Why I chose barbing as my career – Angel Okoli
By Rasaq Adebayo
Breaking barriers has become a recurrent case among young generations of the 21st-century. This new norm is common when it has to do with gender equity as women are beginning to do things the society made them believe they could not do.
A young female resident of Ejigbo, Angel Okoli revealed to Lagos Street Journal why she took barbing, a male-dominated vocation, as a career despite facing different challenges in her career.
Though she owns and runs a barbing salon, the 23-year old school certificate holder faced various challenges in her chosen career which she managed to overcome.
According to her, her first challenge was from her mother who initially objected to her decision to learn barbing instead of other female-dominated vocations but she surmounted the challenge due to her determination and commitment.
She also faced a similar challenge from her siblings and friends and later the customers who are mostly males.
She recalled how she was initially discriminated against as many of the supposed customers refused to patronise her until she was able to convince them with her craft.
In her words: “At first, my mum kept discouraging me as she wanted me to choose a female-oriented career knowing well that my dad easily accepted my decision. But she had to support me later when she perceived my determination and commitment over time.
“In the meantime, it’s quite relaxing to me whenever I remember how my siblings usually laughed at me when I started my training but then they began having that confidence in their sister when I started stylising popular haircut for them to the extent that they even introduced their friends to my shop.
“At first, some customers were a bit cautious thinking I couldn’t do better than my male counterparts but they became marvelled when they saw me cutting different hairstyles for customers from time to time. Now I get more customers patronising me.”
She encouraged other youths to engage in what they are happy doing without being discouraged by anybody.
She noted that her step by step success was a result of her determination despite facing challenges from families and friends before accepting her path after noticing her determination.
Okoli, an Anambra State indigene, said she decided to learn barbing when she could not continue her education beyond secondary schools due to financial challenge.
Though the little education she acquired has helped her career and perception of life as an African, she craved to further her education to a higher level, soliciting help from the government and other philanthropists as the proceeds from her job is not enough to cater for her education.
