Sandra Aguebor, is an ambitious and hardworking female mechanic who has walked and worked in a male dominated industry and has made a huge success of it.
Stargist.com introduces you to the wonder woman who has been running her own garage for 22 years.
Early Life And Education
Sandra Aguebor, a native of Benin city, Edo state, The First Lady Mechanic in Nigeria was born in the 70s into the family of late Mr. & Mrs. R.A Aguebor, she attended Ivbiotor Primary School, St Maria Goretti Grammar School in Benin, later to Benin Technical College for further technical skills and finally a graduate from Auchi Polythenic, all in Edo state, She also had a degree from The Goethe Institute, a German school based in Lagos State, and hopes to further her education in International Relations.
Career
She secured her first employment with Bendel Transport Service now Edo Line in Benin City, as officer in charge of maintenance and repairs in the workshop for three years, and later with Nigeria Railway Corporation in Lagos for another three years before deciding to be on her own, while on her own, she managed fifteen trucks for a haulage company that distributes confectioneries to the North and other parts of Nigeria.
Sandra Aguebor says that God spoke to her through a series of childhood dreams and told her that she should become a mechanic. With no other mechanics in the family, her father initially scoffed at the idea, until he traveled to the US in the 1980s and saw women working in positions considered “men only” in Nigeria, back in Nigeria, he gave her his full support, but her mother was not in support, because she was afraid of the physical challenges associated with the profession. Nevertheless, she forged ahead with her dream at the age of fourteen years, although her first “garage” was a patch of land covered with cardboard for shade, which was demolished by authority, but that did not deter her, today she is a brewing success. She has always aimed high. An avid reader of self-help books, Aguebor encourages her girls to think big – and they do.
Awards And Recognitions
However some of her special attainments are, sponsorship to visit seven states in America by the U.S government in 2004 through the American consulate, and invitation to Aso Rock with her trainees by the president, Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Aremu Olusegun Obasanjo.
The BBC Web Site & BBC World News, The New York Times, The South Africa Broadcasting Cooperation, (SABC) South Africa, The CNN World News, the Voice of Africa, USA and the Christian Mirror, USA have shown a documentation on her.
Above all she has won several awards some of which are recognition by Emotan, celebrating the feminine virtue, African Nation Builders Gold award by Vision Africa and an award from Edo state Government for her Excellence in Mechanical Engineering, an award from ASHOKA, as an ASHOKA FELLOW, an organization that rewards people that have rare innovations and initiatives, in Washington DC. USA, this gave her the opportunity to feature the Global Book on Economic Empowerment published in Washington DC.
Sandra had featured on NTA channel 10 programme “On the Road”, where she lectures and trains on tips for vehicle maintenance, every Saturday. She also organizes and trains corporate drivers on fault finding and rectification to properly maintain the companies’ fleet of cars.
Sandra has also been featured by Communication for Change (CFC) a 30 minutes documentary, shown on DSTV (35 Countries in the world) this showed her innovations and attracted enthusiastic response.
Sandra is the CEO/MD of Sandex Car Care, (specialist in maintenance, servicing of mostly used cars and sales of spare parts for commonly used cars), she maintains and services fleet of cars for MTN Communications, KAKAWA Discount house, Transocean, Alandick, Zenith Bank, Ikoyi Club, CNN News, BCC News, Games Shopping Complex, AIICO Insurance and lots of notable individuals.
Philanthropic Interests
Sandra Aguebor is the Founder/CEO, Lady Mechanic Initiative, (a non-for profit organization set up to train young ladies in auto mechanic profession and wealth creation).
Here’s a short clip on the lady mechanic:
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