Miss Confidence Joseph Asuquo, a 16-year- old female mechanic, has narrated how she took to the male gender dominated job to raise money for her education. Asuquo works at Ado-Ok Mechanics workshop along Parliamentary extension road, near Pirates’ Anchor Point, Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

The Guardian gathered that she is the only female mechanic of that age in Calabar. The fair-complexioned girl, who is supposed to be in school, works with other young boys in the workshop, because of a lack of funds.

At first sight, she could be mistaken for a boy, considering her swift and business-like approach to her job, handling of work tools with ease and focus.

From the little proceeds she gets dong her job, Confidence supports her siblings financially because her mother’s trade does not always bring money. Confidence graduated from West African People’s Institute (WAPI), Calabar, last year.

At the Ado-Ok mechanic workshop, Confidence is loved and encouraged by her male colleagues who said she is very good at the job and ready to learn. Her boss and Director of Ado Ok workshop, Mr. Etop Udoudo alias “Ado-Ok”, said: “I was excited when Confidence came to learn the job from me and I also encouraged her. I told her what the job entails, so far, she is doing very well and working hard.

“She can handle any work very well and I have not had any complaints from customers about her, instead, they get excited and encourage her to put in more effort.

“My message to younger ones is that this job is also like a school, so I advise them to join us in doing the work if they have nothing to do. I have not faced any challenge and she has not given me any headache because she is very obedient.”

The Ikono-born girl from Akwa Ibom State, told her story.

“I stopped at Senior Secondary 3. I wrote the examination, but I have not collected my result yet because I did not pay the complete money. I am into mechanical business because I just like the job and I am trying to raise money to go back to school, but if I have financial support, I can go further with my academics. I would like to go to the University and study Mechanical Engineering.

“I lost my father last year, I live with my mother who is a palm oil trader and her income is not enough to send me to the University. There are only four girls in the family and I am the second. My mother encourages me to do the job, she says I should not mind because God will help me succeed.”

Confidence, who started learning the trade in 2020 at the age of 13 years, said: “I can drop and couple engines, work on the legs of a car and other areas, although, I am still an apprentice set to graduate next year.

“If I graduate and I’m still unable to go to school, I will go ahead with my job and have my own workshop if I have the money. But if I have my own workshop, I will still like to go to the University to study Mechanical Engineering, so that I can upgrade my knowledge.”

On challenges and social issues relating with colleagues at work, she said: “I have faced challenges on the job like, injuries and discouragement from people because I am a woman, but I don’t really mind because I like the work.

“Some of my friends laugh at me for doing the job because they say it is a dirty job, but I do not see it that way because it is something that could help me in future.

“Sometimes, I feel bad when I get harassed, they take it as a joke but deep down it hurts and I do tell them and they apologise.

“I encourage other girls to do jobs like this because it is going to help them too. While jacking a car, it once failed and broke my leg. I do not wear safety equipment, but I am always careful while doing the job. When it comes to tying knots tightly, I can do it alone without the help of my master.” (The Guardian)

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