A young man who appeared to be in his early 20s, firmly held a blue crate between his left ribs and armpit. The crate contained some bottles of cold table water. He was out for business, hunting for commuters and motorists, who were his targeted customers.
As he briskly manoeuvred in-between vehicles stuck in the traffic at Ikeja-Along Bus Stop in Lagos, his vigilance was akin to that of a hen guarding its chicks from a hovering hawk. Just as the traffic started moving, he heard a loud call for “bottle water” from a commuter. The hawker spontaneously increased his pace. He sustained the tempo until he caught up with the moving vehicle and sold his product.
And as soon he was done with the sale, he repositioned himself for another prospective customer. That is the ritual that hundreds of other hawkers in the state arduously partake in while in search of their daily bread.
Every day on the field, they are faced with daunting challenges, including those posing threats to their lives. Many of them have been knocked down by vehicles and sustained severe injuries, while some have died in the process. Some of the hawkers have been arrested by the Lagos State Special Task Force and their goods confiscated for flouting the law. Read more