Ebiseri Aginighan, a young Nigerian, has narrated how he secured a Federal Government job in Abuja without any connection to top government officials.
In a series of tweets via @mrebis, Aginighan explained how he volunteered to work without pay at a seminar in Lagos, only to leave the event with automatic employment in Abuja following effusive praise from the organisers about his role in the success of the seminar.
“In August 2017, my brother in-law whom I stayed with in Lagos told me of a seminar for professionals from my ethnic group (#IPASeminar4) and forwarded the email to me,” he wrote.
“We planned to attend for networking and also to hear the conversations around developing our region (NigerDelta) from the panelists and the keynote speakers. That night I was inspired to reach out to the organisers of the event to volunteer my services in Media.
“I got an email address from the email and I sent them the mail shown below:
“‘Hello, Good morning and I hope this email meets you well. My name is Ebiseri Aginighan, I am Ijaw. And I got forwarded the email for the IPA seminar for Sunday August 20, 2017. I decided to contact you if there is any reason you will need help as I can volunteer any of the following services for the event. Social media representation (FB and Twitter post with a hashtag all through the seminar). Live streaming of the seminar so everyone from around the globe can be part of it. I will be glad to be of help
Thanks for your time. Kind regards. Ebiseri Aginighan.”
He received a reply the following morning and it was positive.
He continued: “The next morning I got a reply of how happy they would be to have me help them, so she asked what resources I needed to do what I had to do.
“Any broadband internet modem would suffice, I replied.
“All was to be made available. I went on to use Photoshop to design countdown designs and shared on Twitter, Facebook, on the hashtag I created #IPASeminar4
“So I was to manage social media for the event, Livestream the event on Youtube, and record video as well. Didn’t do this all alone, an assistant was provided on my request.
“That Sunday of the event, I left early enough to beat Lagos traffic to get to the venue in good time (Muson Centre). I got there, set up the Livestream, the video camera, and sent tweets.
“The event kicked off and all went well, with the Keynote speaker being a high-ranking government official, a Special Adviser to the President.
“Towards the end of the event, the President of the Association began his vote of thanks speech. Thanked everyone who attended and all the guests, then went on to specially thank a young man, a son of the Ijaw nation, who reached out to them to make the event more remarkable.
“The president said that a friend of his in Canada was able to watch the event live and also some others who couldn’t attend from outside Lagos. Where is that young man? Please stand up for recognition. It didn’t click immediately that I was the one being introduced.
“All eyes turned towards me with rounds of applause. I was asked to come out to sell my market (introduce myself). I came out, the keynote speaker also stood up, asked me a few questions up on stage and took me by the hands and announced to all present
‘I have employed this one already, I will take him to Abuja, to encourage other young ones to continue doing good.’
“2 weeks after that, I started work in the office of the SA in Abuja all from sending an email of my offering to volunteer. Skills that helped: 1) Basic Graphics Design. 2) Being able to Livestream to Youtube. These days FB live makes this easier.
“Whilst everyone’s path will differ, it is important we make moves, and shoot shots. As the labour market is competitive, bringing your extra is expedient.
“Though I have a B. Eng and an MSc from reasonably good schools, these things, though very important, became secondary. As it appeared, I had already demonstrated useful and valuable competence.
“We can be lucky, favoured or blessed, we may never know or experience these if we don’t take the initiative to make moves, shoot shots, place some calls, and send some mails. Just try and keep trying and by God’s grace your efforts will meet with favour (luck). Cheers and best wishes.”
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