MADAM BUS CONDUCTOR/PERSONAL ASSISTANCE

    

It wasn’t business as usual today at the ikeja new garage as a female bus driver ceremoniously joined the drivers plying the Ikeja/Ojodu Berger route. I got to the garage as usual and found people gathering, there was such much euphoria in the air as I fastened my steps just to get a glimpse of the cause. Everyone was staring in awe to see a young lady in her early thirties drive a 17 seater bus into the garage. She was welcomed with noise from the garage boys and from what I could gather, she had been around since last week getting herself familiarize with garage rules and to pay obeisance to her formers.

To my amazement, she had with her a female conductor also to help with obtaining fares and settling transactions with commuters. The reason I decided to write this is actually because of the support and cooperation she got from other male bus drivers and conductors. We live in a society where men look down on women who tend to compete in masculine professions so to say, just to ridicule the general female mantra ”what a man can do a woman can do better”. Some has argued this and preferred it be said this way “what a man can do, a woman can do” well, personally I don’t know where I stand in this argument but I definitely know that to every rule there is an exception.

Back to my story, the men left their buses and gathered around this young lady, filled up her bus, gave her instructions on how to navigate and maneuver her ways in case of traffic. Christened her immediately as Iya Wa (meaning- Our Mother), as usual water always finds its level, some other conductors were already making passes at the young conductress. When it was time for the conductor to collect money, we all helped calculate change, substituted, subtracted and added till she got her complete cash. As we embarked on the trip, I saw the driver pass her phone to the conductor as a call came through. She unlocked the phone, transacted a business deal with a Mohammed on the other hand, asking the boss questions and reiterating her response to the guy. Negotiated the amount to be paid into her oga’s account and who to call so his goods can be delivered to him. I watched in amazement how she just combined being a conductor with a personal assistant.

 I sat down in the bus and I saw a beautiful Nigeria, We commuters were of different tribes and cooperated with these young ladies who have decided to make a living by picking something others would presume difficult. At one point I saw the usual Nigerians who always stand up for each other irrespective of tribe difference. The reaction from the people who were always willing to help each other and not tear each other apart like we do now, till every one of us alighted at various stop there was still quietness in the bus. I want to believe it was the same thought going through our minds.

For the men in the bus, it was a challenge and a wake-up call to stand up to their games. I remembered a woman who wanted to put her goods in the trunk and the lady said 250, the woman in all irritation shouted I no fit pay dat kind money, wetin, abeg bring my load, and the driver happily threw her stuffs down and said I be woman like you and as u dey  hustle na so I dey hustle too and we all laughed.

I applaud every women and men out there who go the extra mile just to make a living. GOD BLESS YOUR HUSTLE.

 

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