Nnamdi Elekwachi
With a tricycle operator who drove me today I opened a conversation and would later have pity for him and others like him in the face of the Mondays sit-at-home as our talk progressed. Asked why he had the courage to come out even with the sit-at-home order he said:
‘Today, I am not sitting at home because this Keke (tricycle) I am operating is on hired purchase. The owner accepts ₦24,000 weekly on easy terms from me, but meeting up with the payment since the sit-at-home order had been a huge problem for me, and there’s no where it’s written in the terms of the agreement I entered into with the owner and his lawyer before my surety that I pay less or nothing on Mondays as those terms themselves did not contemplate any sit-at-home. Last week, I collected money from the thrift contribution I am investing in to pay the owner, even at that it wasn’t my turn yet to draw from the savings’ purse. The week before last, I borrowed money from my neighbour and even now yet to pay back. Before then, I more than halved the weekly sum I give my wife for foodstuffs just to pay for the Monday I sat at home. So, this week, I decided to come out and see if I can make half my day pay, at least. I don’t need to talk about other personal and family bills I am bound to foot which have not changed with the sit-at-home order.’
After the conversation, I just left ₦500.00 with this tricycle operator without asking for my change (₦200.00). I wish we all know that the sit-at-home order is more harmful to the low-income families such as this tricycle operator than it is to the political, religious or economic elite. What about daily wage earners like barbers, truck pushers and the like? Besides, if the separatists have said in strong terms that the measure is not theirs, why then are we still sitting? Will this measure continue till December if Kanu is not released?
Think of it: IN THE LAST 21 DAYS, THE SOUTHEAST HAS SAT AT HOME FOR NINE DAYS! Nine economic days wasted!
I’m off to Timbuktu