From School to Street: Meet 29-Year-Old Nigerian Graduate Mufeed Adeola Making Waves in Shoemaking
A few years ago when President Muhammadu Buhari labelled some Nigerian youths as being lazy and overwhelmingly reliant on what the country offered them, he was apparently not referring to young industrious gentlemen like Mustapha Mufeed Adeola.
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The difference is crystal clear like a thread of white line in the dark cloud. From the swarthy days of academic drill in the classroom to the reality of the "street survival" as a graduate, the young man embodies the Nigerian spirit: smart, hardworking, rugged - and of course a self-belief.
Mufeed models every diligent Nigerian's aspiration, prioritising what he can offer for his country over what his nation will give. He combines education with skills; chooses the path of entrepreneurship instead of a white-collar job in congested cities like Lagos.
He is on his way to being a boss through shoemaking!
Source: Original
"I have much belief that Nigeria will be great and I shall become the employer of productivity through skilled labour," Mufeed reiterated his faith in youths capable of solving the problem of employment and employability in Nigeria.
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The making of another Nigerian boss
Born three decades ago in the Okeho community, Kajola Local Government Area of Oyo state, Mufeed's journey into shoemaking was not intentional. His father, a disciplinarian, took him to his boss for an apprenticeship in a move to keep him busy when he was in madrasah (Arabic school). That was 18 years ago.
The reality to venture into a full-time shoemaking business did not occur until he finished his university education from Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMINNA) and after his compulsory one-year national service.
A trained teacher who has an NCE certificate in Biology/Integrated Science from Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Mufeed told this reporter in a conversation that he always had the belief he would secure his own space in the crowded labour market because of his heavy academic record.
A young lady like himself was an inspiration
He, however, had a change of thought after meeting a lady doing well in the shoe-making business during his national youth service year in Osogbo, Osun state capital.
"I did not have the intention of being in the shoemaking business until I finished from university.
"The dream to become a shoemaker came through when I was in service. I had much belief in getting a white-collar job but when I was surfing the internet, I saw one girl in Osogbo bearing 'Lade.
"She is the creative director of lade Nigeria Then, I decided that if a female could be doing this, I also could do it better. That was when the idea came in," Mufeed told Legit.ng.
My shoemaking business gives me total independence
Talking about freedom, Mufeed said he has one. His shoemaking business has not only provided him with financial stability but also accorded him total control of his time.
Although a work in progress, the 29-year-old young man said he is a master of his job as he can use different types of materials to make quality leather-made shoes and slippers.
In fact, one of his big clients is Ogbomoso-born senator representing Oyo North in the Nigerian upper legislative chamber (Senate) Fatai Buhari.
"My company's name is Dallax collections. I specialise in shoes, bags, sandals, belts, and palm slippers," he said.
Advice to Nigerian school leavers
With the Nigerian education system churning out thousands of young fresh graduates with limited space in the labour market, Mufeed said the best way to reduce the problem of unemployment and encourage self-employment is through skills.
According to him, "having skills will make someone independent and become an employer of productivity."
Mufeed said he does not believe every Nigerian graduate should be built for a white-collar job. He, therefore, urges young Nigerians like him who are still in school or out of the classroom system to learn skills or go for vocational training.
"Having vocational skills would make them relevant to their communities and country in general," he submitted.
Lady drops out of school to become shoemaker
In a related development, Legit.ng reported that Osinachi Nwogu decided to drop out of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba where she was a National Diploma Two student.
She dropped out because of hardship and the inability to foot her educational bills. She got a job somewhere in Port Harcourt so as to earn a living.
However, she soon resigned from her job too in a bid to pursue her newfound passion for shoemaking. She enrolled for training and today, she owns her own shoemaking shop and has six apprentices she is training.
Source: Legit.ng
