‘It’s jobs that search me out’

Yahaya Kyari, proprietor of Jos-based Ya-Tech Nigeria Enterprises, is an example of how to study at an institution of learning and become self-employed rather than look for jobs that are nowhere in sight.“I produce only on demand,” Kyari whose means of livelihood is the fabrication of poultry house equipment, told Daily Trust. Explaining, he said: […]

Yahaya Kyari, proprietor of Jos-based Ya-Tech Nigeria Enterprises, is an example of how to study at an institution of learning and become self-employed rather than look for jobs that are nowhere in sight.
“I produce only on demand,” Kyari whose means of livelihood is the fabrication of poultry house equipment, told Daily Trust. Explaining, he said: “Someone sees my work in a farm; in other words, you go to someone’s farm and you see something I have done; because you like it, you collect my number from the person in whose farm you see it and then contact me. We sit down and discuss.”
He emphasised that he works purely on specifications, saying, “I produce strictly on demand. You tell me what you want, or you indicate the modifications in what you may have seen somewhere or a drawing or picture you show me. We come to an understanding of exactly what you want and then we negotiate the price. You give me a percentage of the cost and I do the construction. I take it to your farm and install it for you and I collect my balance.”
Kyari learnt the rudiments of his trade at a famous secondary school in Plateau State. He summarised his years at the school: “I attended Government Technical College, Bukuru in Jos South Local Government Area. I did welding at the college and graduated in 1982.”
He worked for quite a while at a milling company in those days. By his account, “From the technical college, I went to Pioneer Milling Company where I worked for eight years. I was fabricating many implements for flour milling. I was in maintenance section under technical department.”
In all the years he worked under the authority of the milling company, he yearned to become his own boss, which would explain why he did not wait to reach the 10 years which Nigerians aim for when they get as close to it as Kyari did.
“I decided to leave and to be on my own; I considered it more auspicious to leave at that material time than to remain,” he said.
As he left, however, his own business was something of a continuation of his experience at the flour milling company. He explained, “When I established my own business, I was fabricating feed mill machines. From there, I branched into battery cages.”
And, today, he produces equipment for both poultry farms and feed mill companies. “I’m doing battery cages, deep litre accessories, and feed mill machinery,” Kyari said.
He told Daily Trust that he is not a local champion with Jos as his world view. “People come to me from distant places: Jalingo, Mubi, Bauchi, Gombe, Abuja, and so on. They come from as far as my products have reached. I place my business sticker on the things that I make. As people read such stickers, they note my address and then contact me. So, it’s not just about my old customers telling prospective customers about me. My business stickers also speak for me,” he said.
Speaking further on how he came to enjoy so much patronage, Kyari said, “My customer base rose over time. People see my work and it leads them to me, as I have said. Some come to me because they are simply seeking somebody to do equipment for them and someone who knows me recommends me to them.
“I have people of goodwill too, most of whom I meet in the course of my work. For instance, I have veterinary doctors who relate with my customers and get to know about me. They also become people who direct customers to me.”
For people aspiring to be on their own, he gave this advice: “Starting on your own will require patience because you are not yet known. You will need time to create goodwill and grow your customer base. If you are good, it shouldn’t be difficult because it’s your handwork that will advertise you.
“Those who do not have a technical school background but want to break into his trade, in the first place, require 12 months of on-the-job training. A year is all right for someone to learn the job; you can master it in one year if you are determined,” he said.
He pegs likely starting capital at N150,000. “You will need about N150,000 to open a workshop. You need such sum to buy certain fabrication tools that you will work with. You should have drilling machine, welding machine, filling machine, and some other things”, the technician told our reporter.
It is apparent that poultry house equipment fabrication business is not as saturated as many other commercial craft businesses. Kyari indicated this when he said he is alone in his own specialty in Jos. He said, “I am the only one doing this type of thing in Jos. My own is different. My wire is not ordinary. This kind of wire mesh is strong, lasting, and rust-resistant.”