Isiya, also known as Maisanda, migrated from a neighbouring Niger Republic hoping to find greener pastures here in Nigeria leaving his family behind to fend for himself in a new land.
However, Maisanda ended up as a beggar on the streets of Ibadan, he told Saturday Tribune that he had set out to look for his helper because he had none.
The crippled man said he is thankful to God for his condition but he desires to have a business or a job of his own as he could do anything.
“I came here to fend for myself because if one does not have a helper, he has to go out to look for one and that was what brought me here. Upon getting here, I started begging for alms and people have been helping us with little, just enough to feed ourselves.
“But right now, I am looking for any business to venture into because I have the ability to do anything. All I desire is to stop begging. If I get a job or business I would gladly take it because that would be very easy for me to do. I can do any kind of job or business but everything is in the hands of God,” he said.
Maisanda revealed that his disability was not caused by an accident or any injection he received but rather a part of his destiny as he was born that way.
He said challenges are part of life as no one is immune to them while he thanked God for providing for him and other beggars
“I was born this way. I was never involved in an accident nor was it an injection, I guess that was part of my destiny. I left my family back in my country but I have friends that are also from my country here in Nigeria but they are not beggars, they have their businesses. It was through them that I came here to find something to do but I found myself begging.
“I am thankful to God because, as beggars, wherever you find what to eat no matter the quantity, you must thank God. Although challenges are inevitable no matter who you are. There are days that would be smooth and other days rough.”
Explaining some of the rough days, Maisanda said touts harass older women and forcefully collect alms they gathered leaving them helpless because the touts would not listen even if they spoke to them.
He thanked Governor Seyi Makinde for providing them with shelter at Akinyele Local Government Area while stating that they need to come out to beg for alms.
“One of our major challenges that is baffling for us is how we are being chased out from our begging areas. Though they don’t come around to chase us often but it is still a challenge for us. Though the governor provided a place for us at Akinyele and I am thankful for that but we need to come out in other to cater for ourselves.
“Also, when older women are being given alms here under the bridge, touts would always come and seize it from them, be it money, food, livestock like chickens and the likes. They would forcefully collect it from them.
“We can’t talk to them because they would not listen to us. You can’t come to a person’s home and want to start a fight with the person and expect to live in peace. So we just stand by and watch them. Those are the only challenges we face here,” he told Saturday Tribune.
“Government helps us sometimes but it does not get to us sometimes. From past governors to the present, they have been helping.
“I have never gotten anything from the present governor, but our leaders have gotten some support I am sure. But our leaders too also struggle before they get anything from the government and we are many. I think we should be about 100 if not more that beg around here,” he said.
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