A Nigerian woman, Chioma Ifeanyi-Eze, has inspired people on social media with her success story and how she moved from being an employee to an employer, going on to establish a consultancy firm in Lagos.
Chioma, who is a seasoned accountant and bookkeeping expert, narrated how she had a rough start in Lagos when she moved from Jos, in 2006, to work in the state.
Lagos life
She revealed that the uncomfortable nature of life in Lagos pushed her to resign from her job few weeks into it.
According to Chioma, that year, it was the first time she would be leaving her parents to domicile elsewhere.
She recounted how she often cried as she struggled to cope in Lagos as she had to wake up midnights in a bid to arrive her work place early.
The stress of chasing two ambitions
Speaking on how she combined her job with creating time to prepare for her ICAN final exams, she described Lagos as a “mean” city.
She narrated: “I entered this Lagos on Saturday, 1st July 2006. To resume my first job at PwC on Monday, 3rd July 2006.
“I cried all through the bus journey from Jos to Lagos.
“It was my first time to leave my parents in Jos.
“I had only two bags. A box of clothes/personal belongings and a ghana-must-go of my ICAN books. I had only final stage of the exams pending at that time.
“Uduak Friday met me in the bus and housed me until I got a loan from the company to rent my first room and parlour in Lekki.
“I cried everyday for 1 year.
“Lagos was mean.
“Waking up at 4am to go from Ikeja to VI to work.
“Close work at 6pm and run to ICAN tutorial school for 6pm to 9pm.
“Get home at 10:30pm and wake up at 3:30am to leave home at 4am.
“Life was hard.
“Oh I cried.
“I cried.
“Everything was hectic.
“I resigned 2 weeks into the job.
“I wanted to go back to Jos.
The HR Samaritan
Chioma noted that she was assisted by the Human Resources personnel who declined her request, and offered her a loan to ease her burden.
She continued:
“The HR manager declined.
“She called me into a room.
“She allowed me cry.
“Then she listened.
“She gave me a loan of 150k to get a house.
“I paid back over 3 months of 50k each.
“My salary was 104k takehome.
“This is me 15 years later.
What followed
The accountant and founder of Lagos-based accountinghub said she sat for her exams afterwards and passed.
“I crushed my ICAN exams.
“I moved and worked 8 jobs.
“11 years later, I resigned to start Accountinghub.
“I am grateful that this Lagos, I conquered it.
“I really did not come to Lagos to count bridges.
“I came, I saw, I conquered.
“Honestly, we need to tell our Lagos stories.
“Lagos is freaking hard to live in without all the necessary comfort.
“I am grateful to God.
Words on marble
She encouraged anyone who is new in a city and struggling to cope and fit in to endure for a moment, citing her resilience story as a source of strength.
She said: “If like me you just arrived a new city and life is not easy, please draw some strength that it will only be for a while.
“You will soon be fine.
“I love you.”
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