Category: Shopping

THE Iworo and Ejina market in Ikorodu, Lagos opens once every nine days.

Activities begin at 7am with traders displaying their wares, mainly food items.

At 8am, the market opens for customers who like to buy food items and other household items.

The market stocks various useful and cheap things. But, traders complain that people who don’t live in Ikorodu do not know about the market and they don’t patronise them.

“Only people who live in Ikorodu know about this markets,” said the market leader, Alhaja Suliat Amoo.

“We want people living outside Ikorodu to patronise us too.We stock more of fresh farm produce every nine days. Traders from different markets come together to make available what people need. But, we have a challenge, our market is congested and there is limited space to display our items. More traders are coming in every market day, making small space for the first set of traders.”

One thing that attracts traders to this market is the bountiful sales they are sure of making. They believe if they have a bigger market and people know more about them, it would help promote sales.

Mrs Ajoke Lawal said: “This market is a blessing to us, we make huge sales but if only we can have more customers from other places outside Ikorodu, we will make more sales. We are putting heads together to inform people concerning the market, trying to convince them patronise to us. “

Mrs Bukola Majekodunmi is a regular customer at the market. She said: “I visit this market every nine days; it is something I look forward to doing because, it allows me buy cheap bags of garri from Alhaja Modina who comes from Ijebu Ode every nine days to sell here.”

Another trader Alhaja Modina added: “I come here to trade every nine days because sales are huge and there are customers to buy what I have brought here. As a trader, if you come to the market early, you’ll get space to display goods inside the market. But if you are late, space even outside the market by the roadside might no longer be available.

Mr Sunday Eze sells food stuffs in bulk in the market. He said: “I own shops at three different markets in Ikorodu but every nine days I still come here to make money. Sales here are outstanding and I don’t return home with my wares. For me, the only challenge we face is lack of space. The market is small and cannot accommodate all of us.”

Mr Aliu Mustapha, who sells pepper, said: “I get to the market by 6am and finish selling my wares before noon. What I sell here in a day is what I sell in other markets in two or three days. People from different places come to buy from us . I sell pepper in bulk to those who resell in other markets.”

Grand Oak Limited has repackaged Lords Dry Gin to meet consumers’ taste and beat counterfeiters, the Managing Director Mr Ashkay Kumar has said.

He spoke at the launch of the brand in Lagos.

He noted that the firm’s successes over the years have become a source of envy and challenge for some unscrupulous people, who have introduced some fake products.

On how they intend to check the counterfeiters, Kumar said they have gone back to the drawing board to checkmate fake products peddlers and manufacturers through a new mobile authentication.

He urged consumers to look for the sticker on the cap with 13 digits, text it to a given number for authentication.

He enjoined consumers to report through a toll-free number or to any of the regulatory bodies or law enforcement agency.

He said the counterfeiters cannot beat the intelligence network built into re-branding the gin.

Asked if the campaign would cover the country, he said yes, adding that it would be more pre-dominant in the Southeast because of the company’s presence in the region.

He assured the distributors that the firm would recall their old stock after authentication.

A distributor and Managing Director of LATBAK Enterprises, Alhaja Latifat Baruwa, complained that some unscrupulous traders con genuine distributors by buying some bottles from them as a cover up after buying substandard lorry loads from counterfeiters only to direct law enforcement agencies and regulatory officers to them as their source.

The Grand Oak boss urged the distributors to use the toll free numbers on the bottle to call the company or the regulatory officers for action.

The Country Manager of Sproxil Technology, Mr Lawrence Nwosu, the firm in charge of the mobile identification number and other security features on the repackaged drink, also urged consumers to report suspected cases of counterfeiting to the police and the brand owner for action.

He added that it would be impossible for the counterfeiters to copy the new label.

A MAll of five hundred units of business and office spaces, all en suite, located in the Mabushi District of Abuja, have opened shop.

The mall named “Platinum Mega Mall” was built by Platinum Mortgage Bank Limited at N1 billion.

It is divided into various sections like furniture, provision, cosmetics, office spaces, apprenticeship section so as to ensure easy shopping for customers.

The Managing Director of Platinum Homes, Mr Emmanuel Mbaka, who spoke at the inauguration, said the construction began six years ago and has culminated in the erection of several structures across the country.

He said the business facility has parking space to suit the requirements of the modern day business and shopping spaces.

Mbaka said attention has been paid to the engineering and structural design in order to ensure maximum safety and the comfort of its users and also the finishing to ensure a state of the art outlook.

“The choice of location of this mall is very strategic as it is located at a place where it can serve Maitama, Katampe, Mabushi, Jahi district and environs as well as provide adequate space for shopping and business purposes.”

