Though her disposition was cheerful, but that was not the only thing that endeared this reporter to her at a recent interactive session organised for business and professional women. During the session, Angela Jagun stood up to speak about discrimination against women in the building profession and all the participants listened with rapt attention to this woman who has been a builder for over 20 years. Jagun, Secretary of Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) – International Relations Committee; Chairman NIOB Students’ Affairs, has served on other committees at NIOB and CORBON (Council of Registered Builders in Nigeria). She is deeply committed to her profession and she doesn’t hide it. Senior Reporter ANTHONIA SOYINGBE met with her few days after the event and she spoke on her life, family, profession and on other sundry issues.
Jagun with a male colleague at building site.
She is not just a professional builder, but a mother, a wife and also the Chief Executive Officer of Burwood Construction Limited. She also doubles as the Director of Jagun Consult Limited, an outfit which undertakes training for effective supervision skills for construction professionals and Microsoft office project as a construction programming tool. She seems to know her onions, little wonder when Sunday Independent asked her the challenges she faces in her profession, she almost dismissed the question by a wave of hand, after which she said, challenges abound in all professions, but how one responds to them determines the success stories.
For her, there are numerous challenges a woman builder faces in discharging her duty and the key to success, according to her, is “to be smart, work two times as hard as the male, seek knowledge constantly, respect yourself and others and insist on respect being shown to you. Do not give sexual favours for jobs or you will always be limited by what your body can achieve for you rather than your God- given brilliant brain and abilities.
“To secure employment in the construction industry without sexual harassment is sometimes a tall order. A constant problem for women in building is being taken seriously by clients and professional colleagues trusting their ability to deliver a project. To be given an opportunity to learn and make mistakes without it being blamed on gender would make a world of difference to the young lady, a neophyte builder. To manage the predominately male site operatives, staff, colleagues, bosses and clients is a constant challenge,” she explained when speaking further on the challenges the few women face in the building profession.
Working in male-dominated fields could be frustrating for women. This she readily attested to when she was asked again. She went further to say that it is not too comfortable, especially at the teething stage.
“I won’t lie and say it is comfortable, now it is okay because I am a boss but starting off was very uncomfortable. Most sites don’t make provisions for women’s toilet. In dressing, you have to be very conservative and often you wear jeans. At the early stage, I had an experience when I got to the site, most of the men were half-naked as they were all having their bath in an open space,” she confessed.
As a woman in a male- dominated field, she said she insists on been respected not just as a woman but as a thorough professional. Hear her: “I insist on being respected whether it is the artisan or any other person on the site including the client. At the back, I work extra hard because nobody will respect you if you don’t know what you are doing. There is an impression that the woman is less efficient because she is a woman hence I work very hard. If there is something I don’t know, I look for information everywhere. One man actually told me he wanted to court me, but I told him that I am married. I have had cause to walk away from jobs because of sexual demands, though it is not easy walking out of those jobs. I thank God I did then and I am not regretting my actions, rather I thank God that I took those decisions.”
Speaking on sexual gratification for contracts and grades, she said such has negative effects and has decided that since building is a profession, she wants to stay for a very long period, she needs to be the best through her expertise. Nothing actually could be frustrating as working with male who doesn’t see the woman for who she is or for the knowledge she has acquired in her profession and for her expertise, rather they see her as a woman created less than them.
Some, Jagun disclosed, will say, “I have a woman like you at home as my wife, so I can’t take orders from you.” She confessed that she is used to talk like this but she still insists on best pratice and proper handling of things.
She has been married for close to two decades. Her job she confessed since she started it 20 years back has not in any way affected her family rather she is enjoying every bit of it. “I have a very supportive husband who doesn’t make a force over all things. He is my chief supporter and my main adviser. Without him I won’t be where I am today. I place him as my first priority at all times. I try to get home early so that I can have time for my family. After my husband comes my daughter. I have found out that this arrangement makes it easier for me to manage our home.”
A graduate of building from the University of Jos, Jagun came out with Second Class Upper Division in 1991and also holds a postgraduate degree in construction. Currently, she studying for a doctorate in construction management at the University of Salford, Manchester in Britain. She is a stakeholder in the Green Building Council, Nigeria. She was for 12 years the general manager cum executive director of Dom-Serina Nigeria Limited, a consortium of construction professionals.
Her attainments in the industry didn’t just come overnight, but she attributed her attainments to dedication and willingness to acquire knowledge, utilise that knowledge, innovate and impart it to her operation and environment.
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