In the bustling town of Abeokuta, Ogun State, where the ancient Olumo Rock stood tall as a symbol of strength, a young woman named Kemi grew up with her parents. From childhood, she had been filled with dreams—dreams as big as the sky above her. Her parents, Baba Tunde and Mama Ronke, always told her, “A hardworking person will never go hungry.” She believed them.
Kemi was brilliant in school, excelling in mathematics and physics. She went on to study engineering at one of nigerias prestigious universities, dreaming of designing great structures. But after graduation, reality struck—there were no jobs.
She knocked on doors. She sent out applications. She waited… and waited. But no one was hiring.
Her friends advised her to “travel abroad” or “marry a rich man,” but Kemi had never been one to wait for luck to find her. If the door refused to open, she would build her own door.
A Bold Decision: Carpentry Over Engineering
“Why wait for a job when I can create something with my hands?” she thought.
When she told her parents, they were shocked.
“Carpentry? But you studied engineering!” her father exclaimed.
“How will people respect you?” her mother worried. But Kemi had made up her mind.
She apprenticed under a local carpenter, learning the art of woodworking. At first, the men in the workshop mocked her.
“A woman with a hammer? Go and find something easier!” they laughed.
But Kemi was determined. She worked harder than anyone, arriving before sunrise and leaving after dark. She practiced tirelessly, perfecting her craft. And soon, her work spoke for her.
From Local Workshops to a Household Brand
People started to notice. Orders started rolling in.
She didnt stop at just making furniture—she designed her own styles, mixed modern and African designs, and even used technology to make better pieces.
She saved up, bought her own tools, and eventually opened her own workshop.
kemis brand, “Kemi Woodworks,” became known across Ogun State. People traveled from Lagos and Ibadan to buy her unique designs. She expanded, training young apprentices—especially women, proving that carpentry was not just for men.
Her business grew from a local workshop to a nationwide household name. Soon, she was exporting her furniture internationally.
From a struggling graduate with no job, she became an industry leader, a mentor, and a symbol of resilience.
A Legacy Built With Her Hands
Years later, Kemi was invited to speak at international conferences, sharing her journey from unemployment to global success. She partnered with universities to create vocational programs, ensuring that young people learned the power of skill and entrepreneurship.
One evening, as she sat in her beautifully furnished home, she thought about the past—the rejection, the struggle, the long days in the workshop.
And she smiled.
Because she had proven that success is not about where you start, but about how determined you are to build your own path.
Moral of the Story:
- Your degree does not define you; your dedication does.
- No skill is too small to become great.
- If opportunities dont come, create your own.
- Hard work, persistence, and innovation can turn any career into a success story.
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