YABA MARKET

 ‘’Aunty come to my shop, I have what you are looking for.’’

 

‘’My color, I have quality jeans for you’’

 

‘’Buy your Genevieve, Buy your Ini Edo.”

 

“All those fine fine cloth wey you dey see for Instagram, na here dem Dey kan buy am.”

 

Oluchi was bombarded with numerous entreaties by male traders to check out their wares. She was at the famous Yaba market . She had expected nothing less, having experienced the notoriety of these traders a few times. But these traders surprised her each time with the new ads they used to try and attract customers.

 

As she went deeper into the market, the pulling and pinching started. It was at this point she knew to grip her bag a little more tightly. She had to wrestle herself free from of the grips of some pretty agressive traders who obviously had no idea what harassment was about. 

 

Even if they did, this was Yaba anyway. At least nobody had touched her bum yet. 

 

By this time, she had begun to hear some somewhat disturbing calls to other female shoppers.   

 

“Aunty your breast is big but we have bra for you.’’ 

 

“Sister, buy your sexy underwear and nightgown here, your boyfriend go like am well well. He no go fit leave you.’’

 

Oluchi rolled her eyes at this one. 

 

Why all this stress anyway? Well, the six-month strike had been called off and school was to resume in two weeks. She had to resume school looking like she had slept and woke up in money everyday of the strike. In fact, heads had to roll. Especially Amaka’s own. Amaka who always felt like she was God’s gift to mankind. With her nonsense airs and the way she attempted to speak English with the accent of whatever new country she claimed to have visited. The girl absolutely irritated her. 

 

Unfortunately, she couldn’t afford to shop where Amaka did. So carefully selected clothes from Yaba market would have to do. Thankfully she had discovered Oga Chuks and he had become a regular customer. Oga Chuks had really nice clothes. By the time she had washed and ironed them, nobody would know the hell she had gone through to purchase them.

 

Talking about Oga Chuks, she was nearing his stall now. 

 

Just a few steps away from her destination, she walked into three traders who were determined not to let her go. 

“Omalicha, Asampete. See as you fine. Me I want to marry you oo. “ the first one said.

 

“Tah!” another rebuked sharply.

 

“Shey you no see as her skin fresh. You wey never sell market today, how you wan take care of her? You want make her color change?”

 

The last trader just stood there laughing at the nonsense his friends were saying. 

Oluchi prayed silently while she tried to free her arm.

 

“Why you Dey shake like jellyfish like this?”

 

“Come and check our shop na.”

 

“The way she Dey shake like this, you go think say man never touch am before,” the one who had a particularly strong grip on her arm said, while the other two just laughed.

 

Thankfully Oga Chuks stepped out of his stall. Her prayer had worked.

 

“Ahan, why una Dey harass my customer like this na?”

 

“Which customer?”

 

“Chuks you better mind yourself. Na every fine girl wey enter this market be your customer?”

 

“No nah. I don know this girl reach like three years now.” Chuks replied.

 

“Make una no vex eh.”

 

Oga Chuks led her away while they argued whether she was from Imo or Anambra and which of these states had finer girls. She breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“Olly, e don tey since you come oo.”

 

“Oga Chuks no mind me. You know say strike dey, we just wan resume.”

 

“Na true oo. Ahh, make I find better cloth for you. I just open new bale. I get all those strong jeans and fine fine crop top wey you dey like. Make you go pepper all those girls for your school.”

 

Oluchi smiled. This was why she liked Oga Chuks. He always knew what she wanted. 

After selecting the clothes she wanted and paying, She promised to return with her friends to his stall when next school was on break.

 

On her way out of the market. She heard a trader insulting this particular girl.

 

“Kuku take the cloth for free na. With the way Nigeria dey, you dey price cloth like meat. Aka gum.” The trader retorted.

 

Oluchi turned her head towards the direction of the noise. Lo and behold, it was Amaka.

 

Their eyes met for a moment before Amaka quickly turned and disappeared into the market. 

Oluchi let out a small laugh. So Amaka London dey come Yaba sef kan shop? She dey price market too? She never saw this one coming. 

 

Of course she wouldn’t tell her classmates. Because everybody thought she too was a big girl even though she wasn’t as haughty as Amaka was. But at least Amaka wouldn’t ever pretend where she was. They both knew where they were coming from.

 

At the entrance of the market, she met those three traders who had been nasty to her.

 

“Asa, biko, which state are you from?”

 

“I’m from Enugu,” she said rudely. Let them do whatever they please with the information.

 

“Issalie” they all shouted.

 

With her bag filled with Okrika clothes, Oluchi pondered on these things as she walked to the junction where she’d get a bike.

 

“This life sha,” she thought. 

 

 

 

KUFRE-MFON EFFIONG-ROBERT