I stopped him at Mokola Ibadan to take me to Iwo road and he said N800, but I said N400. We started dragging price till we agreed and when the journey started we got talking.
He was complaining that there were few people willing to take bike today and market dry and I told him the economic situation of the country requires one to reduce moving around unnecessarily if not very important.
He agreed but he said he thinks money dey where e dey. He pointed to ongoing massive building projects around Oritamefa and I smiled that the project may have started when there was money and I told him there silent millionaires even in this transport Business he’s doing but you won’t know because after food, transportation is also important for many daily so transporters will still make something daily except there is movement restrictions.
He said yes, but it’s not easy but there is money. If you can cope with the stress.
Then he told me his story. He’s Ikale from Ondo State, schooled in the North and read Accounting. He moved to Ibadan when things were difficult and got a bike on Installment at 800k. To be remiting 12k weekly.
He said he tasked himself to be saving same 12k for himself weekly meaning he must make 24k weekly and 96k monthly, whether he eat or not. Thus money must be completed on time. 48k goes to bike owner. 48k for Alajo monthly.
In 9monhs. He paid off. Collected Ajo and balance up 800k.
Today he has bought another bike he gave to someone and did exactly what they did to him, involving lawyers and guarantor before he gives the bike out.
He said it’s the sacrifice he had to pay using his youthful energy. He plans to quit okada this year and get car for Uber. He’s not married and planning to marry this year too.
I got his no and I have recorded voicenote of our few conversation in Yoruba and his story shows some of the arduous tasks some people go through to make it in life when things become difficult.
I hope someone learn something from this and go find something doing too. It may be site operator, machine operator,, it may be sacrificing to learn some lucrative skills highly in demand today, even if it will take you a year but the goal is paramount. I wish all our youths all the best.
He has contacted me saying people told him about this post and I greatly thank him for sharing this story with me to encourage otters.
©Elu Ọmọ Elu