Miss Elizabeth Christopher Etim, switched from the business of selling fruits to selling premium motor spirit (PMS) in measured plastic kegs popularly called “black market”, by the roadside.
She was sitting behind her kegs of petrol along Ikpa Road in Uyo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State when our correspondent engaged her in a chat. According to her, since the economic hardship in Nigeria is squeezing life out of the ordinary Nigerian, ingenuity is required to navigate the ugly tide of the galloping inflation of the country.
“The government officials in this country are not treating us well oo. We thought we were voting for development and for a good government, but now, it’s worse than before.
“I mean, it was a little bit better during the Buhari government but when President Bola Tinubu came, everything has worsened. Everywhere is hard.
“The masses are complaining. I believe that it is only those in government positions that are not complaining in this country as of today,” she lamented.
Elizabeth, who hails from Ibiono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, holds a secondary school certificate; unable to proceed to the university because her parents are indigent, she ventured into selling fruits, then petrol business, rather than prostitution, to evade hunger and privation.
Having witnessed, first hand, some better days in the past in Nigeria according to her, Elizabeth ventured into the labyrinth of his journey and ongoing struggle for survival.
She tells her story:
“There has never been a time when petrol is sold for N700 in this country.
“If someone had told me two years ago that I would be buying fuel for N900 per liter in the black market, I would have cursed the person to go to hell with his misfortune but now, we are having it worse.
“A distance that one could cover for N50 before, is now up to N200. Sometimes I wonder how Keke (tricycle) drivers cope with the increase in the prices of fuel.
“I’m 26 years old. I am not married. I have parents but I believe that I am an adult so I shouldn’t depend on my parents to feed.
“Also, they are struggling and as a grown up lady, I should be the one supporting them not the other way round.
“I finished secondary school in 2015, though I had loved to have a tertiary education, there was no money to do so.
“After I finished my Senior Secondary Certificate Education (SSCE) in 2015, there was nothing for me to do since my parents did not bother about sending me to the university because of lack of funds.
“In 2020 after the lockdown, a friend of mine took me to a lady’s sewing shop where I learnt how to sew, and in 2022, I was done with my training, but there was no money to get a sewing machine so I went to stay with my elder sister who later bought me a machine after a year.
“When I was staying with her, I was helping her with her fruit business. Later, I decided to leave her to start up my business.
“Though there is profit in the fruit business, I decided not to continue because of the stress involved in going to different bush markets to buy good fruits at cheaper rates so that you can get profit after selling to consumers.
“So, I decided to sell fuel by the roadside (black market) so that I will have what to eat. With the economy of the country, I couldn’t stay idle waiting for somebody to feed me.
“If your hope is having someone feeding you all the time without doing something to earn an income, you might have problems with the person as a result of consistent dependency.
“I started this business about a week ago. Before I decided to venture into this business, I was working as a seamstress; I have a sewing machine at home. I learnt the trade after my secondary school.
“Since I haven’t been able to get a lucrative spot for my sewing business, I decided to use the small money I had with me to start this business.
“I wanted to start working as a sales girl to raise money for my sewing skills but decided to start with the fuel business first.
“I buy fuel at the rate of N750 from the petrol station and sell at the rate of N900 per liter. So far, the business has been profitable.
“I make about N12,000 to N15,000 daily. Good thing I haven’t faced any form of harassment since I started. So I like this business. If I have money, I will like to expand it.
“I think what I make from this business complements the increase in the price of foodstuffs in the market. Now, two cups of garri is N500, so selling this fuel, at least I will have money to buy the garri.
“I prefer sitting outside like this with these liters of fuel to sitting down idle waiting for a man to feed me. Men don’t pay and so does idleness.
“I can’t go into prostitution or hookup all in the name of waiting for someone to pay my bills when I have hands and legs.
“In fact, men don’t pay these days because they are also struggling with the economy of the country to survive.
“It’s better I buy a liter of fuel for N750, sell it and make a profit of N150 than to sit idle and beg for food.
“I still have plans of going back to my sewing skills and I believe that one day, I will make enough money to be able to open a big fashion house.”
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