Pegasus Reporters Issues on the Wing
PEGASUS REPORTERS, LAGOS | NOVEMBER 26, 2021
David’s Little Drops
David Aderibigbe started learning about entrepreneurship when he was in his third year in primary school in a private school in Lagos, Nigeria.
The owner of the school had studied abroad and came back to Nigeria to start his school. He wanted to introduce the positives he observed in the schools in developed countries in his school to help build the children mindset.
People said his school was expensive for the environment to was located but they keep coming to plead that their children be allowed to study there.
The owner of the school is Mr. Aderibigbe, David’s father. When David was in primary 3, his father employed a new teacher. The teacher would teach a subject they had never heard of before, entrepreneurship studies to pupils of the school starting from the third year students to the sixth.
So David started learning about business and that some children in Nigeria and other parts of the world are starting businesses and doing great things with it. The teacher showed the students videos of children who had successful businesses and he told them that these children also did well in school.
“Good morning sir” David greeted his dad
It was a Saturday so David would be going to his mum’s shop.
“Good morning son. You are up very early today” replies his dad
“Yes sir. I am going with mummy to the shop. I need to check my inventory in her shop” David says
“Really? What are you selling in your mother’s shop this year?” asks his father
“I started selling furniture and craft materials. I can’t eat those one like I did with the biscuit and candy. Plus, my friends can’t buy them on credit either” He replies to his dad’s question
Two years ago David asked his mum if he could use his savings to start selling something in her shop. She agreed and he started selling things that his friends could buy, little things. Mostly candies and biscuits, but they ended up eating most of it.
Last year he started selling stationery. His friend would ask him to bring some to school and refuse to pay. When some carpenters kept coming to ask if they sold some of the materials they use, David told his mum that he would like to change from selling stationery to materials needed by the furniture makers.
“How is the business doing?” asks his dad
“It is growing faster than I had thought sir” David said
“So fast that I am thinking of investing” says Mrs. Aderibigbe
She goes to her husband and gives him a hug
“You people should not leave me out o!” says Mr. Aderibigbe
“Daddy do you also want to invest? Our entrepreneurship teacher taught us about savings and investment. I have been putting back all the profit I make from the sales back into the business. Mr. Bayo says that type of investment is called booth strapping” David says
“Your teacher is really teaching you a lot. I am glad I employed him” says Mr. Aderibigbe
“How much do you want to invest?” David asks his parents
“You have roughly One Hundred Thousand naira in your savings account son” says his mother
“What? From those small things he sells?” says Mr. Aderibigbe
“Yes o and the goods in my store is worth almost two hundred thousand naira” replies Mrs. Aderibigbe
“Yes!” David fist bumps
“So why do you want to invest if he is doing that well? If I remember correctly, he started with his savings of ten thousand naira three years ago” says Mr. Aderibigbe
“Yes he did” replies his mother
“Your son’s little drops of water are growing into a big pool. Since he is servicing the needs of his customers more demands are coming in” says his mother
“You are saying the carpenter and furniture makers are asking for some other goods not in the shop?” Mr Aderibigbe asks
“Yes daddy. The good are too expensive for me to buy. I will not be able to buy in large quantity with the money I have” says David
“How much money do you need as an investment?” asks his dad
“I am working on a business plan with the help of my teacher sir. I will show it to you when it is done next week” David replies
“Let us be going to the shop. Did you pack our food?” says David’s mother
“Yes ma” replies David
2 Years Later
“Mummy come quickly” David shouts from the living room of their home
Both of his parents’ rush to the living room.
“What is it?” asks his dad worried
“Dad it is something good” says David trying to calm his dad’s worries
“Tell us then” says David
“Remember that my idea to have a website where I can have other craft materials retailers sell and deliver their goods to crafters around the country?” David asks his parents
“Yes” his mother replies
“What about it?” asks his dad
“I have an investor who wants to put money in it” David tells his parents
“I entered the business plan in a competition and recorded myself explaining the benefits of the business. I won a grant of five thousand dollars!” David ends on a shout
His parents looked at him surprised. His mother’s mouth is open as she stares at her son.
“Show me” his father says
David opens his tablet to show his dad the email he received yesterday.
5 Years Later
“At the age of seventeen years David Aderibigbe is one of the youngest millionaires our country Nigeria has produced. According to him and the people we have interviewed, David stated business while he was in primary three at the of seven. Ten years later his business The Crafters’ is helping artisans and crafters buy materials and tools needed for their business online and delivered directly to their doorstep” says the presenter of Young Entrepreneurs a business program for young people
David just got admission into the university. He spent a year as an exchange student in Japan learning about business and building a network with manufacturers in Japan and China.
His parents are very proud of him and have helped him grow.
“Why did you decide to start business at that young age David?” asks the presenter
“My daddy brought a new teacher to our school that taught us about starting business and showed us video of children who have successful businesses. My mummy had her own shop back then. I used to go with her to her shop so I used my savings to start selling biscuits” David replies
The interview goes on for a while. At the end of the interview the presenter thanks David and looks into the camera
“We can see that it is never too early to start a business. Parents you need to teach your children about becoming their own boss instead of pushing them to focus on white collar jobs” says the presenter
David is seen hugging his parents.
“Thank you dad. Thank you mum” David says
The End
Mizz Tee has been teaching entrepreneurship to students in upper primary and secondary school for almost 10 years now. She believes that for a people to become great the younger generation,just be empowered with the tools to grow and be their own boss. She’s a graduate with an MBA in entrepreneurship and lives in Benin Republic. Her stories are written to teach the younger generation that entrepreneurship is not for adults only but that they, too, can become great using their minds and hands from an early age. There are so many young children around the world who are have done great things as entrepreneurs and we will be featuring them from time to time here every Saturday.
What’s your view? Tell us you were here by replying to this story in the comment section below. You can share it, too.
©Pegasus Reporters: making news that reach your audience|Advertise with us!|Join our readers’ list on Telegram (+234 813 308 8344) Follow us on Twitter @pegasusreporters | We are on Facebook; The Pegasus Reporters | Chat with the Editor on WhatsApp (+234 815 444 5334) |Contact the Editor or send your articles to pegasusreporters@gmail.com
Read Our Preceding Post: FOR THE RECORD: Insider’s Narrative Of Men Who Funded The 1983 Coup D’etat
