Bala Umaru, cut the picture of a frustrated man as he opened his kiosk for the day’s operations
at a corner of the Palmgrove end of the busy Ikorodu Road .
sales, over recent months, have been low; things have not been what they used to be in the past. A veteran in stocking petty consumables and other in-demand items like milk, biscuits, candy, handkerchiefs, match sticks and even torchlights in the area, Umaru’s kiosk had these products in spilling quantity in the days of boom – before Nigeria’s economy fell into recession, affecting everything within it.
But despite the harsh economic climate in the country and significant drop in the purchasing power of citizens, forcing a reduction in the variety of items he shelves in his tiny kiosk today, one commodity has stubbornly kept its place – leading the line week in, week out. Demanded by old and young, male condoms have remained a big favourite among the 46-year-old man’s customers in this Lagos suburb.
“Maybe I could have closed down the business if not for condoms and how customers demand for them,” he told our correspondent, who cornered him for a brief chat that wet Tuesday morning. “There is hardship in the country; many customers can hardly afford N150 bread, they’ll beg to take it on credit. This has affected the business so badly. If not for the little profit I make from the sale of condoms, cigarettes and candies, I’d have just stuck to my gateman job which can barely cater for me and my family,” the Jigawa State native, said, before turning away to attend to two young men.
In the about 20 minutes that punch correspondent interacted with Umaru, at least seven customers came demanding for a popular brand of condom. This was a few minutes past 11:00am, less than 30 minutes after the heavy downpour that morning subsided. Ranging between 43 and 28, in the estimation of the reporter, four out of this bunch later settled on a small bench beside the kiosk to have a cigarette after each taking possession of a wrap of condoms containing four pieces. Umaru’s table was littered with different brands of both products while only biscuits and candies enjoyed similar patronage especially among little children in the area.
Edited from Punch
But despite the harsh economic climate in the country and significant drop in the purchasing power of citizens, forcing a reduction in the variety of items he shelves in his tiny kiosk today, one commodity has stubbornly kept its place – leading the line week in, week out. Demanded by old and young, male condoms have remained a big favourite among the 46-year-old man’s customers in this Lagos suburb.
“Maybe I could have closed down the business if not for condoms and how customers demand for them,” he told our correspondent, who cornered him for a brief chat that wet Tuesday morning. “There is hardship in the country; many customers can hardly afford N150 bread, they’ll beg to take it on credit. This has affected the business so badly. If not for the little profit I make from the sale of condoms, cigarettes and candies, I’d have just stuck to my gateman job which can barely cater for me and my family,” the Jigawa State native, said, before turning away to attend to two young men.
In the about 20 minutes that punch correspondent interacted with Umaru, at least seven customers came demanding for a popular brand of condom. This was a few minutes past 11:00am, less than 30 minutes after the heavy downpour that morning subsided. Ranging between 43 and 28, in the estimation of the reporter, four out of this bunch later settled on a small bench beside the kiosk to have a cigarette after each taking possession of a wrap of condoms containing four pieces. Umaru’s table was littered with different brands of both products while only biscuits and candies enjoyed similar patronage especially among little children in the area.
Edited from Punch
A man gat to do what a man gat to do lol.
ReplyDeleteDoes condom protect from God's wrath?
DeleteGold circle condoms lo le se at least they are protecting themselves.
ReplyDeleteOk
ReplyDeleteKo sefi sara ku now, body no be firewood
ReplyDelete*Larry was here*
“Maybe I could have closed down the business if not for condoms and how customers demand for them,”
ReplyDeleteπππππππππππππ all thanks to condoms ni oooooo
Who wants a baby during recession. If you have 2/3 kids already. When school fees keeps increasing.
ReplyDeletePeople sef have been laid-off.
During the floods two weeks ago, a friend who lives in Lekki called me all excited and barely coherent. What was the excitement all about? She said she'd finally discovered the pleasures of sex in water. I thought she was joking, only for her to say she had sex in that DIRTY water with her fiancΓ© as they couldn't "hold body". It just made me realize that that we, Nigerians, indeed deserve the top spot on the happiest people on earth list cos I can't imagine thinking of sex, not to talk of actually indulging in the act when my house is flooded and I'm trying to save important things
ReplyDeleteMy dear I raise Beyonce hand for wuna
DeleteMy dear I raise Beyonce hand for wuna
DeleteEw! Na wa o.
DeleteLol
ReplyDeleteLol, Baba Umaru's kiosk must be in Igando...
ReplyDeleteLol
ReplyDeleteCondom eNEEDiro advert mana okacha ele
Rubber ibalo po noni. Hehehehheeh na wa!
ReplyDeleteAbeg this na 1st grade lie , skin to skin is da best ,if i dey lie as Ime,Ini, chidinma,Folk,etc
ReplyDelete"Baby ,i dont like condom"
Postinor is very cheap lol
Ok
ReplyDeleteHeheheheeheh
ReplyDeleteKikikikikiki..... No be small thing oh
ReplyDelete