Apprenticeship Vs. Academic Qualification

The Secret of Onitsha Millionaires.

Dinning With The Wolves.

I wish to leak a secret of the African Practical Business School of Onitsha. You need to know why a primary school drop out who can neither read nor write became a multi millionaire whereas with all your 'Oyibo' degree, you still find it difficult to replace your old shirts.

You are well educated.  4 years in Nigeria University and 2 years in UK university. Business Administration Hons.

He dropped out in primary 4, could hardly write his name... 'Church' he calls 'Shursh' and you would laugh when he says: 'Nne, closs the load.' (Nne, cross the road.)

You intimidate him with your impeccable british accent; your suit looks good and your dress sense 'na die'. Inside your thick skull is that business administrative brain nurtured by world best professors for 6 years, and 10million rests in account to start the same trade with that drop out.

Funny. To compete with the half man in the world of buying and selling, All the odds are against him. 

Your mistake is, you can only see the surface. True, he is a half man, but look deeper, you will see that the other half is a street wolf and you are in his territory. Verily, verily I say unto you,  you won't last more than 2years.

Let's compare and contrast (Training /Education)

The first year you were in school learning 'GSS 101: Use Of English'... he was new in Onitsha. An apprentice, 'Nwa Boyi'. Possibly his first time in a city. (Inactive, his duty was to watch and observe.)

The second year you were lectured on 'BUS 202: Introduction to Business Gymnastics'... he was in front of Oga's shop dragging passer bys and customers with other 'umu boyi'. (Baby wolf; learning how to hunt.)

Then the third year your courses came with bigger grammar....
a 'new boyi' was assigned to him. He became a manager, still answerable to the older Boyis.(Industrial Training)

Fourth year, you started your final year project... He took the records of daily sales. Smart ass, he should not forget 'apiliko'; to steal small money from oga and his account must be balanced. (This is equivalent to Masters Degree in Accounting, but this time you are learning with REAL CASH... No be ORDINARY question and answer).

The fifth year, you went for your NYSC... he too went for a different NYSC... Oga sent him to cities; he found out the exact place to buy at lower prices. (Priceless Survey. No Business school will teach you this.)

Sixth year, you jet out to Oxford... He became a senior manager. Took greater responsibility. He started speaking funny 'Inglish' with the chinese. (Business Communication)

And while you were rounding up in the seventh year, you have read a million business books and journal... he was literally in partnership with Oga. In few months, Oga would give him N200,000.00...

Don't be deceived by the cash... The BUSINESS KNOWLEDGE he has acquired: the Sellers' contacts, costumers he had made in 7years and instinct to read the market, worth millions.


And 'phonetically' you came back to Onitsha with 10million and an intention to show him how to do business... Afterall he is NOT EDUCATED and has only N200,000 (I laugh... He was thoroughly EDUCATED, personally supervised by a master).

At the end of one year, he would have N7.2million CASH in his account ...and you, some of your newly found customers would be owing you a total of the only remaining N400,000.
If you last for another six month in that business, then no doubt, you made 1st class in Oxford.

Lesson 1: Eke-Uke the 'local breed' dog is a very dangerous beast in his territory.

Read heaven, Read hell, if you are not employed by an already established organisation, you need to learn everything afresh.

Your exposure will shorten the time it will take you to fit in, but you need to under study any new business before you risk a kobo.
'Abeg' drop your noisy Certificate and learn first from men that were into the business for long.

Your certificate or qualification is not more valuable than the piece of paper it is printed on.
If you wish to learn about house flies, visit an old woman that cooks with 'ogili', she alone knows a blind house fly.

*Ozii Anieto*
Facebook