Faith and survival: The story of menial workers

For many residents of Kano State who earn a living through menial jobs, the month of Ramadan comes with added challenges. From dawn to dusk, they abstain from food and drink while still being engaged physically in the demands of their work and source of livelihood, which on many occasions keep the city’s economy running. […]

For many residents of Kano State who earn a living through menial jobs, the month of Ramadan comes with added challenges. From dawn to dusk, they abstain from food and drink while still being engaged physically in the demands of their work and source of livelihood, which on many occasions keep the city’s economy running.

Across the metropolis, tricycle riders, water vendors, wheelbarrow pushers, bricklayers, market porters, street hawkers and security guards continue their daily hustle, balancing faith with survival.

At Sabon Gari market, Musa Abdullahi, a wheelbarrow pusher, said fasting while working is “a test of patience and endurance.”

“From morning till evening, I carry heavy loads for traders and customers. Under normal circumstances, I would drink water every two hours, but during Ramadan, I endure without it. It is not easy, but I remind myself that fasting is for Allah, and he gives us strength,” he said.

• LAUTECH students: ‘Our daughters were looking forward to graduation’
• What CBN’s latest interest rate cut means for businesses, households

For Ibrahim Ali, a tricyclist, the challenge is staying alert while driving long hours without food or water.

“Fasting reduces our energy, but we must work because passengers depend on our families, and we depend on the money we make. I try to rest in the afternoon so that I don’t get too weak. By evening, I continue until Maghrib when I break my fast,” he said.

He noted that earnings for the day’s work during Ramadan are often lower because many people stay indoors, reducing demand for transport. “But we accept it as part of the sacrifice,” he added.

Market porters who carry goods at the Singer Market also shared their struggles. One of them, Usman Haruna, said carrying heavy goods while fasting is draining.

“Sometimes we carry bags of rice or cement under the hot sun. We are lucky this year that so far, the weather has been friendly during Ramadan. But even at that, without water, it feels like the body is burning. But we encourage each other and remind ourselves that Ramadan is temporary. Once we break the fast, we regain our strength,” he said.

For bricklayers and construction labourers, fasting comes with a double challenge: the heat from the sun and the weight of the goods.

A labourer at a site in Hotoro, Bashir Mohammed said: “We mix cement, carry blocks and climb scaffolds. It is very hard when you are fasting. Some of us reduce our hours of work, but we cannot stop completely because we are paid daily. If you don’t work, you don’t eat.

“What we normally do to save energy is to start working as early as 6am or 6:30am so that we can close by 2pm, unlike before fasting when we start work around 9:00 am and continue until 5:00pm or even 6pm,” Mohammed said.

Street hawkers also noted that during the month of Ramadan, they adjust their daily hustle routine. A young hawker, Balarabe, who sells facemasks and handkerchiefs along Zoo Road, said he relied more on evening sales.

“During the day, I get tired quickly because I cannot drink water. That is why I am here in the mornings and late evenings only. That is how I cope,” he said.

Despite the hardship, many of the workers said Ramadan strengthened their faith and resilience. They see fasting as a spiritual exercise that teaches patience, discipline and empathy for the poor.

“Ramadan is not just about hunger and thirst; it is about sacrifice and devotion. Although our jobs are hard, we believe Allah rewards us for enduring,” Musa, the wheelbarrow pusher, said.

Security guards are also not left out of this, as they often work long shifts and face unique challenges. At an estate in Nassarawa, Kano State, a 45-year-old guard Abdulkadir Suleiman explained: “Most of us work 12-hour shifts, sometimes overnight. During Ramadan, staying awake without food or tea is very hard. But I use the time to recite the Qur’an quietly. At dawn, I feel relieved knowing that the fast has begun, but by evening, I am weak. But once we break our fast, my energy returns.”

Water vendors, known locally as mai ruwa, are another group whose work is physically demanding and more tasking during Ramadan. A 35-year-old water vendor, Sadiq, who pushes his cart through neighbourhoods delivering gallons of water said, “Ramadan is the hardest time for us. We push heavy carts under the sun, and normally, we drink water as we go on our tasks, but it is different during Ramadan as we can’t. Sometimes I stop under a tree to rest and catch my breath. Customers understand and even encourage us, saying Allah will reward our efforts.”

Ironically, food sellers also struggle. At Kofar Wambai market, Aisha, who fries akara (bean cakes), narrated her challenge in the holy month of Ramadan thus:  “Cooking while fasting is not easy. The smell of food tempts you, but you must endure. Before Ramadan, I would prepare food for customers in the morning and evening, but during Ramadan, I reduce my work to only evening because that is when demand is high as Muslims break their fast,” she explained.

Tailors, though not engaged in heavy lifting, face their own test of concentration. Yusuf, a young tailor at Dorayi, explained that sewing required focus and fasting sometimes made them dizzy.

He said, “I try to work in the morning when I am still strong because by afternoon, I slow down. Many customers also delay bringing cloths until after Ramadan, so business is quieter.”

Mechanics at roadside workshops also shared their perspective. A 30-year-old mechanic, Kabiru, said repairing cars under the hot sun drained them quickly, especially during Ramadan.

He said, “Sometimes we lay our mats to rest before continuing. We cannot stop because customers need their cars. But we remind ourselves that fasting is worship, and Allah sees our struggle.

“When we are hungry, we remember those who have nothing, and it makes us humble. That is why Ramadan is special,” Kabiru added.

Similarly, in Suleja, menial job workers also shared their experience.

Sawing wood requires a lot of energy, presenting both physical and health challenges from the machine used in the operation. It comes with wood dust, smoke and job hazards, which include accidents.

Bello Ismail, one out of many youths  at the Abuja timber market, located at Dei-Dei community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has  been in the business of sawing wood for 15 years, operating the sawing wood machine. Ismail noted that the job is a huge challenge during fasting, as work sometimes comes only around 2pm, a period that a fasting person would need to take a break.

“There is also wind from the current harmattan that makes wood dry faster, a situation that causes more dust while they are being cut,” he noted.

He added that despite applying protective measures, such as the use of a nose mask, taking medication like soda water and milk, the wood dusk and machine smokes find their way into their bodies as being clearly seen whenever one spits. 

Hamza Dauda, another wood operator, said loading or unloading the wood from the shed to the machine was a challenge during Ramadan; as it entails a lot of energy.

For Abdullahi Zubairu, a commercial motorcycle rider, heat and traffic are of concern. He conveys vegetables from the market to various communities at low rates. According to him, despite the fact that the month of fasting requires one to rest at a time, he doesn’t go on break during the day