Saw this interesting story on Facebook. Shared by Chiemezie Claire Asunugwo-Anyanwu. Pictured above is a wheelbarrow pusher named Bashir who does his business at markets in Abuja and its environs. He's always well dressed despite what his job is. Read what Claire wrote about him after the cut...
"You can find dignity in your job."
His name is Bashir Suleiman, he's a Mai-barrow and a proud one at that. I was privileged to have him gather my groceries and produce for me as I shopped in the market today.
First of all he was very well dressed with his clothes well ironed as if he was going to a proper office work and I was told by the fruit seller who saw my initial surprise when Bashir approached me that it was his custom to dress well daily to his Mai-barrow job. It got even more interesting when I caught a whiff of his "perfume" and noticed his socked feet in a pair of well polished sandals😀. Other barrow pushers approached me but with my curiosity already piqued and biased towards Bashir, I felt it an honor to have him gather my stuff for today.
Next, he had very good communication skills, his grammar may not have been ivy-league standard, but we communicated very easily while he helped bridge the gap between my Hausa language spattering and my needful communication in same language with my customers who spoke little or no English.
Bashir was very much involved in every bit of my shopping making sure I wasn't cheated and my change was properly counted out and given to me.
Bashir also showed me the best places I didn't even know existed in the market to buy the freshest produce at competitive prices.
Bashir was attentive, involved, sharp, smart, fast and market savvy too.
Whilst we were shopping, Bashir got as many as 3 different phone calls from customers like me who were en route the market and wanted him on standby for them. One told him where to wait for her while the other told him she was prepared to wait till he was free to serve her since he was currently engaged.
Bashir did his job with a great attitude and a smile, he was polite and courteous yet humble and ready to serve.
At the end, I had to give Bashir much more than I have ever given a Mai-barrow( and believe me I always tip them generously) because Bashir beat all stereotypes and made my life much easier today.
Of course I left with Bashir's phone number decisively saved in my phone book. People like Bashir have further strengthened my belief that the future generation of our country can and will excel and be better than the past generations. Tomorrow we may just see a registered company--Bashir Uber-Mai-barrow Ltd, with clean, well dressed and courteous service boys...making shoppers' lives easier, earning good money, even paying taxes to the government and contributing their quota to the system versus the modern day entrenchment of criminality by the teeming unemployable youth that are not ready to work yet maraud the society today.
Now this is what I call, progress, long sightedness, wisdom and imminent vital prosperity. Let's all join hands and make the skies of these young men a stepping stone by encouraging them in whatever ways possible.
Thanks for reading....
Thanks Bashir.
NICE ONE
ReplyDeleteThat's what is called passion!
ReplyDeleteGod would visit him soon, AMEN
Awww! This is another level of ingenuity on display. Kudos to him.
ReplyDelete~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA LUMIA
Na only this suit u get? No vex o
DeleteAww he doesn't look like a wheel barrow pusher aww thumbs up u deserve more than this tho
ReplyDeleteSo wetin u. Wan tel. Me na....so na his destiny 2 be a barrow pusher eehh kwa?
DeleteAww..he just reminds me of a well suited danfo driver I came across in warri,all the best bro, Allah Ya ba d sa'a kuma,ya Kara daukaka ka.
ReplyDeleteWooooow! In the midst of heartbreaking and depressive stories all around us, there are still a few heartwarming ones like that of Bashir. Am honestly inspired by his story and yes he does have a greater future ahead of him. Wish other youths like me can emulate this attitude towards labour.
ReplyDeleteWhoahhhhhh!!!!!dat's gud,I'm inspired....dress how u want to be address, both u and ur job. #kudos Bashir
ReplyDeleteWow! God bless his hustle more.
ReplyDeleteJesus is Lord.
Eeeyyaa may God bless him as he has started clean God will provide a job that will make him remain clean and bigger Amen
ReplyDeleteStory learnt be proud of what ever you lay your hands on.I was once an insurance marketer. Where others were running or shying away from I was proud of it. an engineer for that matter doing insurance marketing but today thank God am a proud owner of my own registered engineering firm.
