(MY SUCCESS STORY) I swung into a skill I had learnt earlier becauseI didn’t want to wait for a white-collar job,  – Oselebe Prince Chidi, Director of Assorted Kitchen Services

Charles Nwankwo, Abakaliki

While many graduates of today roam the streets in search of scarce or non-existent jobs, Oselebe Prince Chidi, the Managing Director of Assorted Kitchen Services, chose to tread a different part. According to the graduate of Business Management, he didn’t want to idle away, waiting for a white-collar job. So, he delved into fabrication, construction and installation of  industrial gas cookers, ovens and maintenance. In this interview, he  explained how and why he prefers skill to a white-collar job.

 

Can you tell us what you are doing here with old iron and pan?

I am into gas fabrication, installation of lab, construction of oven and maintenance of any kind of gas cooker whether foreign or local.

How did you start this construction work that is more of engineering experience, did you study engineering?

No, I didn’t study Engineering course; I studied Business Management in Ebonyi State University. However, before then, I had already graduated from skill acquisition and started working  for another person that paid me on monthly basis but today, I am a manager of my own business.

Gas fabrication and maintenance give me joy; it is my hobby. It is obvious that certificate cannot fetch someone a lucrative job. We are in the country where first class graduates do menial job to put food on his table.

What are your success stories since you started the job here in  Ebonyi State?

To God be the glory; the job has been the only thing sustaining me and my family. I started the work when I was single but now I’m married with four children. It was not easy but today I have all the equipment needed in the work, including welding machines and I have three persons under my tutorship.

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What is your advice to the youths of this country?

My advice to my fellow youths is that it is better to learn skill even if you are privileged to attend higher institution, travel abroad and have enough money to do other business. Without skills, if along the line anything happens, there wouldn’t be a place to start again but if you have skills, you can manage and bounce back.

When I started this job I had only plyer and spanners but today, I have almost all the machines needed to do the fabrication work.  I will not discourage anyone, studying to get certificate but it is also necessary you acquire, at least, one skill out of many so that you could cope in times of difficulty.

How do people patronise or use your product?

Many restaurants, hotels and individuals are using my products within and outside Ebonyi State because of its durability. It is one of the most important cooking utensils one cannot do without, including; cooking, baking and running of laboratory tests, as we also work with bunsen burner, produce industrial gas cooker, domestic, industrial gas ovum and domestic gas ovum. All those things needed in the house, hotel, church, hospital etc. I am proud in Ebonyi State, about three biggest hotels are using my product; one of them bought a foreign product that didn’t last for him but my product, according to him, has lasted more than three years and they are still using it.

You made mention of laboratory equipment, what type of?

Yes, we do lab installation for bunsen burner, any lab that uses bunsen   burner, we work with the management; it has to do with LPG gas. Two days ago, I returned from Bishop Michael Okoro School of Health, Ndubia Izzi, where we installed 20 bunsen burners.

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What are your challenge doing this work?

Nigerians don’t believe in what we do here except when they tested foreign one and it failed; they would then come and see if they could try what we do. As God may have, many people have tested and seen the proficiency of our product. They will say, are you sure this one doesn’t have leakage, are you sure it will not burn me? My brother, I have stayed long in the business; my product cannot be an inferior.

I haven’t seen your product displayed for sale, even at your new branch, which appears more like a show room; where do you sell your products?

I have a little one I display for sale because I produce based on demand and description. Customers come and describe what they want, the size and structure then we draw and fabricate to befit what can be seen in other places and I have pictures through which customers make their choices