The Life 鈥� goodness, and if you would like to be featured or you know anyone who fits the profile, fill this