ReplyDeletewow, He is a Leader.... Another Northerner making Nigeria Proud, Thanks Bash
ReplyDeleteThis is inspiring indeed.. May God bless the works of our hands. Amen
ReplyDeleteReal dignity in labour.
ReplyDeleteI love this.
Well done man!
WOOOW THATS REALLY A GOOD HABIT
ReplyDeleteAUNTY LINDA....
Good development. Pls which Market did u find him? Because I live in Abuja.I would love to see this young man doing what he knows how to do best with much enthusiasm and dignity.others that won't take their bath for days becos they are Mai-barrow should learn from him.
ReplyDeletethis is awesome. Nigeria is filled with great potentials. A typical Nigerian believes the hausas are mumus but this guy is demystifying the believe. God bless him
ReplyDeleteNice one. (Linda's finest)
ReplyDeleteEyah..daz nice..see how he s properly dressed lyk its sallah...I wish those Mai ruwa(water sellers) wl b lyk him.na them dey sell water but na them smell pass.aunty linda I notice u don't post comments quick on saturdays..any date?
ReplyDeleteWow! Nice one.
ReplyDeleteNice one Bashir , good business is ur service and presentation above ur competitors then success is just by the corner. Got to step up
ReplyDeletea.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said...
ReplyDelete.
All i knw is that this nigga just got himself lots and lots of customers by monday..... Yu could have published his number in the first place nw....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***
Wow! Wow!! I'm just speechless. This is wonderful.
ReplyDelete#TeamBlessed#
Awesome
ReplyDeleteIndeed some people don't value where they r until when they lose d opportunity when they r people out there seeking for same opportunity.
DeleteMakd Lord establish dis soul and bless his days of small beginning IJN. I see him becoming a great person in life.
Comment frm ROYAL PRIESTHOOD (royalpriesthood007@gmail.com)
Heya
Delete~D great anonymous!
Quite touching and truly inspiring. Linda take note!
DeleteQuite touching and truly inspiring. Linda take note!
DeleteDiligence begats success
ReplyDeleteGod bless his hustle.
ReplyDeletejust like i am also trying to make a name 4 myself in the blogging world. hmmmnn...
ReplyDeletewhat if i told you GOD was a black man. Would you believe me? Find out the reasons here>>>http://ayomideblog.blogspot.com.ng/2015/11/what-is-colour-of-god-is-he-black-man.html
Guy u need 2 com up with somtin bata,4popel 2 chek out ur blog
DeleteYes it's so encouraging.. We should be Deligent at all we do.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! Including in how we spell! 😒 Diligent not "deligent".
DeleteThat's good to know
ReplyDeleteTruly, there is dignity in labour.
DeleteJeans and t-shirt would've been better...different clothes for occasion/purpose. As long as it's not worn out or dirty
ReplyDeleteThat was a friday and that means he went to the Mosque,hence his choice of attire. Even without that, you can't choose what he feels he should appear in. No one tells you what to wear to work, do they? See the positive in it and not always look for what to critic. People on social media sha.
DeleteMust u criticise
DeleteIf he's dressed for a better job, give him one. Putting him on social media probably without his consent just embarrasses him.
ReplyDeleteNa u sabi
DeleteDon't be short sighted abeg.
DeleteEven though ,I haven't see Nigeria in 30yrs .BasHIR give me hope.
ReplyDeleteNo hope for u,ur really anonymous......
DeleteI am glad you are positively touched by his story. Come home soon.
DeleteInteresting, people who dare to be different.
ReplyDeleteWow! Meaningfully engaged! Keep it up. Inspiring indeed.
ReplyDeleteWow! Meaningfully engaged! Keep it up. Inspiring indeed.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm! Grace will speak 4 u bashir.
