By Rebecca Akintunde and Adeniyi Itunu

As water is very essential to human life; so is a skill needed in the life of every serious-minded human being.Skills can do a lot of great work in the life of every living soul.

It is common knowledge that about 80% of graduates in most Nigerian universities find it hard to get employment every year. This is largely due to the curricula of the universities and other tertiary schools with an emphasis on training for white collar jobs.

Unemployment has become a major problem bedeviling the lives of youths and graduates causing frustration, depression, dejection and dependency on family members and friends. The high level of unemployment among this population in Nigeria has contributed to the high rate of insecurity, violence in elections and poverty.

On this note, it is said that the worsening economy situation in the country and unstable education system coupled with the incessant strikes by varsity lecturers, are the major factors that has driven students and graduates towards acquiring skills instead of staying idle at home.

In the worst case, they are treated as slaves in their working place.

Some apprentices have expressed their displeasure and hardship they go through under their bosses, saying they are treated like slaves.

Some apprentices in separate interviews with journalists shared their own cut of cake of what they had gone through under their bosses, revealing that in some cases, many were raped.

Are all apprenticeships like this?, We are considering throwing in the towel.

A graduate from a private University, who decided to learn hair dressing, Halimat Sanni, said she did extra length by working as an housemaid all in the name of acquiring skill.

”In this age of entrepreneurship, everyone is getting a skill so I decided to go learn hairdressing. Then my boss showed her true color by making me work extra only at her home not at the shop. I get work early and leave around 10pm only doing how chores and all” she added.

Halimat lamented that she was raped by her drunk boss’ husband which led to her shameful pregnancy while carrying out her boss descipline at her home.

“On a fateful day, I resumed my duties at my boss’s home,cleaning and cooking as usual, then the unexpected happened when her husband came home drunk and forced me to bed and raped me. I couldn’t bring myself to telling my mom how I was treated before and after the incident, later after a month I got to know I was pregnant for my boss’s husband and I wasn’t accepted neither was the baby.

“I became a thing of ridicule as a graduate.”she added.

Another apprentice learning tailoring, Blessing Ademola said she enjoyed her first week of apprenticeship, adding that she was treated and welcomed well by her senior colleagues but the second week was somehow a setup of chores.

“During my stay at my boss who is a tailor, I really enjoyed my first week of staying there as to how my seniors welcomed and treated me so well, but unknowingly to me being a new apprentice I didn’t get to know all their norms and duties during my first week

”The second week came so fast,on getting to shop I was directed to my boss’s house, I was shocked when one of my senior voiced out and said we go there every week to help with her house chores. It sounded strange and new to me, my boss has children so why can’t they help with the chores”she added.

Blessing said the norms went on for good three months without grabbing anything from she came there to learn but all she did was just chores.

However, an apprentice, Abiodun Adebowale, said he enjoyed learning barbing despite everything he had gone through, adding that he was 3months away from his qualification.

Abiodun said despite enjoying his work, he felt like he had been given the harshest treatment out of all the apprentices, saying not only that he did every maintenance in his boss’ shop but also cleaned and maintain his boss girlfriend’s shop.

”Our shop follows a system that once a new apprentice comes in and starts working all the cleaning duties and shop maintenance fall on them and everyone above them focuses on cutting and is allowed to sit and chill between cuts when it’s quiet.

“I was always itching to cut hair and improve my work so I was happy to do whatever I could in order to cut as much as I can.cut to present day; I’m 3 months away from my qualification date and still doing the same maintenance and cleaning.

And also helping the hairdresser shop beside us to cleaning just because the owner of the shop is my boss’s girlfriend.”

“When we had a new apprentice, thinking all the work would be transferred to him but I simply got treated like the same only with someone to share the load despite being in my final year!” he lamented.

Also,a former apprentice Osabiyi Esther said during her apprenticeship days,she passed through a lot of rigor from her boss

“I wash her menstruation pant and her husband’s pants.The other apprentice always leave the work loads for me because am the junior she said”

I passed through a lot with my boss and I also follow her to work on her farm.My boss find delight in using us for her own personal interest.

Jola Olaoluwa who also shared her experience on how her boss treats her by beating her up on any slight mistakes on sewing clothes.

“My boss do beat me,she always ask me to knee down in front of customers to ridicule me in any opportunities she gets”

Jola enunciated further on how she sow clothes with paper and it must not tear because there is a punishment attached to it.

She added”I noticed that my boss gets joy in using us as slave for her own benefits,I used most of my time to help her with many chores and a little time to work even though I eventually know the work.

An Undergraduate of Adekunle Ajasin University,Elizabeth Comfort revealed that her boss engaged her in farming for her husband.

“My boss’s husband tried to seduce me while I was in the house doing chores for them and the funny part is my boss knew about it and never said a word.

She told me not to spoil her husband’s name,so I had to endure the assault and be very wise concerning the issue she said”