While some people grumble about work challenges, some physically challenged persons have made giant strides to live beyond their disability, do business, and record achievements, even more than the able-bodied. Daily Trust on Sunday came across some physically challenged persons who are on top of their game.
Umar Ali, a 45-year-old trader, started business in 1994 with a bag of onions. Despite his physical challenge, Umar, who didn’t see street begging as an option, rose against all odds to make a living from his trade. He has also been able to sponsor himself through school, got married and have two children, who are currently in school.
He said business started for him when he requested for a bag of onion from a merchant in Wuse Market Abuja.“A bag of onions cost N6000, so I took it on credit. I sold it and returned the money to the merchant. I continued like that until I made enough profit that enabled me expand my business to include selling tomatoes and pepper.”
Aside from being a businessman, Umar studied Business Administration at the College of Education Shagari, in Sokoto State. He said when his father was alive, he never permitted him to beg. He frowns even when his friends voluntarily give him money. That disposition, he said, erased every urge to beg.
He said when his father died, nobody else supported him except God. “When I move on my wheelchair after my day’s job, people willingly stretch out their hands to give me money, but I don’t accept; I humbly tell them I’m not a beggar.”
Umar’s story however took another dimension when he met a customer who was impressed by his attitude to life despite his physical challenge.
One of his customers – a Chinese, had out of compassion and curiosity invited him over to his house for lunch. Umar honoured the invitation and that turned a new chapter in his story.
“The Chinese welcomed me into his house, and I thought he would just offer me lunch, but little did I know that a greater means of livelihood was just about to be offered to me. He opened his store, filled with assorted clothes and shoes, and asked me, ‘Umar can you do this business’? I said yes. He was happy with my response and allowed me to choose whatever I would want to sell. I took the goods, and bit by bit I sold them off. I returned the money to him and made my profit. He was more impressed by my honesty and today, if I run out of stock, all I do is to call and I have the goods supplied right at my selling point.”
Abdullahi Samiyu, 32, has made a success of his business just like Umar despite his disability. He started trading in 2016 with a capital of N5000, which he used to purchase belts, wallets, and wrists bands. He doesn’t see begging as honourable, which is why he decided to start up the business which will not only benefit himself but others around him. He added that some beggars don’t enjoy begging, they only beg to have a meal in a day.
“I make about N1500 per day, I have never gotten assistance from the government or any organization before. I just manage whatever I get in a day for daily bread. With my little business, I provide for my wife I have married to for 10 years, and I pay my children’s school fees.”
Abdullahi expressed disappointment for not getting support from the government or any organization. He urged the relevant authorities to assist physically challenged traders on the street to have a shop they can call their own.
“My stand is just beside a walkway. When the sun is very hot, I have to bear the brunt and when it rains, I pack my goods into a bag and seek shelter somewhere, so I don’t get drenched by the rain. Because of my condition, while trying to pack, some of my goods get damaged by the rain.”
He said that there is an association of disabled traders, and they have meetings at intervals but until now, they have not seen any positive change.
Mansur Makau, 20, is a petty trader at Jabi. He describes how he is able to carry out his business despite his physical challenge. He started as a cobbler, before he realized that people have more need for snacks and recharge cards so he decided to switch from being a cobbler to selling snacks and recharge cards.
“I have a wheel chair; I go to Jabi market to buy some goods very early in the day. After purchase, I load them at the back of my wheel chair and return to my selling point. In a day, I can make up to N3,500.
Usman Adamu, 45, has been into trading for 25 years. He sews the traditional Hausa cap. Usman said, “I hope to get a shop where I can stock the items I sell, so that I can be focused towards expanding the business as time goes on. Right now, I stay on the roadside where I have to display my goods in the morning and pack them home every evening. He encourages beggars to find a little trade in other to avoid street begging.
Salisu Musa, 35, is a petty trader who sells wallets, belts, cufflinks, and key holders. He said, “I am physically challenged, so I started the business to see if it is something I can handle. With time, I found it to be very comfortable. I am married and my children attend a private school, I pay their school fees of N17,000 each per term.
Abdullahi advises physically challenged persons who have taking to street begging, “Begging is not a skill, no one can find joy in begging. With begging, you only depend on what people give you each day. At a point in your life when you want to achieve something important, people will always refer to you as ‘that beggar’ and many will not want to associate with you. But with your little business, you can boldly express your emotions to a woman you have feelings for because you can feed her with your profit.”
Umar Ali expressed displeasure over the response he gets from physically challenged street beggars when he advises them to start up a little business.
“The first person I talked to is at the next street – he rolls on bearing wheels known in our local parlance as ‘boris’. I told him that begging is not a good option, that he should look for something more meaningful to do but the response I got from him was malice. I’ve advised more than three of them, all to no avail. I believe they have made up their minds not to quit begging,” he said.
