Nwa Boy”: Rising Dearth Of Apprenticeship In Nigeria

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090makuo
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November 7th, 2021, 6:49 am

If you are familiar with the Igbo apprenticeship system (Imu ahia or Igba boy), you must have heard of the term Nwa Boy. Even if you haven’t seen one, you should have watched it in Nigerian movies. If not for anything, for the numerous dramas that follows their freedom, the many s3x scandals or matreatment from Madam (their Oga’s wife). Lol

Imu ahia was basically an informal business mentoring scheme. It was a way of preserving wealth and business models. Rich and successful businessmen go to the village, they pick one young boy, they could be as young as 10 sef and take them to the city. These boys are tasked with opening the shop, cleaning wares, attending to customers, with time they graduate to making cash deposits, attending small meetings for their Oga and before you know it, he is free. He gets settled with a shop, contacts of suppliers and with time he repeats this mentorship process.

This wasn’t in buying and selling alone, you could see it in various handwork businesses- hairdressing, shoemaking, tailoring, barbing salon…etc. However, I have noticed they are not as popular as before.

Few days back I was getting my hair done and the vulcanizer by the side was doing everything alone. The customer had to ask if he didn't have a boy to help. He shouted “boy? Them still wan learn work? Even when they come, they no dey last”. This complaint is similar to that of my friend who is a hairdresser. She said they never have the patience to finish the duration of their apprenticeship. We are talking 6-18months here. Whereas Nwa Boys used to do 6-10 years and they didn’t die.

You see someone opens a shop, 2 months later it is closed. On close enquiry you will hear the apprentice that was supposed to help sustain it during the day absconded from duty.

What is wrong with youths of today? They prefer yahoo and hookup or what?

People in business, what has been your experience with apprentices?

Please share...

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