The National Association of Barbers and Cosmetology Employers of Nigeria (NABCEN), on Thursday inaugurated its nationals officials with Mr Musa Mantu, founder of Fades and Bangs Global Salons, Abuja inducted as Chairman, Board of Trustees.
Also sworn in was Mr Barile Ngbobu, an American-trained cosmetologist, as National President, Omite Dimez, Vice President, Greg Abwar, Financial Secretary, Fatima Momoh, Treasurer, Nicole Balewa, Publicity Secretary, and Ikenna Olelewe, Organising Secretary,
Other officials included Chibueze Aweuzie, National Liaison Officer, Solomon Ahile, Chairman National Task Force, as well as Messrs David Maiye, Happiness William and Simon Ejeoko who are to serve as Regional Heads in charge of North-Central, South-East and North-West respectively.
The officials, who were inaugurated in Abuja, are to serve a four-year renewable term.
In a speech after he was sworn in, Mantu, son of Sen Nasir Mantu, former Deputy Senate President, said that the body was made up of professionals in the beauty industry including barbers, hairdressers, make-up artists, manicurists, pedicurists, among others.
Musa Mantu receiving his appointment letter as Chairman, NABCEN Board of Trustees
He said that the professionals decided to form a strong united body to improve their services and seek areas of expansion so that the beauty industry could employ more Nigerians and minimise indolence among the youths.
He described the beauty industry as a “multi-million dollar business second only to ICT’’, urging members of the public to discard the notion that its practitioners were mostly uneducated persons.
“Rather than see our members with such disdain, we crave more respect for them because they make massive sacrifices to make people look beautiful and presentable.
“No one should treat either the barber, hair dresser or make-up artist with disdain; no one should talk to them anyhow. They stand on their feet for hours just to make us beautiful and deserve our respect,’’ he said.
Mantu said that the association had close to 20 million members, stressing that it would leverage on that strength to create jobs through seeking for loans for members to enable them explore available technology to boost their activities and engage more hands
He said that the association had opened discussions with the Bank of Industry, Development Bank of Nigeria and other outfits offering low interest loan facilities to enable members purchase 5 KVA solar-powered generating plants to mitigate the instability in electricity supply.
“We want salons that can take five to six chairs to access this off-grid facility so that the epileptic electricity supply in the country will not affect their activities and income.
“We have concluded discussions with a Switzerland electricity outfit for the supply of the facility and shall assist members to get the soft loans so as to purchase the power generating sets. The repayment will be spread across months to minimise pressure,’’ he explained.
He said that the association was also keen on sanitisation the beauty industry in view of the perception that its activities were capable of spreading diseases, adding that periodic trainings were being organised to ensure that.
Mantu called on members to make more sacrifices for the growth of the union, and expressed optimism that the society would reap bountifully from the activities of a united and strong beauty industry.
In his speech, Ngbobu thanked former labour minister Chris Ngige for facilitating the registration of the association in 2017, saying that the official certification had empowered NABCEN to unite all practitioners in the beauty industry.
“The legal certification has empowered us to come together to explore the vast potentials in this ever growing industry.
“One in every five Nigerians has something to do with the beauty industry either as a barber, hair stylist or manicurist. This group of professionals provide a lot of jobs and contribute massively to the economy.
“We cannot hold government responsible for creating jobs for everyone. No law says that. All we want government to do is to give us the enabling environment to encourage industrialists, philanthropists, and others, to create jobs.
“As a union, we want to help our members to expand their outfits and take our youths off the streets,’’ he said.
The president said that the association was in need of more funds to meet the challenge of supporting members to explore the vast market in Nigeria.
He said that the association was also working toward sanitising and regulating the beauty industry so as to cleanse it of quacks that were giving it a bad name.
Ngbobu said that the body had inaugurated state chapters in Kaduna, Lagos, Abia, Ebonyi, Imo, Abuja, Delta, Enugu, Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and Anambra. (NAN)
