A 22-year-old female truck driver, Ademola Omolade reveals that despite being a driver of a 22-tire vehicle, she is unable to drive a car.
The truck driver who is a resident of Ogbomosho, Oyo State, and originally from Osun State has since become an internet sensation with her driving skills.
In a recent interview with THE PUNCH, Omolade shares her experience, challenges and many others as a young female who drives a truck.
Describing her introduction to truck driving, the young woman who began driving at 19 mentioned that her parents urged her to learn a trade after she completed her secondary school education.
They suggested tailoring or hairdressing, but she lacked any interest in those fields. During that time, she was staying with her aunt in Lagos State, whose husband worked as a truck driver.
When her uncle was entrusted with the management of two trucks, he inquired if she could assist him in overseeing them, to which she agreed. While managing the trucks for her uncle, she developed a fascination for driving them, which marked the beginning of her journey towards becoming a truck driver.
Speaking on how she is inexperienced at driving a four-wheeler vehicle, she said;
“People find it funny that I can drive an articulated vehicle which has 22 tyres but I can drive a car which has four tyres.”
Speaking on the challenges of being a truck driver, Omolade emphasized that she is never bothered in any way particularly because she is passionate about the occupation.
“There is so much challenges in it but me, I do see all those things as challenges all because it is what I have passion for,” she said.
However, the challenges she mentioned are not far different from the expected including faults with the vehicle.