Do women still come across as the weaker sex? Don’t be in a haste to answer the question. Wait, until you have read the stories of these female tricyclists, otherwise known as keke Marwa. With the natural features of women that usually present them as feeble and at the mercy of men, these women are giving their male counterparts the run of their lives, as they ply different areas of the state carrying passengers, including men. Amidu Arije welcomes you to the world of female keke operators
When in the early 1900s, the late Chief Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti drove a car, the entire nation did not just celebrate it, that sole action has since been registered in the Guinness Book of Records. It was the first time a woman would be recording such a feat in the history of Nigeria.
Although more women have since bought and driven themselves in different kinds of cars, the sight of some of them recently embracing commercial tricycle business remains noteworthy.
Popularly known as Keke Marwa in the local parlance, these female drivers are currently changing the old paradigm that women are only fit to handle less-strenuous jobs.
Adijat Abdulwasiu, a secondary school graduate from the Oguntoyinbo Secondary School, Ilorin, Kwara State, is one of them. She plies Allen Avenue, Toyin, Opebi and Salvation routes in Ikeja, Lagos, everyday.
Recalling how she ended up with the choice, the Ilorin indigene told The Nigerian Xpress that her foray into the tricycle operation about five years ago was due to her determination to do something different from other women. According to her, women are much more in the trading business but not all are making sales because of their influx into the same business.
“I felt women were too much in the trading business, so, I opted for tricycle to be of assistance to my husband. Seeing some women in the business further gave me courage that I could do it,” she said.
READ ALSO:The gambling generation-Clerics condemn habit
Expectedly, there were bridges to be crossed in the business but Adijat was ready to scale every hurdle. “There were the challenges from men, who thought I was trespassing and should go home and pick some trade to do. There was also the challenge of passengers, who saw me as incapable of driving them safely to their destinations. All of these were apart from other harassment but for me, I am undaunted. I know why I have chosen the business, so, I didn’t care if anyone embarrassed me or not. My business is my business,” she said.
Adijat goes home daily with N3, 000 after she had paid all dues to the transport union and the local government revenue department.
Exuding fulfillment, Adijat told The Nigerian Xpress the many achievements she has made in the business since 2014. “There is a lot of gain in this business compared to what one gets as a woman selling petty goods in the market. One quickly gets money in this business to support the family because I see that since I have been doing it, I have been supporting my family in many ways and things have been going on fine for us.
“I have been in the business since 2014. I have been able to do a lot of good things. I have been able to buy a plot of land for myself and I have also supported my husband. I have also been able to buy more tricycles, which I gave out to people and collect daily returns. From this business, we send our children to schools. My husband, who was working in an office before, has since stopped to join me in the business,” she said.
When asked if she would love her children to step into her shoes in the future, a delighted Adijat said she would not mind to have her children in the same business in the future.
“I will be happy to have my children take over this business from me in the future because it is a good business. Although we all pray that our children succeed more in their academic pursuits but for me I see nothing wrong in asking my children to join me in this business. In fact, I have started training my 10-year- old boy how to ride the tricycle,” she revealed.
In the case of 27-year- old Eniola Babatunde, her choice of the vocation was triggered by the inability of her parents to fund her education after secondary school.
Eniola, who finished from the Abibatu Mogaji Secondary School, Agege, Lagos, told The Nigerian Xpress that she took to the tricycle business after learning the art of makeup and still felt there was the need to support her family.
“I am from a poor family. I had my secondary school certificate from the Abibat Mogaji Secondary School, Agege, but my parents did not have enough money to send me to any higher institution. So, after secondary school, I learnt the art of makeup. But when there was not much money from it, I chose to do other things and the business I felt I could do was to ride a tricycle,” she said.
She, however, told our correspondent that doing the job requires a lot of courage. “If you can face a trailer while on the expressway, you will conveniently handle this business.”
Part of her challenges, she pointed includes the disturbances and exorbitant charges from the ‘agbero’ (touts) in the motor parks and routes she plies daily.
Eniola, who plies Ikeja, Ogba, Abule-Egba, Agege and Allen is nevertheless excited about the business, as she goes home daily with between N8, 000 and N10, 000 after working from 8am till 6pm daily.
Interestingly, this tricycle operator does not work throughout the week, as she uses the weekend to attend to cosmetic makeup of her customers in front of her house.
“I don’t work on weekends because that is the time I devote to my makeup business. Even as I drive this tricycle, some customers call me for makeup and I advertise myself to some of my passengers,” she said.
Mrs. Stella Irajaun is another tricyclist, who shared her experience with The Nigerian Xpress. Popularly called Iron Lady in her park, Irajuan, who is from Imo State, claimed to be the first woman to start operating tricycle in Lagos State. Though a widow, she has been in the business for seven years.
Looking back at those take-off years, she said: “When I first indicated interest in this business, everyone looked at me and exclaimed whao! Can a woman drive this tricycle? But I did, I dared all obstacles and today I am happy for taking this decision. We now have more than four women in this park, riding the tricycle and we are all proving to all that what a man can do, woman can do it better. I make bold to tell you today that I do better than some men, who are riding tricycle; you can ask around. I am very proud of my work.”
READ ALSO:Building an emergency fund for tough times
After the death of her husband, Mrs. Irajaun said instead of her to stay at home, begging people to feed her family and staying idle, she opted for the tricycle business.
“After the death of my husband, I felt that instead of me to stay idle, I should find something doing. So, I decided to try the tricycle. Why I do thekeke work is because it is profitable. When I bought my keke, I concluded that instead of giving it to somebody, I would ride it myself because if I give it to someone to do, they will be giving excuses day in day out and the business would be ruined in no time.
After expenses, I sometimes make up to 6,000 or less. I use the returns to feed myself and family, pay school fees and other positive things that I wouldn’t want to mention to the public now; In all I thank God for everything,” she said.
Encouraging widows like her and other women, who are yet to have a means of livelihood Irajaun said, “time waits for nobody; the earlier you make up your mind to get reasonably busy, the better. The era of women waiting on men to cater for their needs is far-gone. Widows should stop begging around just because they lost their husbands and no woman should wish to be a full-time housewife. It is a cheap desire that will only bring ridicule to you in the future. When you work hard and earn good money, men will respect you, your children, family and the society will honour you.”
