1/Joe (not real name) is a Beninoise young man who has been my family plumber for over 8 yrs. Very effective, competent, friendly & trustworthy, he graduated from petty kitchen sink fixes in our rented apartment to being the only artisan we did not collect a comparative quote for

2/ He has helped with full house plumbing works for 2 projects in the past 6 years, both costing millions in material and labour. But the more important part is, we introduced him to a big man brother, a bank executive, about 5 yrs ago and he has been their own family plumber too
3/ He has helped the brother to do the plumbing jobs in all the projects he has done since then. Impressed with his work (and character), this VI based brother has also introduced him to his friend/neighbour, another bank executive (husband CEO of a bank, wife ED of another bank)
4/ He has been their go to guy for all water issues in their houses. The last thing I saw on his Whatsapp status was video of him fixing the water system of the swimming pool in the palatial home of these execs.
5/ We that introduced him are probably the smallest fry in his portfolio now. But he remains humble. Still use him for renovation work last week. He still takes small N30k jobs from his low to middle income neighbourhood customers.
6/ It's been a win-win for him and his big men clients - obviously costs less than corporate or Lekki plumbers, and possibly more efficient, and he also gets better pay than petty plumbing works in the low to middle income neighourhood he started from.
7/ Now usually well dressed, with a team of 5 apprentices he supervises, he has grown from repairing kitchen sink in a rented 3 bedroom flat for N1k to getting contract costs a few millions in houses that he requires 3 level of security to enter.
8/ Apart from upskilling (not sure he can fix swimming pool when we knew him 8 years ago), he has also done a good job of rising to the demand of his new semi-elite plumber. Last December, he gifted us gifts worth N25k for patronage in 2020.
9/ I'm sure he would do more for his bigger men clients in Lekki and VI.

And his biggest win so far: He finished a 4-room 2 storey building on a quarter plot last year. He has tenants.

Now, that's some transformation within a decade.

Not bad for a 32 year old Cotonou boy!

More from Life

It doesn't happen because you want it to happen.

It doesn't happen because you made it happen.

It happens because you allow it to happen.

https://t.co/j5hPyw9m9m

You May Also Like

Fake chats claiming to be from the Irish African community are being disseminated by the far right in order to suggest that violence is imminent from #BLM supporters. This is straight out of the QAnon and Proud Boys playbook. Spread the word. Protest safely. #georgenkencho


There is co-ordination across the far right in Ireland now to stir both left and right in the hopes of creating a race war. Think critically! Fascists see the tragic killing of #georgenkencho, the grief of his community and pending investigation as a flashpoint for action.


Across Telegram, Twitter and Facebook disinformation is being peddled on the back of these tragic events. From false photographs to the tactics ofwhite supremacy, the far right is clumsily trying to drive hate against minority groups and figureheads.


Declan Ganley’s Burkean group and the incel wing of National Party (Gearóid Murphy, Mick O’Keeffe & Co.) as well as all the usuals are concerted in their efforts to demonstrate their white supremacist cred. The quiet parts are today being said out loud.


The best thing you can do is challenge disinformation and report posts where engagement isn’t appropriate. Many of these are blatantly racist posts designed to drive recruitment to NP and other Nationalist groups. By all means protest but stay safe.
दधीचि ऋषि को मनाही थी कि वह अश्विनी कुमारों को किसी भी अवस्था में ब्रह्मविद्या का उपदेश नहीं दें। ये आदेश देवराज इन्द्र का था।वह नहीं चाहते थे कि उनके सिंहासन को प्रत्यक्ष या परोक्ष रुप से कोई भी खतरा हो।मगर जब अश्विनी कुमारों ने सहृदय प्रार्थना की तो महर्षि सहर्ष मान गए।


और उन्होनें ब्रह्मविद्या का ज्ञान अश्विनि कुमारों को दे दिया। गुप्तचरों के माध्यम से जब खबर इन्द्रदेव तक पहुंची तो वे क्रोध में खड़ग ले कर गए और महर्षि दधीचि का सर धड़ से अलग कर दिया।मगर अश्विनी कुमार भी कहां चुप बैठने वाले थे।उन्होने तुरंत एक अश्व का सिर महर्षि के धड़ पे...


...प्रत्यारोपित कर उन्हें जीवित रख लिया।उस दिन के पश्चात महर्षि दधीचि अश्वशिरा भी कहलाए जाने लगे।अब आगे सुनिये की किस प्रकार महर्षि दधीचि का सर काटने वाले इन्द्र कैसे अपनी रक्षा हेतु उनके आगे गिड़गिड़ाए ।

एक बार देवराज इन्द्र अपनी सभा में बैठे थे, तो उन्हे खुद पर अभिमान हो आया।


वे सोचने लगे कि हम तीनों लोकों के स्वामी हैं। ब्राह्मण हमें यज्ञ में आहुति देते हैं और हमारी उपासना करते हैं। फिर हम सामान्य ब्राह्मण बृहस्पति से क्यों डरते हैं ?उनके आने पर क्यों खड़े हो जाते हैं?वे तो हमारी जीविका से पलते हैं। देवर्षि बृहस्पति देवताओं के गुरु थे।

अभिमान के कारण ऋषि बृहस्पति के पधारने पर न तो इन्द्र ही खड़े हुए और न ही अन्य देवों को खड़े होने दिया।देवगुरु बृहस्पति इन्द्र का ये कठोर दुर्व्यवहार देख कर चुप चाप वहां से लौट गए।कुछ देर पश्चात जब देवराज का मद उतरा तो उन्हे अपनी गलती का एहसास हुआ।