ReplyDeleteQuite inspiring. We truly need to encourage the likes of Bashir
ReplyDeleteDope writing.
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm looking gud is gud business
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm looking gud is gud business
ReplyDeleteWaoo. This is nice. Diligent in working
ReplyDeleteWaoo. This is nice. Diligence in working
ReplyDeleteWow nice God bless bashir
ReplyDeleteAnd two grown men are wasting time on LIB trying to do nothing for their future, and expecting that manner should fall from the skies for them. Abokidawarriboy and Royal priesthood na your matter I dey talk am so. Get lives you old fools
ReplyDeleteNice 1 though, but Nigerians wat cheap labour, Bashir swagg is 2 much 4 1 on borrowing, hope customers will nt b avoiding him Jst as I prefer Eba nd Egusi frm mama Nnkechi dan dat of Tantalizer
ReplyDelete...and what some stupid youth knows how t do best is to argue between PDP, APC and rant Biafra. Wonder why their father won't step forward since governing a country is that easy. #GetALife
ReplyDeletehe doesn't have to b a graduate to b creative or intelligent.in one word this guy is creative..GOD bless u for standing out...I pray u become bigger and get some jobless peepz and criminals off d street and keep dem busy...well done...# inspired by Linda
ReplyDeleteWhat an inspiring read. Wishing him the very best success
ReplyDeleteWow! Am moved..he is sure going places wit his dress sense for his bizness
ReplyDeleteYou no fit carry my goods dressed like this. You are not ready for this particular job.
ReplyDeleteThat's poverty mindedness to say that. You didn't read ! He's knows the in and out his job n makes life easy for pple around the market .
DeleteIs gud to be proud of wot u do , datz encouraging. U ride monkey u no tell me.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what you do, put God first and see him work wonders. The young man is inspiring.
ReplyDeleteBusy Fingers.
No matter what you do, do it with joy, Abuja is all about packaging, it can get you anywhere.
ReplyDeleteGood one, I bet Bashir makes more money than some people that live on this blog and running their mouths, while looking for the newest get-rich-quick venture...Go Bashir.
ReplyDeleteGod will bless his hustle n his Story will one day change for greater heights...amen
ReplyDeleteThere's truly dignity in labour. like the writer said, tomorrow, we might have decently dressed young men and women contributing positively to the society by how and what they do. For me, this tells me there is no excuse for being lazy or not doing something. I wish he was here I'm lagos, I would have shown him something else he can do smartly and earn a higher living...
ReplyDeleteInspiring
ReplyDeleteWww.insuranceinfoandtips.com
I love this:)
ReplyDeleteInspiring...more like creating job for urself...
ReplyDeleteHun very inspiring write up.We all should learn from Bashir....he will definitely go places . Kike
ReplyDeletePls can Someone let him know nd help him wit d business idea she (claire)mentioned abt d company stuff. He is really good at least from wot she explained m proud of him. Thanks
ReplyDeletePls someone shud tell nd help him wit d business idea claire mentioned. It cud really b of help to Nigerians nd tourists who intend going to buy stuffs in d market. M really proud of him. CHEERS
ReplyDeletePlease share Bashirs number and the market he works. Thanks.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDelete“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
http://GetPaid4duty.com/?rid=67321
Please can I get bashir's phone number? Please I will be extremely grateful if you can help me get it.@linda ikeji
ReplyDeleteWow! May God bless him
ReplyDeleteWow! This is inspiring. Greater heights Bashir.
ReplyDeleteAwwwwwww! Wishing Bashir the best.
ReplyDeleteawww look at Bashir wow i can testify the boy is good and very diligent too with his work anytime i go to the market and am doing my shopping i always call him on phone to come help me with my shopping and when is days or weeks he hasn't heard or seen me in the market, he calls my cell phone to know if am find. he recently told me that he is going to school and wants to study Medicine,he scored so high in his jamb. i wish him well.
ReplyDeleteMake God bless his hustle
ReplyDelete