As a child and as a boy child, we crave independence. But, the fact remains that one is only independent when they are able to pay their bills. If you cannot pay your bills, who is? Whoever it is, he or she is your master, period!
If you are like me, and like everyone else (with the exception of a few), you will know that there is one pride and feeling of fulfilment that comes with the ability to cater for oneself. We do not want to be found begging in anyway. Even at a very early age, it is stressful to ask. Some even go as far as lying to be able to earn some money to purchase basic necessities.
Based on the foregoing, you will understand and appreciate the fact that my first earnings were very significant and dear to me.
The Background Behind my First Earning
At about age 12, just a few years after my primary education, I developed an interest in teaching as a boy. This interest was expressed in my free home lesson sessions, where I gathered children in the compound and taught them from what I had learnt in school. I still remember back then when I thought, personal hygiene.
Image by Sasin Tipchai from Pixabay
Parents were enjoying this, as they naturally do not like seeing their children playing too much after school, and for me, it was a fun activity. So, I kept teaching for free.
This enthusiasm for teaching fuelled my very early teaching career. It was just a year after my Senior Secondary School Certificate Exam (SSCE), I was at home, hoping for JAMB which was a requirement for higher education in Nigeria.
I could not cope with the loneliness and poverty as a boy, so I first headed to a very tiny school which was run out of passion to seek a job, and to my surprise I was recruited, though not qualified by age, but qualified by skill. The school was run by a proprietress who managed to keep to the terms of payment for just two months, after which, she started owing unnecessarily.
My first earning was in my role as a teacher in a teeny-tiny primary school.
I couldn't endure the lack of remuneration, since as a small school, I was involved in almost all administrative duties, I know who paid their fees and who is owing, and at some point, it was difficult to understand why my salary was not being paid. So, after some additional months, I quit.
I landed another job immediately at the primary school I attended, and it was peaceful. However, I never stopped trying to recover my debt from the former school till every dime was recovered. Enough with the history!
What Problem did my First Earning Solve?
Let me give you a typical picture of my home. My parents are concerned about a few things: food, shelter, education, and basic clothing. These were needs but man has wants!
So, I wanted new clothes, especially something more flashy and newer. I also wanted to experiment with a few gadgets, especially those tiny radios that were battery powered and could be connected to an earpiece to fit into one pocket. Those were the list of things my parents were interested in, so I had to work for them myself.
How much did I earn?
In my first job, I was earning about 15,000 NGN per month, which if we account for inflation, should be valued at about 25,000 NGN to 35,000 NGN. That was a lot of money for me then, but now, sometimes, 35,000 NGN may go down the drain in just a few minutes. Adulthood, why?
Today
My first paycheck was significant in many ways; it was instrumental in teaching me to value hard work and to reduce my reliance on others. The discipline and experiences gathered during those early stages of my life and transition into adulthood continue to play significant roles in my life today.