'Di way I dey handle tools dey make some men fear'

Ijeoma Egbulefu na female electrician for Port Harcourt, di Rivers state capital, South South Nigeria.

She bin dey do farm work for village before she get opportunity to learn electrician job.

"Two years afta I finish secondary school I go back village as my parents no get money for me to further my education. I come begin follow dem go do farm." She tell BBC Pidgin.

"Na in di process of di struggle opportunity come for pipo wey wan learn work. E come be say na electrical work.

"I follow apply for di work wey make my papa come dey ask if I go fit do am becos na man work.

"Na men men dem full for di training but I don make up my mind already say I go do am."

'Training myself for school hard'

Ijeoma say di organizers of di electrical training dey pay dem some allowance.

"Na di small-small allowance I try save wey I come use register my sef for Jamb," she tok.

She say she come later get admission to study electrical course for Rivers state university.

'I like to dey in di midst of men'

Di electrician say she neva struggle to survive wia only men dey. She say most of di men she dey work wit dey rather encourage her.

"Dem no dey mock me. Men sabi encourage me well well anytime I make mistake and dat na why I dey always put my mind for di work becos women wey dey do am no plenty.

"Dis electrician work no dey easy for man, not to tok of woman."

'No regret being an electrician'

Ijeoma say she no regret say she dey do electrician work.

She say di way she dey handle tools dey fear some men - "some pipo tink say to be electrician na just to join wire togeda or to put bulb. Di work pass like dat.

"First you go break wall. Den you go begin lay your pipe, fix your knockout boxes and so many oda tins.

"Di most difficult part of my work na cracking of di wall becos I dey use hammer and chisel. Wen I crack am finish my shoulder go begin pain me."

She say di part wey she like pass na to screw di fittings. Once I reach dat stage my body go dey sweet me becos I know say my work don finish."

Ijeoma Egbulefu say she get big plans for future. She say part of her plan na to get academy wia she go dey train more female electricians.

"For dis work female electricians no plenty," she tok.

Di female electrician add say her advise be say make "pipo value wetin dey give dem urgent 2k becos wen work no dey na hunger remain.

"My biggest challenge na say pipo no dey gree give me contract becos I be woman. Dem dey give contract based on man know man.

Ijeoma say her biggest fear for di work na electric shock.