An usher is a person with the responsibility of checking in patrons at events, public or private and showing them to their seats. They may refuse admission to people that may not have been invited, people without a ticket or pass, improperly dressed, or people whose presence may affect the event negatively.
It is the responsibility of the usher to ensure that only people with the proper credentials are allowed into the event.
The concept of ushering is not an entirely new service. The word is from the Latin word ostiarius (porter, doorman, gatekeeper). Biblically, it sprung up in the days of Moses and developed further in the era of David.
In Numbers 1:48-53, Moses was directed in the wilderness of Sinai to organize watchmen over the Tabernacle and all vessels.2 Chronicles 8:14,23:18-19 sheds light on the Levites and their ushering role as overseers assigned by David for service at the gates in the temple of the Lord.
However the first ushers group in modern times was by Ambrose R. Clark of New York in 1897 to better organize church ushering.
This industry has reemerged with so many prospects. Once more the early birds have the opportunity to catch the worms. The first movers over time will rake in more profits in the future after positioning themselves strategically.
On the surface, the work of an usher may seem easy. On the surface, it may seem like just an issue of directing people to seats too many but I beg to differ.
Firstly, the nature of the job requires that you are physically fit. Ushers stand for hours in their line of duty and their fitness can't be compromised.
Ushers need to have a professional appearance and demeanor. They must be well-groomed and well-dressed. They must pay attention to detail. They should be able to multitask, have good verbal communication skills, customer service skills, and several others.
According to Winsome Jessica Ansah Jackson, the CEO of Winnyx Protocols, one of the top ushering service providers in the country, the creation of her company was nothing planned. She was still a student at Alliance Française in 2019 when she started the company.
A Nigerian company had organized a youth summit and made an advert for the best ushers. The offer was attractive so she went for the audition. Her good looks and fluency were an added advantage but she had more than just that. Her uniqueness booked a place for her among the only 10 selected even though thousands auditioned for the role.
This experience birthed the idea of starting the now multiple award-nominated ushering company Winnyx Protocols. The company's bevy of ladies, who are well-educated, well-mannered, and well-branded have rendered their services at corporate events, social events, conferences, weddings, and parties.
Winsome Jessica Ansah Jackson, who is also the Secretary to the Rector of UniMAC -NAFTI empathizes with the challenges women face with unemployment and is glad her ingenuity as an entrepreneur has created a job for young ladies.
She owes it all to God and believes this is an industry that can make a change if supported by more investors.