It was my church member that introduced me to Mr. Nduka. Mr. Nduka has spent over 30 years in the civil service and is due for retirement in the next couple of years. Relying on the gratuity and other benefits that would be accruing to him, he hopes to build a home from the benefits.
So he has been searching for an architect that would design the house but could find none. Eventually, in a discussion with his friend who happens to be my church member, he raised the issue again, and that was how Mr. Nduka and I got connected.
After complaining bitterly about the poor remuneration in the civil service and how he was unable to build a house of his own at above 50 years old, he settled down to tell me what he wants me design for him.
According to him, he would invest a large chunk of the money in the agricultural sector and take out a reasonable amount to build a 4 bedroom bungalow.
In the four bedroom bungalow, there should be a study room, there should be a laundry, an ante room (small parlour), a spacious living room, a dining, visitor’s toilet and a very big kitchen for madam. He also informed me that the 4 bedrooms should all be ensuite (i.e. have their own separate toilets.)
The next day, I started his work. And called him after three days to come and see the preliminary drawings, if it was exactly what he wanted. When he came to see the drawings, he was full of praises for me. He said it was exactly what he wanted and asked me to go ahead with the production of the final set of drawings.
Mr. Nduka was practically happy with himself. In fact his joy was obvious and contagious. He couldn’t stop shouting “Oh finally I would own my own house.” He was repeating the same sentence like a broken record. But when I asked him, “Sir it seems this project is a very dear project to you?” he laughed out loud and said “you won’t understand. If only you knew how this project has troubled my spirit then you won’t be asking this question.” He responded.
“I had wanted to do this project while I was must younger but could not” he continued. He concluded by saying, “There is a wise saying in Igboland that says, if a man has no roof over his head, he has no root.” Then he took his leave.
My secretary who was also at the office while this discussion was going on could not really understand the fuzz and the noise about building “just a house.” “What is in building a house? Is it compulsory that one builds a house?” she asked. Then I called her “Chinelo!” and she answered. And I said, “You see, there is everything wrong in a man not building his own personal house.” And she asked “How sir? I don’t understand it sir.” “Ok, I will explain to you.” I responded.
The comment below was my answer to Chinelo my secretary and I believe it will go a long way in helping all of us.
See, building our own homes should not be seen as a luxury, it’s a necessity.
Building our own homes should be our focus, our prayer, hunger, aspiration, joy and vision.
All animals are homely in nature. Birds build nests, lions make dens, and rats drill holes. How come it’s only man that rents houses and make himself a slave.
As a matter of fact, there are 7 good reasons why man should live in his own home, not just a home, but his dream home. Here are they:
1. TO PREPARE FOR OLD AGE: One of the best ways a man prepares for old age is to build his own home. What do you think will happen when you celebrate your 70 birthday and still need to pay house rent.?
2. TO HAVE A PERMANENT HOME: Until we build our own home, we have not gotten a house address. Tenants are known for moving from one house to another for one reason or the other, losing friends and breaking relationships in the process.
3. BEST LEGACY FOR YOUR CHILDREN: The best thing you can leave your children is a house, not cars or clothes. Not even money. Because all those depreciates but homes does not.
4. BEST WAY TO PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT: See, it’s like death sentence if you retire without a roof over your head; start preparing for retirement now by building your own dream home.
5. FOR PEACE OF MIND: Do you know that there is nothing a tenant fears like the due date for rent renewal? In fact it gives most people heart attack. While in the other hand, the landlord is jubilating that the due date is approaching. The tenant is always either afraid of old rent, rent increment or quit notice.
6. CO-TENANTS PALAVER: It is not a secret anymore that tenants fight over virtually everything; they fight about toilet, bathroom, parking space, children’s fight, electricity bills, security bills to mention but a few. To avoid all these, you must build your own dream home.
7. WISDOM: Only the wise people build; fools will continue to pay rents to the wise. You are not rich until you are in your own home. I know of people here in Abuja with up to 3 cars still living in a rented apartment.
There is a popular joke that says, “if you have a Land Rover and still pay rent to a landlord, you’re a fool.”
Now that you know, what are you doing to realize this goal?
By the way, the building you see below is the outcome of my discussion with Mr. Nduka.
