Live-in-maids: Lagos residents express mixed feelings

Live-in-maids: Lagos residents express mixed feelings.

Some Lagos residents have expressed mixed feelings over engaging the services of live-in-maids to assist with the challenges that come with home making and career paths.

According to them, the services of live-in-maids are becoming security threats but can be checked based on recommendation from trusted individuals or companies.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos, the residents expressed their preference between the service of live-in maids and maids that clock- in to help achieve a balance between work and family obligations.

Augusta Asionye, a content creator and copy writer, told NAN that due to her trust issues, she preferred a maid that resumes for work daily and closes at a specific and agreed time.

“I prefer a maid who resumes and closes at a specific time because personally, I have trust issues and in order to avoid issues, I’d prefer he or she goes and comes,” Asionye said.

Mr Charles Nnanna, a poet and writer, said he was of the opinion that no one should live in his or her working place.

“Well, it’s a job, his or her job, and my house is simply the office or working place. No one lives in working places.

“I find it strange when people live in their bosses’ house under whatsoever guises they choose to call it; just come in when you are required to and leave at close of work,” he said.

Mrs Ogochukwu Martha, a banker , said that she would employ a live-in-maid based on high recommendations from someone she trusts.

“I don’t want a maid that will stay with me if I do not have recommendations from someone I trust.

“Personally I think it’s scary these days to just bring in someone you don’t know into your personal space, the stories these days are terrifying,” she said.

Mrs Ogochukwu Caleb, a Graphic Designer, told NAN that “live in domestic staff are necessary evil.

“As a working mum, the best you can do is to register with a veritable agency and run series of tests on them, as women, juggling these things are not easy.

“But we need them, with guidance and treating them with respect as well, I believe they will give one their utmost best.”

A fashion designer, Miracle Obi told NAN that given the painful experiences of different individuals with domestic staff, it would be important to set boundaries.

“I prefer maids that just come and go, looking at what is happening now I have heard of cases where the househelps abuse children and I don’t want that to occur in my home.

“Even if one must employ, there’s need to set boundaries and ensure that one does not totally rely on them, especially when children are involved.

Mrs Lilian Brendan, a nursing mother told NAN that she would rather prefer a relative in her home to a maid.

“I have this believe that family is everything, I’d rather have a distant relative around me that I’d train in whatever path he or she chooses.

“I know even with some family members, things happen but I believe that the chances are slim compared to an outsider,” she said.

A Philosopher, Mr Bonaventure Anijah, said that as a married man, he would prefer that the maid resumes daily and leaves at the end of the day in order to have more privacy with his family.

‘I want to see my wife often rather than the maid, this will not give room for drift of attention, as much as we need help, whatever help we get must not invade our privacy,” he said.

Meanwhile, an agent who pleaded anonymity, said families that employ the services of domestic helps should also be fair in their dealings.

“If we do a diary of Nigerian maids, the things you’d find out will shock you. Yes , we have bad maids, as we have terrible bosses too.

“My advice is this, as long as you know you want a maid and you can afford one, you should be able to afford security cameras at strategic places in the house.

“The health check and screening too, we do it but there’s need to double check when we hand these people over to you.

“Treat them as humans, I know some are just terrible irrespective of how you treat them but you have to do your part,” he said.