Eniola Yekini
Some children hawking in the street of Abuja have spoken up on their experience in view of the challenges of child labour and the antecedent
A teenager, Mariam, who sells groundnuts, said it was his father’s death that made her start selling on the street since no one was ready to take care of her and educational pursuits.
“I don’t have a dad. My dad has died,” I sell on the street to survive.
“Any profit I make here is used to support my mother, while my mother remains responsible for feeding and paying my school fees.
“I sell every day, beginning from 1 p.m. and i return home around 4:30 or 5 p.m,” Mariam said.
Relating his own experience, a young man in his twenties and a “Mai Sara” (Dustbin Pusher) Jamilu Isah said it was lack of work to do that made him take up the dustbin collector work.
“I no get work” he said.
When probed further, he told journalist that he is not in school: “The reason is that I am not currently attending school. I push dustbin every day to earn a living.
“I have a family to cater for, and even though, I’m not earning enough from pushing a dustbin truck, I think it is better than just sitting at home and doing nothing.”
When asked whether he knows the danger associated with carrying out such labourious task on the streets amid the movement of vehicles, pedestrians, and commercial activities, he added: ” Well, I will say poverty, family hardship and struggling for survival.”
Aisha, a 17-year old girl, was accosted around Utako market Abuja selling groundnut, and said: “The groundnut I and my other colleagues are selling is for one person.
“Our journey started in distant villages. We were brought to the city of Abuja with promises of a better life, but we ended up working for someone else. We are three young girls from different parents living together in one crowded compound and selling groundnuts all day for one boss.”
Asmawu, a fifteen-year old girl while also lamenting her own plight said: “When we finish selling, she will give us like small money depending on the amount of groundnut we sold for the day”.
The youngest among them, 10-year-old Zulahat while also speaking, said the heavy weight of the stressful life is taking a toll on her health, saying, “We only get paid if people buy our goods.
“I am helping my mom to sell. This is our only source for feeding. Hafisat, a 9-year-old who sells okro in the busy market, said.
“The money we get from this okro is what we use to eat. Sometimes when there is a market we sell well, but when there is no market we manage what we get.” She said.
For Peter Chibuzor who has been hawking sachet water for about five years on the streets, explained that it was the death of his father that changed his life and placed a greater responsibility on him with his sick mother as his only surviving parent.
“I have no siblings. I took to hawking to support her, and that has, in a way, affected my education, and I had to drop out of school midway.
Mojisola Samuel, 22, who began hawking at the age of 16, sells boiled corn by the roadside after coming to Abuja to live with her aunt.
“I was kicked out and had to fend for myself. Today, I can make about ₦7,000 on a good day.
“But despite my current situation, I wish to return to school and continue my education someday,” Samuel said.