A student of the Federal Polytechnic, Makurdi, Benue state, Mr Musa Bali, is the owner of Bunski Barbers in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He says that since he set up the business, he has been able to achieve a lot, PAUL OKAH reports.
There is no doubt that people would do anything to look good and attractive, and would go extra miles to pay money in order to have a fitting haircut that would make them stand out in the crowd.
In his desire to be free from the manacles of poverty, Musa, who hails from Langtang North Local Government Area of Plateau State, combines his business with his studies at the Federal Polytechnic in Benue State in the bid to acquire the qualification that prevented him from securing a white collar job when he came to the city in 2009.
When Business Starter visited Musa’s shop recently, he was having a great day attending to his numerous customers, who forms the fulcrum of his business and retailing of paraphernalia for a barber’s shop; with many of his apprentices attending to satisfied customers.
According to Musa, he came to Abuja in September, 2009; in search of any job that would enable him save up to enable him complete his Higher National Diploma (HND) programme, after his OND at the Plateau State Polytechnic.
He stayed with his friend, Zinpong, in Jabi, who connected him to Citec International Technology in Gwarinpa, where he worked as a marketer in January, 2010.
However, the conditions were not favourable as the organization and he resigned out of frustration in March 2010, because the salary was not regular and was based on commission.
After jumping from one job to another, he finally started his own business in 2012 by taking it over from the original owner, with the agreement of an annual payment of #50,000, which he finally fulfilled in August, 2017.
He has been making tremendous progress since then and has even started a HND programme at the Federal Polytechnic, Makurdi, Benue State.
According to him, “My hair cut business is really profitable because, by the grace of God, I have achieved a lot since I resigned from my commission-based job to take over this barber’s shop from the original owner.
I have been able to marry with money from the business, I have two children, I train my siblings in school and I support my family in the village by sending them monthly stipends to hold body and soul together. “With money from this business, I was able to establish a thriving provision store for my wife, where she manages her life and has an independent income from the money I give her for the family upkeep.
“It is good for a man to marry a good wife because, with her managing her own private business and the family, I have more time to myself and to satisfy my customers.
“I also registered for a HND program in Fed.
Polytechnic in Makurdi, Benue State where I am studying Accounting.
With my reliable apprentices taking care of business, I study from Monday till Friday and come to Abuja every weekend to observe them and spend time with my family.
Challenges in the business It is said that every business has its own peculiar challenge, this also applies to Musa who says he has his own fair share of challenges in the business.
According to him, the type of business he has is not for those who cannot endure or be tolerant, because he deals with and comes in contact with people of different backgrounds, reasoning and characters on daily basis.
According to him, “The challenge I have in the business is basically that of combining it with my study.
Having to shuttle between Abuja and A student of the Federal Polytechnic, Makurdi, Benue state, Mr Musa Bali, is the owner of Bunski Barbers in Nyanya, a suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He says that since he set up the business, he has been able to achieve a lot, PAUL OKAH reports.
Musa barbing a customer’s hair Benue State every week is a big challenge and distraction no matter how loyal and efficient my apprentices may pretend to be.
With the present situation of the economy, you can’t trust anyone 100 percent in terms of money management.
“Moreover, many of my customers are jealous that I am studying in school with money from their patronage.
As a result, many of them have stopped visiting my shop for a haircut; because they feel they are the people that have placed me where I am today.
It is difficult to convince such people that it’s because of my hardwork, so I manage to get by.
“I get criticized by many customers for one minor fault or the other we encounter in the course of delivering my services to them, which stems from the fact that they are jealous.
They wouldn’t like to pay more than #200 for a haircut, even though the prices of goods and services are sky rocketing everyday.
“Apart from that, the power supply in Nyanya is not steady, so I have to spend more than #2,000 every day in fuelling my generators for optimal performance.
In any case, a business of my standing needs a very big generator, but I have to make do with a small generator; which cannot carry many of my things like the Clipper Sterilizer and Towel Warmer ,” he said.
How he started the business Musa explained to Business Starter that he nearly gave up in life when he was facing challenges of getting a good job that would enable him to save and further his education, especially as it was only commission-based marketing jobs that were available for people of his OND qualification.
According to him, he came to Abuja in September 2009 after obtaining his OND certificate in Professional Accounting and Auditing from Plateau State Polythecnic.
He started working at Citec in Gwarinpa, but resigned after three months.
From then, it was one stint or the other with different companies until he resigned to fate.
However, his elder brother connected him with a barber, Zakari, in Area D in Nyanya; who expected to share every intake for the day on 50- 50 basis.
He worked with him for many months and saved up enough money to consider going back to school.
“My brother, who accommodated me briefly when I came to Abuja, had to connect me with Zakari because I had a good knowledge of how to cut hair.
He said that it was better for me to attach with Zakari while looking for the job that was not even forthcoming.
Light at the end of the tunnel “I started working with Zakari from October 2010 and was doing well with him.
If I make 2,000 in a day, I will give him 1,000, because there was this understanding that we will share everything 50-50.
However, when I saved up enough money, I had to leave for school for a HND program.
“I went to Nasarawa College of Business Administration Studies (NACABS) in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, but I was told to start with a pre-HND program before I could be given an admission to study Accountancy.
Later on in January, 2012, the proprietor told the students that Accountancy was not accredited in the school and we were told to try other schools.
I had to come back to Abuja in February, 2012.
“Unfortunately, Zakari’s barber’s shop was no longer conducive for me because he had about 5 apprentices under him then.
I could no longer work on 50-50 basis with him because of the too many apprentices, so I had to go and stay with my friend in Jabi from February to July in 2012.
After trying for jobs and I couldn’t see, I was becoming despondent until my brother called me one Sunday morning that Zakari was looking for someone to manage another barber’s shop he opened.
“I took up the offer and test-ran the office for three weeks.
I was paying him #2,500 per week until we settled for an outright payment of #250,000.
The payment was to be spread over five years, so I paid him #50,000 annually and completed the payment just last year August.
“The shop and everything in it now belongs to me and I have since made alterations to the things I met on ground.
When I took over the shop from him, the items that were already on ground included: a 10-inch and 12-inch television sets, a Star Time decoder, two ceiling fans, a side mirror and a Tiger 950 generator, but I have replaced them all.
Future ambition Since human beings are driven by ambitions, Musa says he hopes to use the experience garnered over the years in his business to open as many branches as possible for more income flow. He says that he will not rely totally on white collar jobs, despite almost concluding his HND programme.
According to him, “Nothing can be compared to being your own boss.
I have suffered a lot in working for people, so I have to open as many businesses as possible to employ people who are willing to learn and start up on their own. “I have used the ideas I acquired as a marketer to diversify.
Apart from cutting people’s hair, I also sell items needed by other barbers and private individuals in the business.
I sell clippers, hair cream, dye, towels, drapes, etc.
They are some customers who would not like to use items we use for the public, so they buy from me for their private uses.
