My Forever Customer.

Going to Yaba market is usually a hell of a job. The interesting part is just the fact that you’d get to see so many things which you should buy and I spend impulsively at times.
The crowd at the market is enough to dislike the market but there’s a satisfaction that comes with buying new bags, shoes and other accessories that one may need.

I feel the biggest problem is the Igbo guys who drag you around in the market and if you’re not being careful, you’ll be taken to a place where you don’t need the accessories but due to its beauty, you may buy the accessory.

“My aunty, my color. Is it bag you want, shoes or anything? Let me take you to the best shop at Yaba market,” that Igbo guy on dreadlocks approached me while I was about to enter the market.

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“What is it? Why are you holding my hands like that?” I pulled my handbag closer to my body and went towards the stall where I wanted to buy a white dress for an all white party which I’ll be attending on that night.

I kept moving forward, walking fast and ignoring every noise around me including those guys who always want to take you to stalls where they want shoppers to buy something.

“Aunty, won’t you patronize me? Don’t let me go home hungry, my sister,” I looked back and found that same Igbo guy behind me begging me to patronize him.

That’s not even the best way to patronize someone. Why can’t he just stay at the front of his shop and display some dresses or whatever he sells so that buyers will come? If he keeps perambulating the whole market, telling people to follow him to his shop, he may not make sales, I thought in my mind but I was all wrong.

“My brother, why don’t you just stand at the front of your shop and market your goods with your mouth instead of begging people to follow you to your shop?” I asked the guy but I wasn’t done talking when he started laughing.
I wasn’t surprised though because I thought of the fact that he may not have much experience about business just like I do.

“Aunty, it doesn’t work that way oh. Stay at which shop? I don’t have a shop oh,” I pulled my bag closer to me again. I hugged it and became scared. Since he wanted me to follow him to his shop, it means he may take me somewhere to extort and maybe take all the money I have with me.

Any further question? I was meant to ask but I got scared of a person who had told me earlier that he has a shop and now revealing to me that he doesn’t have a shop. I moved forward and wanted to run away from him but he spoke again.

“Aunty are you scared? I mean no harm now. The thing is, when I take customers to a shop, they pay me my share and that’s how I make my money. I’m not a thief and that’s why I said I have shops where they sell nice stuffs,” then, that made sense to me. I then gave it a rethink and realized that it made sense.

“What an innovative way of making money!” I said to myself. No wonder there are tens of guys at the entrance of the market who advertise and also compel people to buy goods. That means they all have a stall or shop that they are working with.

Those guys may be looking so dirty and unkept but the good thing about it is, when they go home, they take some money home and they are able to put food on their table.
At last, I decided to help the guy make some money for the day and I made sure that I patronize every shop he takes me to.

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He took me to three shops where I got my dress in one, my bag and purse in one and my jewelry in one.

“Aunty thank you oh. You did something really amazing today and I’ll be able to buy good food for my wife and kid today,” I got more shocked when he said he has a wife and kid.
The job may not be sustainable but can at least feed his family.

I dashed him a thousand Naira note and he escorted me to the garage. If I ever want to visit Yaba market again, I’ll always patronize him.