Challenges of The Igbo Apprenticeship System and Sustainable solutions

By Nnenna Joseph

The Igbo apprenticeship system otherwise known as Nwa boyii is a systematic approach that has produced a large percentage of Nigerian billionaires, more than universities and certificates. Nnewi boasts of the highest GDP per capita in Nigeria and the highest concentration of millionaires (Business AM 2017).

The system is one where there is an efficient economic equilibrium and inequality is brought to the barest minimum.
For example, a man goes into a particular business and when he establishes himself and gains a market share, he goes back to the village to pick his brothers, relatives, strangers even as apprentices under his belt. He tutors them on the tricks of the business and they learn by experience not theory sitting in a class. After some years, he voluntarily settles them either by paying their rent of their store for a number of years, or buying their first set of goods.

The new entrepreneurs thereafter gain their own market share using the skills they learned. Everyone gains and nobody is left behind. Prof. Ekekwe says “no one is super-rich but everyone is just fine! And the players just like it that way because “onye aghara nwanne ya”) do not leave your brethren behind) is part of the culture!). The man who goes to get apprentices has an obligation to “settle” his apprentices. It is part of the system. This is not the regular mentorship system where a person offers only advice/guidance if he pleases to. But the culture and system expect that he does. (Desertbloomadvisory 2016)

This settlement is simply dividing his market share among these boys. In other words, assume he holds 3% in that specific market, by the time he is done, he might be holding only 2%, releasing 1% to the boys. For him, the growth of his company is not what matters – it is that “his boys” do well. Then, he does not stop there, he begins to send the boys opportunities, making sure they are able to thrive independently. No Western textbook teaches that! (Tekedia 2020)

The above arrangement became an on paper agreement, wherefore in reality, we realised that the apprentice were often accused of theft, insubordination and related matters and sent home empty with shattered dreams and hopes.
It became a norm that 60% of the apprentices were not settled as agreed. Sometimes, these are lies heaped against them by their masters to evade fulfilling their part of the bargain, other times the apprentice actually erred. Some of the apprentices join cult groups and become very rebellious; their masters are threatened by them, some patronize prostitutes, some steal from their masters, some disrespect their master’s wives etc.

Major causes of disagreements in the Igbo apprenticeship system

Theft
Theft forms a large part of the crisis surrounding the system. On a daily basis, the masters discover they are losing money and goods regardless of how tactical the masters try to be.
Take a walk to Onitsha main market, there is always a gigantic iron safe hidden away where the master puts money. Regardless, the apprentices still smuggle goods out of the shop to sell them to customers.

A seasoned businessman who has raised more than 50 apprentices once said- “no matter what you do, umu boyii must steal from you, the best method is to make a truce with them, to ensure you make your capital and profit. They can have the rest”.

In their defence, the apprentices say some masters give their boys just N100 as feeding cost for a whole day, hunger leads them to steal from their masters.

While the business man above might be lenient, most bosses prohibit theft of any form and they do not hesitate to send the culprits home.

Insubordination
These apprentices are boys between 12 to 28 years, this forms a time when they feel like they are “men” and demand some degree of respect from people around them.
Being an apprentice means living under the same room with your master and his family, this means, sometimes, they might face being disrespected, dehumanized even.

For a person with a temper issue, they will overreact and beat up their master’s wife or child or relative and get sent home.
They could also feel doing a certain task disrespects their manliness and refuse to do those. It might be a deal breaker for his master and that would be the end of the road for his entrepreneurial journey.

Unseriousness
Some apprentices come off as unserious, they are either unexplainably late to work, slack when they are supposed to bring their A-game on, misplace important items etc. their master might think of their behaviour as unacceptable and have them sent home.

Vices and inappropriate behaviours
Like mentioned earlier, some of these boys join cult groups and become a terror to their masters, they do what they want, when they want it, how they want it because their masters are afraid they will hurt them.
Some take to alcoholism, hard drugs and smoking which their masters frown at. Others will take women and prostitutes. If any of these vices are uncomfortable for their masters, they will send them home.

Read Also: The Culture Of Igba Odibo (Igbo Apprenticeship) In Igbo Land

Greedy masters
Some masters are greedy and wicked. They send these boys home for the slightest reason, founded or unfounded, Sometimes the masters do not settle the boys at the given time, they let it exceed for a year sometimes 2 years just to frustrate the boys to leave on their own unsettled. At other times, it has been discovered that when the time for settlement is near, some masters will accuse the boys falsely and send them home.

Though no amount of money is cast on stone at the end of the apprenticeship, it is a rule of thumb to give your apprentice an amount that can give them a chance to be productive.
A handkerchief business can be set up with N200, 000 but an electricals business cannot be set up with the same. If the fair amount to commence a business as seed capital is N5, 000, 000, some Masters will give their apprentices N1,000, 000.
This might be a huge sum in another sector, but in the boy’s given trade sector it will be useless to him and unproductive.

This is one of the major reasons why the apprenticeship system is dwindling.

Possible Solutions

The solutions proffered here are mostly untapped and range from traditional to complex

Written agreement
The system should evolve to a point where Both parties would reach a written agreement, signed in the presence of witnesses, stipulating settlement time, code of conduct, respect to boundaries among others. .
This does not have to involve a lawyer, just a written document that would be legally binding and admissible in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Institutionalizing the system
The government or other concern bodies should intervene in the dying system by institutionalizing the processes and modalities providing a sustainable system attune with the 21st century.
In this case, young boys interested in apprenticeship will sign up to a central portal, business men who need boys scout and get matched to a preferred apprentice with legal binds and ties wherefore if broken by either of the parties will attract consequences.
The institution can be packaged by independent government ministries and organizations or a solution oriented enterprise.