An unusual painter

She started painting at the age of eight when she used to follow her late father, who was also a painter to sites where he used to work. “My father then had a problem with his leg, and because of that, he found it difficult to paint some areas. Once he gets to such places, […]

She started painting at the age of eight when she used to follow her late father, who was also a painter to sites where he used to work. “My father then had a problem with his leg, and because of that, he found it difficult to paint some areas. Once he gets to such places, I usually tell him not to worry, that I will do it, and from helping him out with areas he could not paint, I gradually began to develop interest in painting,” she said.
Ranti decided in  the year 2000 to start working as a paid painter, when she saw that the work was good.She sought more knowledge in paint production,  in addition to what she had learnt from her father.

“Apart from what I learnt from my father, I went further to learn how paints are produced, because my father was not into production. So I learnt the production of paint from my elder brother, because he is also into painting. Today, I produce paint myself.”
Explaining what she puts together to make paint, she said she buys chemicals including calcium, PVA and  Titanium among others, mixed with any colour of the customers’ choice and water. “It took me just three months to learn the production of paints, because I was always with my brother whenever he is producing paint. To get the lemon green colour, you will mix yellow and green.To get purple, you will mix red and blue,” she said.

According to her, there are different types of paint now, including flex, satin and stucco among many others. “I can produce emulsion of all colours, texcote, flex paint as well as satin paint. But I don’t know how to produce stucco paint, I can only use it to paint a house. Both flex and stucco paints are being applied like plastering work. After this you design, and then you apply some shining  objects which  make it glitter. Satin paint, on the other hand ,looks like tiles on the wall.When it gets stained, you can clean it with water, but we normally do wall screeding before applying the satin paint. Satin paint is very expensive and  ranges  from N19,000 to N50,000 and above, depending on the size of the gallon or tin, as well as the product ,while the cost of painting also depends on the size of the rooms that will be screeded and painted.”
“My paints are very qualitative, it’s  just that I have not been registered. Since I started producing paints for some  three years now, I hardly buy paint in the market to paint people’s houses, except  for the oil paint. I tell majority of my customers that I produce paint. So, while many of them ask me to use paints I produced, some other customers insist on paints bought from the market.”
As a young lady doing a job  that is more popular with the male sex, Ranti said she has been laughed at many times by her friends and neighbours. But she doesn’t  mind what people around say or feel about what she is doing. She said she is ready to make waves with painting as a profession.  
“Painting is my hobby, and it is the only occupation that gives me joy and fulfilment.”

To paint a moderately  sized room and parlour of a new building, costs  about N3,000, but if it is an old building with so many holes on the wall, she charges about N4,000. This is  because of the rigour involved in filling up all the holes before the painting  starts.
The challenges she faces in the course of doing her work, include the insults and abuses she receives from time to time, from friends and neighbours who see her as somebody who lacks focus, because she is doing the work of a man. “They keep asking me when I will stop doing the work. But I love the work so dearly and cannot stop it. Another challenge has to do with climbing the scaffold or ladder to paint tall buildings, but nevertheless I still do them in spite of the stress. Also, there is a particular chemical used in producing paint, which is very strong. In fact, I learnt that if a woman inhales too much of the chemical, it may block her womb. What I do most of the time is to cover my nose while mixing, particularly, when it is time to mix the chemical. I pour it and move far away for some time, until the strong smell reduces.”

She  dresses in  a trouser and blouse and sometimes covers her hair with a shower cap, each time she is going to paint. Most of the time, she is seen working alone except if the work is very big. “I have an apprentice working under me presently. I and my elder brother have taught many youths this job ,and they are now doing well on their own,” she stated.
On why she chose painting amidst many other occupations, she said, “I have never sat down in my life to think of becoming a doctor, lawyer or accountant, but  a painter because I grew up to like the work, from the time I used to follow my father to work as a child. I admired him every time he works. Even if I am opportuned to further my education, I will study a course that is closely related to what I am doing now, so that it will help me become a professional painter.”
“This work has helped me to be self reliant. Because of the money I get from painting, I don’t bother my aged mother to meet my personal needs. Instead, I take care of myself and my siblings, especially in the area of feeding. Although, I am not very famous yet, it has been through recommendation by my clients that I get jobs,” she said.
Miss Ranti aspires to be known all over the world as a female painter. In fact, one of her dreams is to paint Aso Rock. “Since I delved into painting, I have only met one female painter who is based in Lagos. So, as a female painter, I feel highly elated and I think I am one in a million. That is why I always turn deaf ears to discouragement from different quarters. In fact, I will also love that one of  my  daughters  will  become a painter in future, when I get married and have children,” she said with a smile.