Sex of Money

Why and how can conscience allow you for ages long consider, and hold thoroughly the notion that making money is a gender thing? We mean selling items like Ladies suit, Ladies tops, Ladies skirts, Brocade, Georges & wrist-watches, jewellery, accessories, a hair dressing saloon, cooking complicated dishes for purposes of selling them in canteens, at motor parks etc. are considered a woman’s type of business. Whereas, construction in areas of engineering, architecture; field work, real estate, oil & gas, as regards on-and-off shore are boldly considered, or psychologically reserved a masculine venture. Uncomfortable though, is that regardless of this write-up people would actually still consider money making a gender thing.

Similarly, we are astonished when we encounter men in businesses meant for ‘women’, like walking into Ismail’s signature saloon, located in one of the highbrow areas in the Federal Capital for the first time to realize all the hair stylists are a bunch heterosexuals (well maybe most) or seeing a female bus conductor, or truck driver that’s happily married with kids. I mean even in the military, we stare in utter amazement upon visual capture of a female soldier, and then next eye-stop is her chest, because it’s truly chest you’ll find.

‘…on my way home from work Thursday evening, I stood right in front of Unity bank building, Herbert Macaulay Way, CBD Abuja. I flagged-down a yellow Golf cab that drove towards me, and most noticeable was a woman driver, more controversial was a woman in the passenger’s seat, and both, with so much audacity in their voices repeatedly said in mixed Yoruba ‘area 3…enter, area 3…enter, abi you de fear?’ that was obviously my route, I applied the rule, and in three seconds I reached for the knob and went in. there was indeed a glaring smile on my face which both ladies noticed, and said ‘na only man de hustle?’ I kept the smile, but said nothing in reply. The other male passengers joined due to my influence and persuasion….’

My favorite cobbler, Fummi mended shoes to go through higher institution, and now has a couple of apprentices working for her with a vision of expanding it into a skill acquisition center for women. The first time I asked why she chose this business, she replied with a grin on her face, and waving a body depicting total feminism,said that besides having a lot of men flock around her, she had to think of fast and legitimate money rather than, also fast, but not moral and legal Prostitution.
Well, now she doesn’t mend shoes only, she has started her line of shoes, oddly, and beautifully enough is,its men only shoes you’ll find on the shelves.

It’s amazing that when it comes to making money people actually consider it a sex or gender affair. To make money, I believe you solely need to recognize your passion, and then spot on the opportunity when it arrives, finally,focus on how to run it. In all the businesses there are that generate wealth, be it Naira, dollars, pounds, or just any other currency that I’ve seen, never have I seen where its tagged men only.

How I choose to make money should not be classified by gender or sex. But who I AM.

This piece was written by Obekpa Christopher Abutu.