Disability not an issue, says Abuja fish seller

How did you get into selling  fish?Laide Ayuba: I inherited this business from my mother. At a very young age I was always with my mum as she carried out her business. As I grew up, I picked interest in it and after my secondary school I told her I wanted to continue doing her […]

How did you get into selling  fish?
Laide Ayuba: I inherited this business from my mother. At a very young age I was always with my mum as she carried out her business. As I grew up, I picked interest in it and after my secondary school I told her I wanted to continue doing her business for her, she was surprised because she thought I was looking forward to continuing my education like my mates did. I was more business-minded and determined to carry on with her business.
When did you start this business?
Laide:  I started this business in 2002, 12 years ago, but before I started fully on my own, I was with my mum until she died, so I started fully on my own in 2002. Before my mum died, she prayed for me and said I would prosper in the business. To the glory of God I have been prospering in the business.
Take us through the process of the business,what is your typical day usually like?
Laide: The first thing that is done is going to the farms where we buy the fish; we go to Ijebu Ode in Ogun State, Lagos or Ibadan to buy fish. When we get to the farm, we bargain with the farmers, then weigh the fish, after which we load them into 25kilogramme bowls that would be tied with sacks to prevent the fish from jumping out. The bowls are then transported to Abuja. In Abuja, the fishes are washed and then weighed for re-sale to customers. I pay between N50,000 to N55,000 to transport the fish to Abuja; each bus can take 50 bowls of fish. Meanwhile, when the fish gets to Abuja, I wake up every day by 5am to meet up with customers to sell and supply on time.
How much profit do you make from selling fish?
Laide: It depends on the size, there are four sizes of fish, and we have the big, medium, selected or dried. The big ones are sold for N15,000, medium go for N14,500, selected is sold for N13,500 and the dried is sold for N12,000. As for how much profit I make, I can’t tell. All I can say is that the business is profitable and pays my bills, all of which is to the glory of God.
How many customers do you have and how do you cope with them?
Laide: I don’t know how many customers I have, my customers are not limited to Abuja alone; I have customers in Maiduguri, Jos, Bauchi, Zaria, Kaduna and Kano. My customers range from men and women who buy and resell in whatever form. There are also customers who buy just for consumption. Keeping a good business relationship is how I cope with them, in business they say the customer is always right, so I try as much as possible to stick to that and give them the best.  
How do you cope with this business, bearing in mind you are physically challenged?
Laide: The competition in this business is not too rosy, as you can see I am not the only person here selling.  With my challenge, I still sell. I have seven boys who work for me, they help me do the running around; they wash the fish, weigh and sell. I also have drivers who deliver fish for me. Notwithstanding, I still owe my progress to God because he has been faithful to me.
You said you weren’t born like this, can you tell us what happened?
Laide: I wasn’t born using crutches. What happened was that I was called to a farm in Kuje, here in Abuja, I had been transacting the business for five days, at some point during the business transaction I had to go back to the market in Kado where I sell to get more bowls to pack the fish because the ones I went with got finished. Immediately I got to the market, all I remember was falling on the floor and that marked the day I started using clutches. This happened in February.
What challenges do you face doing this business?
Laide: Beside the fact that I’m physically challenged, one issue I face has to do with transportation of the fish from far distance. There are times the drivers have accidents, they sometimes get flat tyres, which can lead to delay in supplying the fish to other locations. Another challenge is when some fish die before getting to Abuja, this can lead to losses and less profit. One other challenge is that even when the cost of transportation goes up, you can’t increase your price, you just have to leave it like that based on the price agreed by the union.
Is your business seasonal?
Laide: My business is not seasonal. It’s a 24/7 affair.
Do you plan to live this business some day or expand it further?
Laide:  I have expanded to an extent from when I first started because I didn’t start in Abuja but at home in Idah, Kogi State. I hope to expand. But one thing I would say is that my children won’t inherit this business from me as I did from my mother. I want them to go to school instead.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start this kind of business?
Laide: The person has to join our union first, where I am known as the policewoman. You have to be registered, pay your necessary dues. If you are not registered and you come to sell in the market, I can drive you away from the market. After that, you have to learn the business, know how to handle fish, so that they won’t die etc. You also have to know farms where you would buy, before you start sourcing for customers who would patronise you. The business is good. You also have to be dedicated and patient. This business entails a lot of patience.