Amabel Eugene: Breaking barriers as Taraba’s first female tiler
Story from Ahmed Usman Jalingo
Amabel Eugene, a 29-year-old student from Taraba State, has made history as the first female tiler in the state.
Her journey into the traditionally male-dominated field began in 2016 when she witnessed workers from Togo at a construction site in her hometown of Gembu.
This story will follow Amabel’s journey as she learns the skills necessary to become a successful tiler, balances her education and work, and inspires other women to pursue careers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Early life and career choices:
“Coming to how I got into tiling work, in early 2016 I was hawking. I finished secondary school in 2012 and I wasn’t able to further my studies due to some challenges. So I went into petty trading and hawking to assist my mother. I was selling moi moi in Gembu with a friend of mine whom we do hawk together.
“One faithful day, I got to a construction site. The site belonged to late Maman Taraba, Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan (may her soul rest in peace) and they were on tiling level and that was my first time of seeing the process of tiling. The workers were not Nigerians, they were Togolese.
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“I stood there watching at the work not minding what I was selling. I concentrated on what they were doing. I told their boss that I wanted to learn the work. He asked me: “Are you serious?” Then I answered him that I was very serious. He said if that’s the case that I should come and learn. I then asked him, when i should start? He jokingly said “Tomorrow”, not knowing how serious I was.
“When I went back home, I told my mother that I was not selling moi moi the next day because I had something to do. The following morning as early as 7:30am, I was already at the site fully ready to commence apprenticeship. When my boss saw me, he was surprised and asked me again “Are you serious?” I answered “Yes”. That was the beginning. He gave me money to buy rubber shoes. I started work that day and he fully supported me.
“After three days of consistent training, my boss decided to train me without accepting money. Unfortunately, after I stayed with them for like three months, they finished working in Gembu and were to go back to Abuja. Within these three months I was able to lay tiles on the wall. That’s to tell you how determined I was.
“After they finished working in Gembu, I was asking myself what will be my fate. Surprisingly, my boss went to see my mother and discussed with her. He told her that if she can trust him enough, she can allow me to follow him to Abuja to continue with the training.
“That was the greatest risk I had taken in my life. I left Gembu to Abuja with a stranger who is not even a Nigerian. He is from Togo. I have never been to Abuja before. I followed them to Abuja and the rest is history”.
Working in a male-dominated industry:
“It is the best feeling so far. They will always pamper you; take care of you, help you to carry heavy objects and so on. It’s honestly an amazing experience with them but I always train myself to work in their absence”.
Training others:
“Currently I have two people that I’m training, one of them is a lady but I have other requests. I have three requests that are yet to be accepted. All of them are ladies. I have no strength to train up to five people at the same time. Because if you want to train someone, you have to take care of that person. You have to take care of them. For instance, their transportation to work, their feeding at work will all be on you. As a woman, I know it’s my duty to take care of them.
“I just have to accept only two apprentices as of now but I promised that as soon as I finished my studies, I will carry as many as possible. Because I so much wish to pass unto others that which is in me. Giving the fact that I learned from the best, because I always say my boss is the best. I want to pass it on to some people as much as I can.”
Challenges and opportunities:
“Combining school and work is so challenging, because I don’t have enough time to work and affording some of the machinery tools is difficult and a great challenge.
“Life is full of challenges. They will always be there but the most important thing is what have you put in place to overcome these challenges”.
“Being into this tiling business gave me an opportunity to travel to many places, meet new people and learn new things. If not for this tiling job, I don’t think I would’ve been to Abuja sooner than I did. My boss is working with a very big construction company in Abuja called BNL and they handle very big contracts.
“I was so lucky to meet many people like the likes of late Maman Taraba, Senator Aisha, (may her soul rest in peace) It was because of this job that I met her personality. I met with great and influencial people that on a normal day, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet them”.
Building positive relationships with clients:
“I trained myself on how to relate with my clients. Sometimes if you are not patient enough, you will be provoked by some clients. But in as much as what you are looking for is in their pockets, you have to keep calm. You can always find a way of following them, get what you want, give them what they want and everyone goes in peace.
“I always have ways of dealing with my clients in such a way that at the end of the day, no one get angry. I always do my possible best to giving you what you want. As a client, I will tell you, if you want your work to be done perfectly well, give me time. I always have a way of talking to them. I have to plead with them and make them understand that in a very good manner.
“I think so far so good. I’m not having issues with my clients. I always create a good rapport with them. I make them trust me”.
Encouraging other women:
“To the ladies, I most tell you that life is not smooth. Even what we do, it will not always be smooth. As I’m talking to you, this particular job I’m doing is not easy. What is keeping us is the determination and passion for us to do something legitimate, something real, something that is not against the will of God and not against our own very body. For the money you earn through hard work as a lady, is always better than the one given to you by a man”.
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