‘How much? :A Day At A Nigerian Market

By Lemuel Irabor

 
 
 
  'Sweet moin-moin!'
 
  'Old park!Old park!'
 
    'Okpa! Ooo-kpa!'
 
    'Obiagu!Obiagu!'
 
  The sun is high in the sky and so are the hopes of the various businessmen and women in the renowned Abakpa market located in Enugu,southeastern Nigeria.
    With a history dating to eons before the first colonial masters set foot in the region,the bustling market is undoubtedly one of the oldest in Nigeria.The main center of the Abakpa market is divided into lines of shops,every shop on each line selling a particular type of commodity or service such as grain,textile,art work,electronics,tools,meat,poultry products,accessories,bukkas,stationery and even processing plants.
  One simply has to ask,say where the textile line is and he'd easily be directed.
  The processing plants are actually miniature industries as they produce powdered milk,cocoa and ground grain.
 
 
  'Nwoke oma,bia o!Good fellow,come!'
 
  'My dear,come.I go sell well well for you.I'll give you a better bargain..'
 
  'Bros.,wetin you want?I get am..What do you want?I have it..'
 
 
  As you walk down the paths leading to and from the market,you are faced with various forms of aggressive marketing on all sides.Some going as far as grabbing your arm or pushing wares in your face.Others try to sweet-talk you into buying from them.
  Most times a simple shake of the head or a gesture with the hand are enough to get them to leave you alone.But some traders,in obvious dread at the thought of not reaching a self-prescribed sale margin or going home without selling all their goods or missing out on a good bargain,go to extremes to solicit patronage from passers-by,constituting a nuisance.
  The rowdy atmosphere is exacerbated by bus stops and illegal parking of vehicles—wheelbarrows and carts inclusive,mostly along the market road causing poor flow of traffic.
  Traffic wardens of the Nigerian police and traffic cadets from the State Ministry of Transport have their work cut out for them as they patrol the road.Hawkers may use wheelbarrows or the top and trunk of small parked cars to display wares,causing double-parking which obstructs traffic.Traders who do not have the money to rent shops prefer to ‘rent’ a small space in front of buildings along the road where they spread a sheet of canvas or muslin to display wares and,equipped with a stool and a big umbrella to shield themselves from the rain,sun or wind;complete their makeshift stall.
    Mad men walk aimlessly on the road,generally disturbing no one.All these,plus illegal refuse dumps cause encroachment on the road.
 
    The market air is thick with various scents,from rotting vegetables to the scent of perfume left in the wake of a perfume peddler.
  Nigerians,as well as products,from all parts of the country can be found in the Abakpa market.
  Overall the atmosphere is lively and most times,for a placed so busy and jam-packed,physical altercations do not ensue.
 
As I walked from stall to stall,armed with a shopping list from home,I couldn't help but marvel at how so many different businesses can be located in a single market center.
  It must be that Nigerian spirit in us,I mused.
  ‘Unity in diversity!’
 
 
 
 
 
Lemuel Irabor,NGA

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