In Lagos, it is common to notice traders who chase vehicles in a bid to sell their wares amid great risk. Some are not into it on purpose rather due to lack of sufficient funds to rent shops of their own, writes DAMOLA KOLA-DARE.
Please, give me my money. I gave your boss a bottle of water worth N50 from the other side of the road. He said you should pay me, “a middle-aged woman of slender frame, who was sweating and panting, had run after a commercial bus in traffic to collect money from a bus conductor for the table water she had sold to his boss.
Welcome to the world of traffic jam hawkers where brisk business and ‘hustle’ is the watchword, where eking out a living is the real deal.
“Buy gala”, “buy your hot coconut bread”, “buy plantain chips”, “buy your cold mineral, bottle water,” the traders say almost in unison as they besiege the roads in their multitudes when people are snarled up in traffic.
Akin to an Olympian chasing the gold medal in an intense relay race, they jostle with one another to sell their goods. Even under the heat of the scorching sun, they remain undaunted as it seems their lives depend on the sales they make.
They are not even scared of being knocked down by a vehicle or losing money outright in case traffic eases and moves unexpectedly.
Sometime last year, around Ikeja bus stop, a young boy who sold chilled water and soft drinks was seen lifeless on the road and surrounded by a fairly large crowd which tried frantically to resuscitate him after he was hit by a vehicle while trying to sell in traffic.
Along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, one of the hawkers lost his goods and money despite having run a race of his life after selling a sausage roll to a commuter who tried to pay but the traffic eased and the bus sped off.
Daily, on Lagos roads, it has now become a pub show of some sort seeing boys, girls, men and women trying to outsmart one another to make quick cash and probably receive a pat on the back from their masters.
From Egbeda to Ikotun, Iyana Ipaja through Ikeja, and many other busy parts, traffic jam traders are enjoying the show without batting an eyelid as regards the hazards.
Some of the hawkers spoke to this reporter on their sojourn into trading in traffic in what was a mixed grill of experiences.
Ibrahim Olawale, 18, who sells soft drinks around Egbeda, does not want to engage in robbery, though he does not like roaming the highways to sell in traffic.
According to him, there is dignity in the hustle because he will quit someday for other meaningful ventures.
“I don’t have the heart to engage in robbery. Although I don’t fancy selling in traffic, there is nothing I can do about it for now. I have to keep body and soul together.
My master gives me commission on these goods, and it depends on the level of sales I make,” he said, while running after a bus to sell a bottle of Bigi Cola.
For Mohammed Danjuma, a dark, ebullient man who sells different varieties of candy, selling in traffic has become a norm for him because of the conditions under which he grew up. He believes whoever wants to eat must work very hard.
“When I was growing up, I would go into the forest with my uncle to cut trees and sell. That has made me rugged and strong. I don’t see selling here as a big deal.
I go about with my goods. I believe laziness leads to hunger and poverty and whoever wants to eat without begging should try to work hard. That has been my normal practice ever since I came to Lagos.”
Another trader who identified himself as Chike Ukah, an air freshener seller, revealed that he owns a shop around Ikotun axis but still goes to Egbeda and Ikeja to sell whenever there is traffic snarl.
Ukah, who revealed that he wanted to further his education and needed more funds to actualise his dream, stated that once he gathers enough money for his educational pursuit, he would quit.
He said: “To be a man in this country is not a joke. To be frank with you, I have a shop around Ikotun, but I leave the shop to sell in traffic because I need funds to further my education.
Many of us here do this thing for one reason or the other. I don’t intend to continue because once I achieve my target, I would stop. I have been nurturing the ambition to go to a higher institution and I will continue to work towards it.”
On her part, a fairly elderly woman, Sherifat Fasasi, who sells cooked eggs around Ipaja, noted that as the breadwinner of her family, she has no other choice than to hawk in traffic.
She lamented the inclement economic condition of the country which has prevented her from getting a stall or a shop. She believes if government can let out shops at a very low price in the market, many would stop hawking in traffic.
“My family depends on proceeds from sales I make here. I don’t have anybody to depend on, except God. The economy of our country is not helping matters. Every day we hear of millions, but we don’t get to see a kobo from such.
“People say government is spending money on projects for the masses, but we don’t feel the impact. Feeding in some homes is a big problem. Government should give shops to the masses at a very low price and not those expensive ones,” she said as she contorted her face in anger.
Morufat Jimoh, who lost her husband a couple of years ago, revealed that she sells bread in traffic only during weekends because of the quest to survive with her two children.
She said she used to have a shop, but now sells by the roadside at Iyana Ipaja. As a young woman, she doesn’t want to go into prostitution; hence, she devised a means of survival basically because of her children.
“I sell in traffic only weekends because I sell at the roadside in Iyana Ipaja. My children and I need to survive. I lost my husband some years ago. At least, we are surviving. One has to find a way to make ends meet in Lagos.
“At times, when I am not around my older son sells in traffic too when he returns from school. Though it is risky, I plan getting a portakabin very soon and stop moving around in traffic.
“My children are the sole reason I am doing this and I don’t want to go into prostitution. It is quite dishonourable and demeaning,” she noted with a frown etched on her sweaty visage.
Another hawker, Femi Ajibade chose to sell in traffic because of paucity of funds to rent a shop for his tailoring business. According to him after finishing secondary school, he learnt tailoring but couldn’t get a shop to start practising, hence his decision to start selling yoghurt in traffic to gather funds.
Femi, who wants to further his education, said: “I need money to rent s shop for my tailoring trade. I decided to start selling yoghurt in traffic because I believe from there I can make quick sales and save up money to get a shop. Then, I still want to further my education. I don’t want to be on School Certificate level.”
While appealing to government for a lift, he said:” Government should assist those of us selling in traffic. Even if it is loans and grants, we will appreciate it.
But mind you, not loans that would be difficult to process. Anyway, we hope and look forward to better days in the country because it seems the situation of the country is getting worse economically and otherwise.”
Amodu Lawal sells audio CD in traffic despite having a shop at Idimu, Lagos. He noted that sales are at the lowest ebb in his Idimu shop, hence, his decision to sell to private car owners in traffic. Lawal, who revealed that he pays a huge amount yearly in his shop, recalled how he was almost hit by a vehicle some weeks ago around Cement bus stop.
“My shop rent is due. Unfortunately, it is expensive to maintain it because of the high rate I am paying. I started selling in traffic last month so I can pay the rent.
I want to vacate the shop very soon because I am not getting enough patronage. It is not easy selling when there is hold up.
Some weeks ago, I was almost crushed by a vehicle while trying to get a buyer for my CDs. Everyone needs to survive, so we have to continue to endure,” Lawal said.
While recounting her losses which outweigh her gains, Bukola Arowolo, a new entrant into traffic jam trading, who sells detergent, said: “I lost my shop worth hundreds of thousands to a fire incident around Abule Egba and ever since, I have started trading in traffic.
It has been a terrible experience. Since I am new to this kind of thing, many times I lose money or detergent for fear of being knocked down by a vehicle.
Someone even advised me against it, but I need to start from somewhere again. Nobody is ready to give you money nowadays, so I need to hustle too.”
For the traders, they relentlessly chase their dreams with steely resolve while looking up to government for some respite. In the meantime, they continue to fashion out a means of survival in the hustle and bustle of the Lagos metropolis. (The Nation)
