I Missed Youth Service while hawking watermelon – Ilorin fruit vendor

Besides, I haven’t collected my result from the university due to financial constraints. Although my education was free; paid for by my state government

Yahya Abubakar Umar hails from Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area of Kebbi State and is a graduate of Public Administration from the Uthman Danfodio University, Sokoto. In this interview with Daily Trust Saturday , he talks about why he decided to go into selling watermelon despite being a graduate, among other issues of interest. Excerpts:

Daily Trust: You are fluent in English language and your manner of approach towards customers is different from that of other fruit vendors. What is your level of education?

Yahya Abubakar Umar: I attended Umar Ahmed Model Primary School and Abdullahi Fodio Secondary School both in Birnin-Kebbi. I then proceed to Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic also in Birnin-kebbi for my diploma in 2011 and later got admission to Uthman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto for my Bsc in Public Administration in 2019. I’m waiting for my NYSC call up, which has been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. If not for the delay, I would have been done with my NYSC programme.

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Besides, I haven’t collected my result from the university due to financial constraints. Although my education was free; paid for by my state government, when my friends were calling me to come and collect my result, I was busy selling watermelon in Ilorin because the market is good. When I later got there to collect it, it was a little late and my mates had already processed theirs in readiness for Youth Service. I was told to wait for the next batch which will be any time soon.

DT: How did you find yourself in Ilorin?

Umar: This not my first time of coming to Ilorin. I had also gone to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, while selling dried fish between 2009 and 2011. I did that whenever I was on holidays during my days at the polytechnic. It was around that time that one of my friends suggested that we should come down to Ilorin for the watermelon business which is very good here. I told my parents about it and they gave their blessings. But now, I will definitely love to stay in Ilorin because of the existing peace and that is what is attracting many people to the town.

DT: After your graduation, why did you decide to be selling watermelon instead of looking for job?

Umar: I will apply for job but not now. My intention in this business is to generate enough capital through the profits to venture into another business. I’m not ruling out being a civil or public servant, but I would like to be self employed and rely on myself not on government. I can’t just decide to sit idle and be harassing my parents. By God’s grace after service, I would have generated enough capital to go into other businesses in addition to this watermelon adventure. I want to be an employer of labour.

DT: How profitable is watermelon business for you?

Umar: I’m contented with the profit. At times, we make huge profit and other times we make little, but anywhere one finds himself, he should be able to manage the little that is coming.

DT: Like how much do you make daily?

Umar: At times I make N3,000 to N5,000 daily and when business is very good, I can make up to N7,000 profit if I sell up to N30,000 worth of watermelon.

DT: Are you married?

Umar: Yes, with a child. They are in my village in Kebbi State. By Allah’s grace, the business has been taking care of us.

DT: What other aspirations do you have aside this watermelon business?

Umar: Two things. I would like to operate a boutique and other related businesses dealing in all kinds of wears for both males and females.

DT: What is your appeal to the government for assistance?

Umar: I would love assistance from government for refundable loan to grow my watermelon business. If the government can provide me with N1.2m, I will be glad and be sure to pay back within a year by God’s grace. With that, I can improve my business selling watermelon as a supplier from the north to the southern part of the country. Then, I will also appeal to government to assist our youths who have nothing doing. The government has a lot of work to do on the issue of unemployment because many of our youths are idle.

DT: Have you had any regrets selling watermelon?

Umar: Initially it was difficult communicating with customers because of the language barrier. I started the business in the Igbomina axis of Kwara south, in Iwo Isin, who mostly speaks Yoruba. I usually bring out a currency note to signify the price(s) of the watermelon.

DT: What can you say about your experience since you started the business in Ilorin?

Umar: It has been very interesting. Some customers or who I will call pretenders will want to cheat and deceive you but now we know most of their tricks and we always stop them in their tracks. Some people will come to us with bags, asking us to look after it for them that they want to go and use the ATM. After a while, they will come bank claiming there is no service or network and I should please lend them like N2,000 to pay for transportation that they will deposit their bags and promise to bring the money when they get home. But I later discovered that such bags which even cost less than N1,000 is filled with trash. But now, we’re familiar with their pranks and fraudulent acts.

DT: What is your advice to the youths that are waiting on the government for jobs?

Umar: My appeal to the youth is for them to go out and work. It is not an issue of capital; they can also acquire a skill to survive because we have a huge population in Nigeria. The government cannot employ everybody. The youth can go into farming, trading and other businesses; just start on a small scale, maintain it and God will bless it. That is my appeal to them rather than looking or waiting for a job that may never come. The reality of the country today has even shown than one cannot survive on just a stream of income.