‘They pave way for me on the road’

• Female tricycle operator explains how she runs her business in a man’s world 

BEHOLDING Nike Awolowo, dressed sportily and sitting in front of three wheeler automobile popularly called Maruwa at the Cele Bus-Stop garage on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, one could simply mistake her for a passenger waiting for other commuters to fill up the tricycle before it could move, or better still, as a visitor waiting for the owner of the automobile.

   However, a close encounter revealed that this amiable woman is actually the operator of the keke.

  The truth is that where some able-bodied women hang onto relatives to weather the storm of joblessness and some boldly take to promiscuity to survive, blaming their predicament on the country’s economic situation, Nike, 37, a mother of three, refused to take to any excuse or bow to the pressure of the prevailing hard times. Instead, she decided to face the challenges, pitching her tent with men in a job that is popularly categorized as men’s exclusive preserve. She drew courage an inspiration from the popular cliché that “what a man can do, a woman can even do better. ”    

 While was waiting her turn among about 30 ‘ keke maruwa operators, Nike spontaneously and enthusiastically agreed to comment on her uncommon job for women and not minding even if in course of the interview, it got to her turn to load her passengers.

 The mother of three, whose husband is a mechanic, disclosed she was a fresh fish-monger before venturing into the business of operating the three-wheeler automobile.  

 “I was initially into the business of fresh fish selling.  However, I realized after some time that the business was no longer moving.  To complicate the issue, the price of fish skyrocketed. I was now left to contend with two teething problems of buying expensive commodity and at the same time struggling to sell and whenever I had left-over of fishes not sold that day, they got spoilt before the second day.”   

  “As a responsible woman that would not leave every burden for my husband, I decided to think of another job that would add to the income of the family.  While our last-born is in Primary 1, our eldest child is in JSS1 and we need to cope with other expenses at home.” 

  “It later dawned on me that I could operate Maruwa and I went for the training after which I solicited for one at the cost of N300, 000 on hire purchase,” she told The Guardian.

  “The job is tasking as I have to leave home by 5.30 a.m. and do not get back home until between 10.30 p.m. and 11.00 p.m. but I am getting used to it. “I make repayment of N10, 000 every week while I ensure I save N1, 500 every day,” she added.

  Nike also disclosed that at the beginning, her husband was very reluctant to allow her engage in the business and according to her, “we fought and later, he understood and agreed with me.  We are on good terms now.”

  Explaining how she copes with the busy traffic and other road hazards, Nike enthused: “In actual fact, I am enjoying the business because of the favour and respect I am commanding on the road. Once they see me as lady operator, they allow me and they will even pave way for me and everybody treats me with respect. There was a time I had to pass through a one-way lane and immediately the traffic officer saw that I was a woman, he allowed me to go.”  

   “I am being made to love the business because of the tenderness they accord me on the road and even among my co-operators,” she said.  

  On how she copes with the house chores and her children, Nike said though she has a maid and her husband is giving her full co-operation, she does not operate full day on Tuesdays and Thursdays, ensuring that she attends to some domestic matters.

  Nike, however, said despite the encouragement she has been receiving on the road and among her co-operators, her plan was to save enough money that would help her get a shop, equip it and start trading.