Meet Paul Emeka, The Blind Motorcycle Mechanic, Who Says He Never Liked Begging
I have a bungalow which I built from income as a motorcycle/ electric generator mechanic. My challenges are that I go to toilet in the bush because my house hasn't toilet facilities and I sometimes miss my way back home, in the process.
"I have a bungalow which I built from income as a motorcycle/ electric generator mechanic. My challenges are that I go to toilet in the bush because my house hasn't toilet facilities and I sometimes miss my way back home, in the process.
"I have a large family of seven, four girls and three boys, which I feed but I hate begging.
"All I need is little help from the government to buy and sell motorcycle parts to improve my daily income in view of the harsh economic situation in the country," he says.
Paul Emeka has been blind from the age of three. He became blind after suffering from measles which had no vaccine and cure then, according to his parents. Paul, didn't have any formal education, as there was no school for the blind in his village at Umuaji- Umuida, Enugu Ezike, in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.
He wasn't allowed to go to school in his early days because his right hand, placed across his head, could not touch his left ear, which was the practice used to determine those who were of school age or up to six years or thereabout before starting nursery/ primary schools then.
Paul, a father of seven children, four girls and three boys as well as grandchildren said although he never learned to repair bicycles or motorcycles and never served as apprentice to anybody anywhere, he started from bicycles' repair before moving to motorcycle repair in 1996.
According to him, "I started repairing bicycles I started by patching (vulcanising) bicycle tubes before I learnt how to vulcanise motorcycle tubes, and then gradually learnt how to repair the other motorbike parts on my own.
"Now, I am able to work on or repair motorcycle engines in my shop, which was given to me by my late elder brother.. I used to repair and can repair old radio/ cassettes and electric generators. I have been doing so for over 18- 20 years, earning a living and providing for my family despite my challenges. My initial problems or challenges then was convincing people that I could work effectively/ effeciently on their motorcycle because how else would one trust a blind man to work on their various motorcycle faults without the fear of him spoiling or compounding such problems.
"However, now I have overcome such challenges tby building a reputation with my good workmanship around my community. I was never taught or learnt how to repair motorcycles but I now repair everything in a motorcycle except the electrical aspects," he said
Paul further said that whenever he had troubles with a particular bike repair or so, he would go to sleep adding that God would usually reveal alot of things to him while asleep, noting that on waking up, he would end up fixing the spoilt motorcycle.
"If I sleep, I will see or imagine how the problems would be resolved in my dreams. I am a devout Christian. I listen to the Gospels in the church, especially on Sundays. I go to my shop everyday, except on Sundays when I rest in my house. I believe that God will do any good thing you ask from Him. I am always happy after listening to the Gospels. The (Gospel keeps me happy and focused.
I had up to seven children because I got four girls without any make child before the three males came. I also had twins.
He was asked if he ever attended any school for the blind?
He stated that he didn't learn about the existence of such school early in life, pointing out that at the time he was told about such school for the blind, he enquired about the jobs blind people ended up doing after such education.
"I was told that graduates of schools for the blind ended up becoming tailors, carpenters, typists, candle producers among others but I wanted something that could be more tasking. I believed that being a motorcycle mechanic would be more tasking. I wasn't really convinced about going to the school for the blind because of the work opportunities after such training. Areas like candle production, chairs and tailoring, I didn't like such jobs. Those were minor things that could be learnt easily, so I went for something more challenging and tasking and decided to settle on my current profession as a mechanic.
On his current challenges, he said he doesn't have a pumping machine yet for tyres and also doesn't havemoney to buy motorcycle spare parts so that he could sell and repair them.
"I also lack tools," he said noting that, he currently "uses hand pump which I manage at work everyday. As a family man and with the current economic hardship, it has become more tasking to take care or provide for my family.
"Again, some people like cheating me. Sometimes, when I repair their motorcycles and am busy doing other jobs, they tiptoe and come and carry away the motorcycles I have repaired for them without settling my bills. I have no apprentice and none of my sons like to work with me. Those who steal their motorcycles from my shop without paying are normally new customers; those I won't recognise their voices.
"I have a bungalow which I built on my own but my problem is that the house has no toilet facilities. I go to toilets in the bush and most of the times, I miss my way, while trying to come back from the bushes. Missing my way to my house is the traumatising aspect. I am begging the Igbo Eze North Local Government Chairman, and the Enugu State government to come to my aid.
"I do not want to beg money. When I was younger, they used to take me out to beg, but I would end up crying profusely each time I returned to the house. I never liked begging. If Ihave motorcycle spare parts like tubes, tyres and enough tools, I won't beg anybody for food or money. I make about N5,000 daily but sometimes I make up to N10,000 when there are plenty customers but I spend the money on feeding my family."
According to Paul, thee BBC Igbo Service had earlier reached out to him back in 2020 for an interview which he did and was promised help but the Covid-19 shattered all his hopes. He is constantly cheated on by customers who sometimes don't pay their complete charges or sometimes run away with his money after their bike had been repaired because he is blind. He, therefore pleaded that companies looking to hire could help as he would love to be put on a stable salary so that he can minimise loses due to people exploiting him owing to his disability.
He stated that God has been horever faithful to him even with his condition. He is a very cheerful person who doesn't like to beg but works hard everyday to provide for himself and family. He said that God's blessings and good health, give him the drive/ stamina to keep working hard daily.
Finally Paul has words of advice to people. "In any condition you find yourself, be happy, be patient and try to learn something as handwork because it will help you to be good and prosperous and these will always help you Thank you"
(For the full interview you can find on THE STEREOPSIS on YouTube.)
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