Oyingbo birds market: Where women drive the economy

Movement in and around Oyingbo market in Lagos state could be difficult at  times, particularly within the section of domestic birds, which is home to hundreds of chickens, ducks, pigeons turkeys and the like. Here, dozens of people troop in to buy the birds.  Constructed in three lanes with wooden and zinc sheets, the market […]

Movement in and around Oyingbo market in Lagos state could be difficult at  times, particularly within the section of domestic birds, which is home to hundreds of chickens, ducks, pigeons turkeys and the like. Here, dozens of people troop in to buy the birds.  
Constructed in three lanes with wooden and zinc sheets, the market has been in existence for ages, according to information gathered by our correspondent. It is  a stone throw to the aged train terminal at Iddo, that has been in existence since the colonial era.
As early as 7:00 am, people within the domestic bird market , start making their presence known. Some are carrying chickens to the slaughtering section, while  some ensure they get the attention of their prospective customers.
Except in a few cases, the entire operation  of selling, slaughtering and preparing the chickens or turkeys and other consumable birds, is  carried out by the women folk.
In many parts of the country, especially in the North, the women folk or the community may consider this as solely the activity of the  men, but the situation in the South largely differs.
“This is because, one has to have an income for himself, that is why we engage in this kind of job.” 35 year old Sekinat Ogunsuyi, who sells and slaughters chickens in the market tells Daily Trust.
She added “besides, a family that has different sources of income, is likely to be better off than one that has only one source.”
Lagos indeed is a place where many families will prefer multiple sources of income rather than one, considering the series of challenges of living in the fast growing city, where housing, transportation and other essential  needs are hard nuts to crack.
No wonder jobs that might have been considered as odd for women to engage in, would have women of different ages engaging in them. For instance, it is common to see women in Lagos carrying heavy loads for customers in the market.  The watch word as far as Lagos is concern is “survival.”
No wonder many of the women our correspondent came across, boast of consistent income that would not only help in taking care of their personal needs, but also augment their husbands’ or parents’ income.
Amazingly, the market has its own unique signature of sounds that range from the ducks that quack, to the call of the turkeys, which is occasionally punctuated by the crowing of cocks.
But chicken dealers also face the  challenge  of dying birds, especially during the harmattan periods, as well as the outbreak of a disease that can easily spread through the market.
“We ensure the environment in which they live in is hygienic, and we also buy our goods from poultry farms that ensure the regular vaccination of their birds,” she added.
To Hajarat Olusesun, 37, her most annoying challenge on the job, is the manner in which some customers address them.
“We are humans and need to be treated with respect.Being the buyer doesn’t place  us (the sellers) as lower class citizens.” Olusesun said.

But there is another side to this market.For every purchased chicken, there are always people awaiting (also women), eager to help the customer slaughter and remove the feathers.
No doubt the role of the slaughterers is symbolic.With  expertise they will slaughter, soak the chicken in hot water, remove the hair and cut the meat to the customer’s choice of size.
One of the motives behind the speed of the process, our correspondent observed, was to quickly attend to the already secured customer and move on to attract  another.
“This expertise of preparing the chicken comes from many years of experience,” said Shakirat, adding “it is something I enjoy doing ,apart from the fact that I get paid for it.”

According to Shakirat, depending on the market situation, she prepares over a dozen chickens everyday, which go for a hundred naira  each.
“Although, market days differ, you sometimes prepare not more than two or three chickens. But festive periods like Christmas as well as Sallah and Ramadan, are the times we normally have a field day,” she added.
But ,it is not only those who slaughter the chickens  who have a field day, going from one lane of the market to another. Knife sharpeners, though men, get their own fair share of the deal, by sharpening  the edges of knives for the women.
“We move from one lane to another and announce our presence ,and that is how we get our jobs. We sharpen knives at different prices depending on their sizes,” Malam Musa  said in Hausa.
However, the classes from which Shakirat and Malam Musa came from, are not the only the ones getting their fair share from the market – of course dirt accumulated as a result of activities in the market must be properly disposed.
Considering that Lagos takes issues of refuse seriously, some young men go from one shop to another to collect the unwanted remains of slaughtered birds.Ishola Bello 25, is one of these young men.
“I have been doing this work since  I was 16, and it is really  a great help to me, even though the money that comes in a small token, but it is better than sitting idle,”  Bello said.
Bello only needed a wheel barrow and a sack to collect the dirt from the women’s shop to execute his job, our correspondent observed.
No doubt, the Oyingbo domestic bird market will continue to play a significant role in the lives of many, especially the women folk, who are driving the local economy there.