MarketsWent out with my nieces to change some currencies. It was difficult getting a taxi from Oko-Afo Badagri to take us to town but there were motorbikes that operated as cabs. It was quite an experience sitting precariously on the back of the motorbike, sitting behind my niece barely a space to sit on. We were taken to another area where we caught a local bus to a market.
The line in the sandThis market sells all manner of goods. The market is bustling with sounds of people touting for business. This is a black market for changing foreign currency so we had to negotiate for a better deal. It took a while but we eventually had one. I think Nigerians like the idea of bartering. It is never straightforward. You ask for the price and you are given a very high price. Now this is where the skill of bartering comes in to it’s own.
The better you are at bartering the cheaper you will pay for the goods. This system I think is very flawed, there is no honesty on the part of the trader, he or she is always looking for a way of making the customer pay more. It all depends on how skillful you are as a negotiator. Yesterday was also an experience, went to the market to buy a few grocery and as before took the local motorbike, as we arrived at the market there were lots cacophony every body seem to be engaged in conversation with some one else. The trouble is that you not quite sure who is talking to who as they keep shouting, pointing to someone somewhere in the crowd. Then suddenly a voice booms back in reply with outstretched hand pointing towards the speaker. With so much confusion or excitement am not surprised that everyone had to talk at the top of their voice in order to be heard. At the market I witnessed a fight between two traders. This fight was not like any fight you’ve ever seen. First it was a slanging march between two people but then it quickly turned in to fisticuffs but without actually hitting each other. One of the men was much taller than the other, the shorter man sensing that he was at a disadvantage decided he needed something to even the score so he dashed across to the store next to him grabbed a pole broke it in half and went back to the fight. And again it was more like a threat without actually hitting his opponent and seeing that this man has a weapon the taller man did something that was equally bizarre. He stepped forward and drew a line on the sand and said to the shorter man cross this line if you dare but strangely enough the man with the pole refused to cross the line on the sand. This is what Yoruba’s call Shakara Oloje meaning you don’t really want to fight but to show your displeasure but this kind of action can sometimes be double edged and the fight slowly died down and no one was hit or injured. Just as the fight died down and the little man not wanting to fight any more he gently put the broken pole down. The shop owner then approached the little man who took the pole and was made to pay for it at a higher price of 2000 Naira. This was an opportunity for the shop owner to make a good profit ,there was no haggling this time the price was fixed. The little man with a look of defiance said to the shopkeeper ok I’ll pay for it and he promptly did and the matter was over and now every body is back pointing shouting. |