Dami

Trump has his own problems, but there’s one thing I picked up from this interview that earned my respect for him all over again. The good jobs he mentioned weren’t doctors, lawyers, or engineers. They were cleaners, maids and other everyday workers. The westerners value labor. Reason a doctor and a social worker are treated the same way. And this is why many Nigerians go outside to do these jobs happily because people value labor there. Here, we glorify money so much while we devalue labor. A cleaner, the security guy, the waiter isn’t seen as somebody that matters. The elites also don’t want that gap to close. Classism has ruined us all. Reason many do fraud just to meet up. Reason we glorify fraudsters as long as they got money and humiliate the hardworking waiter. Reason we think a doctor deserves more respect than a cleaner whereas they’re both working. Different roles, both hardworking, both humans. Until we end that mentality in Africa, and start paying people for their time, not just because of the job, there will never be a balance and poverty will never be alleviated. We need to start glorifying labor, not just money. I should want to be a taxi driver in my country and do it proudly and get paid accordingly for my time. Not getting underpaid and treated with disrespect just because I’m a taxi driver. A McDonald’s staff can easily pay their rent, go on vacation, take care of their family and live a normal life, and that’s the beauty of a society that recognises the value of labour. But over here, these type of jobs keep you in debts, and earns you nothing but disrespect. We need to start glorifying the right things. We need to close these occupation and financial gaps. We need to start rewarding people for their effort and time. We really need to.