It takes strength, great vision and courage to venture into certain business that most youth in Nigeria regard as unattractive.
Perhaps, due to the fact that the desire of every graduate in Nigeria is to be connected with a white collar jobs and the desire to earn huge amount of money, seem to have increased the rate of unemployment in the country.
However, a young enterprising and motivated lady, Martina has taken the bull by the horn by appreciating or venturing into the less fancy Plantain and fish selling, popularly known as ‘bolli’ in Nigeria.
Despite being a graduate and still searching for jobs, Martina, has decided to engaged herself with this business, growing her popularity amongst most media houses in Nigeria due to her well-endowed intelligent.
Martina Offem, a native of Ugep, Cross River State, studied Guidance and Counselling at the Cross River State University of Technology.
Dreaming to be an employer of labour, Martina has financed her business to some level even though she is still seeking for that ground breaking financial assistance that would change her whole story for good.
Without doubt, she has exhibited a rare never-say-never attitude that has propelled her to the driving seat of the associating with business Mogul in the country.
Besides, she remained committed to using her artcraft or God giving skills to employ Nigerian youths who are still awaiting white collar jobs and teach them how to catch fish.
In her words she said, “What actually motivated me was that I have always dream of becoming my own boss and be an employer of labour. You don’t actually depend on what you came out with by depending on your certificate while waiting for white collar job. You can also be an employer of labour because in Nigeria we have many unemployed graduate seeking for white collar jobs and not engaging themselves in other things.
I decide to venture into plantain and fish because everybody see the same thing but plantain and fish is quite different.
“Knowledge is power if I may say and it’s good for you to go to school. Without the knowledge you won’t know how to explore your ideas So I won’t say your certificate is not important but then, you need to have acquired your own skills.
“I am an entrepreneur and I have other things I want to explore while waiting for bigger finance to explore my ideas. And I believe in starting up small. By starting up small, you grow big; using the likes of Dangote, Adenuga to mention a few.
“Right now I am the most happiest person on Earth because I am not the only one doing this job. Besides, I just hope and believe that it will get to the ears of the federal government and other well meaning Nigerians because with this, it will reduce the rate of unemployment in Nigeria. I will also use this medium to employ most of our unemployed youths and take them out of the streets.
“There is a camping for fundraising and for now, apart from Mr Raymond that has supported me with the sum of 20,000 naira and Mr Mathew Bassey, none has supported me. But I believe it will get to the appropriate authority that will assist me in most of my business that I want it to get to the capacity of my dream.
Infact it will be my greatest joy to establish my branches all over Nigeria. My relationship with the media is greatly improving day by day because I receive lots of calls. Besides, I had an interview with Correct FM 93.3fm on Monday to have a business talk with them and also a magazine called max magazine has connected me to come have an interview with them. And lots of media houses are also interested in this my ambition.
