I Spent A Day With A Street Hawker In Obalende

I walk past that particular bus stop frequently and he is always there. As early as 8am or late as 9pm, in the scorching heat or pouring rain, he is a constant fixture at the bus park.

Even though the park is always agog with activity, he stands out. He wears a smile that never reaches his tired eyes. I often marvel at his drive and what pushes him to leave his house very early in the morning to do the same things over and over again.

With old Gala wrappers stacked on rusty iron rods and a fading Fanyogo logo, his cart had probably seen much better days. Still, he wheeled his trusty sidekick along slowly. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

Suddenly, about five other hawkers sprung out of nowhere in response to the passenger on a nearby bus calling for their products. He scrambled towards the passenger as well, with all six vendors vying for the attention of this potential customer. Eventually, the bus pulled away and the hawkers dispersed, leaving two engaging in a spat of words.

He wiped sweat off his forehead, removed a napkin from his pocket, and swiped it on his cart warding off flies. It was only 10am but he looked like he had been there for hours. Then, another passenger called for Fanyogo and he sprang into action once again, almost tripping on a stone in the rush to make a…