Working Lives: The Mai Shai Who Stepped up From Picking Scrap Metal

Working Lives: The Mai Shais of Agege

You never know where a WL series takes you. This hot Mai Shai series is supposed to be about tea, noodles, bread etc. but it has turned out to be about migration, poverty, education etc. within Nigeria. And about extraordinary luck and human kindness. It will make you realise how extremely privileged you are. You may also be surprised to witness the spirit of enterprise amongst very poor Nigerians and how hard work moves them up the economic ladder.

Working Lives: The Mai Shai Who Stepped up From Picking Scrap Metal

ADAMU ABUBAKAR

I never attended school on a regular basis. I missed many days. And I eventually stopped going, I can’t remember in what class. School was a place we went to whenever we felt like going to play. Another place to play besides home. My friends and I always left just before break time on most days. Only a few of us go to school. Mainly people whose parents can afford to send to private schools.

Where are you from?

I am from Borno state.

What school did you attend and when did you leave school? 

I can only remember that I went to primary school.  I never attended school on a regular basis. I missed many days. And I eventually stopped going, I can’t remember in what class. School was a place we went to whenever we felt like going to play. Another place to play besides home. My friends and I always left just before break time on most days. Only a few of us go to school. Mainly people whose parents can afford to send to private schools.

Tell us about your family

My dad breeds cattle. He was always coming down to Lagos to sell cattle during festive periods. I used to come with him sometimes. My mother does not really do anything that brings in money. She just helps my dad in taking care of the cattle, feeding them and other things. My parents have 6 children. I am the 5th child. My father has 45 cows. This is really small scale.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Mai Shai Who Saves N5,000 Every Week

When did you get to Lagos?

The first time I came to Lagos was in 2007 with my dad.  I was 12 years old then. When I got to Lagos for the first time, I saw the way things were and how some of my neighbours in Borno had already established. I was so inspired. When we got back to Borno, I  told my dad that  the next time we come to Lagos I was coming to stay. So the next time we brought cattle to sell for Christmas I stayed behind. That was in December 2008.

Where do you live and how much is the rent?

I live close to the Abattoir, not far from Agege. I live with my brothers. No, not my blood brothers. We all call each other brothers. We pay N4,000 for a room monthly.

How did you start the Mai Shai business?

When I got to Lagos in 2008 I was overseeing my dad’s cow business. Then after a while I got a connect who told me I could be gathering metal scraps and get little cash for it. I did that for almost 2 years. I was always picking metal scraps on the streets of Lagos and taking it down to the popular Katangoa market to sell. They always weigh it and that determines how much I would be paid. I mostly get like N5,000 in a week. I gathered the money from that and decided to start the Mai Shai business. That was the only thing I could venture into that was going to bring me decent money without much wahala.

How much did it cost you to establish?

I started on a small scale so I did not really need so much money. I got all the necessary things with about N25,000:00 and when I saw that my customer base was getting big, I had to buy more utensils and move to a bigger space not far from my old space in Agege.

For how long have you been in the business?

I started in 2010 so I have been in this business for almost 10 years.

How much do you make in a day?

Sales before coronavirus was incredibly good but during the whole lockdown things were tight. I could not even open my shop for a while because policemen were harassing people and wanted to collect money. So let us just say I now make N10,000:00. But before coronavirus came, I was usually making N20,000 and sometimes N25,000. I also sell bread and egg with tea apart from noodles.

Also Read: Working Lives: The Mai Shai Who Left Lokoja to Sleep Under Lagos Bridge

What is your best day like?

Weekends are my best days. Everyone comes around to enjoy themselves after the stress for the week. On weekends I even sometimes run out of noodles and eggs. Thank goodness my supplier stays close by, so I quickly run down to her shop and get more.

How many hours do you work in a day? 

I work from 6 in the evening until 9 at night. On weekends I open earlier at about 4 or 5 in the evening.

How much do you spend in a day? 

The only thing I really spend on is my feeding for the day and transport fare from Abattoir to Agege. And that always costs me N500 in total.

Have you ever opened a bank account?

Yes. I did that in 2011 after I started the Mai Shai business. I would normally hold all my cash in my pocket during those days when I was still picking metals scraps. But the money was getting too much and I obviously needed to keep it somewhere safe.

Do you have savings and how much do you save in a month? 

Yes, I have savings. I save weekly not monthly. I save N5,000:00 every week so in a month that’s N20,000:00.

Are you married or looking forward to getting married?

I am married with two kids. I always go home to see them during the festive period. Some weeks I do not save because I must send money to my family back home.