Mbaka appreciated the jahi host community, especially the king of Jahi kingdom for receiving the owners of the mall with open arms and for their support and hospitality in the years to come as he pledged the continued commitment of the Platinum Homes to more corporate social responsibility so as to ensure the further development and advancement of the community.

The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan who inaugurated the mall said it will give Nigerains the chance to retire from government offices to their personal offices and give them a chance to depend on something after retirement.

He urged other well meaning Nigerians to support the government by constructing structures and rent them out to the public so the economy can improve.

Before the fast was the rush for food items. It’s one week to the end of Ramadan, shoppers are buying clothes, shoes, rams and other items for the Eid-el-Fitri celebration next Friday. TONIA ‘DIYAN, AZZAN OLAJUMOKE and TAIBAT IDOWU report.

People have started shopping for the Eidel Fitri festival. Most markets are full of people hurrying into stores to buy various items they need for the upcoming celebration.

Shoppers can be seen in clothing stores, shoe stores and stores where fashion accessories are sold.

At the Sabo, Ikorodu market where livestock is sold, The Nation shopping spoke with Alhaji Usman who sells chickens, rams, cows and goats. He said his customers are now turning up as Eid-el-Fitri approaches, unlike when most of them were held back because of the fast.

Mrs Suliat Aleje, who sells pepper also at Sabo market in Ikorodu, said sales have been very different these few weeks with her customers now turning up to buy pepper and other items for the festival.

At Pentagon plaza, Ikorodu, Mrs Idowu Agoro who spoke with The Nation shopping, said: “I have been having customers coming to buy clothes to prepare for the upcoming festival. Many buy Ankara, while few buy lace materials and others English wears”.

At Oshodi market, Mrs Kabirat Owolabi was seen in a lace shop, buying clothes. “I am here to buy two bundles of Swiss lace. A bundle cost N20,000. I also bought shoes. These items are quite affordable here.”

At the Laketu market, Ikorodu, Alhaja Ayoka Ogunfolu, who is the Iyaloja of the market, said things have been going on fine in the last few days because their customers now patronise them the way they used to before they started fasting.

“My Muslim customers are preparing to celebrate the Eid-el-Fitri, sales have been outstanding and I believe it will continue like this for sometime.”

Mr. Sadiq Taoreed sells Jalabia (a muslim outfit). according to him, most men are buying Jalabia for the festival “I sell Jalabia and other Islamic accessories and men are my major customers. Jalabias range fromN3,500 to N5,000”.

Mr Charles Olisakwe sells food stuffs at Laketu market in Ikorodu. According to him, people are also buying more food stuffs than before to prepare for the up coming festival. They don’t want to be caught unawares, it is better to prepare ahead.

At the Ebute market, also in Ikorodu, Mrs Taiwo Bankole, who is a customer said: “Ramadan is coming to an end and as usual, i want to restock so, i can have enough to share. Apart from food items, clothes are also important for me and my family at this time because we have to look different for the festival and change our clothes for the months ahead.”

Mrs Bunmi Ajayi who sells frozen food at Mile 12 Market said she has not started rejoicing yet because of her business. “I sell frozen foods and if people buy ahead of the festival it might get spoilt.”

Meanwhile, as some people have budgeted some amount of money for food, clothings and other items, others haven’t made up their minds yet because of one financial constraint or the other.

However, the cost of these items also contribute to the constraints some people are facing.

Mrs. Ruriat Kalesanwo said the same quality of lace which  she bought for N15,000 last year, has increased to N17,000.

“I have noticed that the difference in price is much. I thought it would not be more than N500”.

For Mrs. Abiodun Muritador, prices of items are more than what she can afford.

“I hope after now, items would be more affordable, so that people like me can go home with something. I couldn’t buy anything today. What I budgeted for wears is quite low to the price of things in the market.”

As Muslim faithful continue to observe the Ramadan fast, food vendors are lamenting low sales. TONIA ‘DIYAN, Azzan Olajumoke and Taibat Idowu spoke to some of them.

It was past mid-day and Mr Seyi Oluwaseyi, a manager at Mama B Restaurant, Surulere paced around his restaurant. His eyes were focused on the road like he was expecting an important visitor. Few members of staff stood around, each one disappointed.

The reason: low sales due to the Ramadan fast.

He said: “Our food sales have been cut below half since the Ramadan fasting began, we can’t even cook the quantity of the food we used to because we don’t want food to waste. Most of our customers now eat once a day and they do that at home.”

The Ramadan fasting, a yearly Muslim rite has been described as the most blessed period in the Islamic calendar. Muslims are required to fast from morning till evening and most of those who observe the fast usually join their families and friends to break in the evening. In breaking the fast, strict adherence to Islamic purity is also required to be observed.

But while the Muslims are hopeful for divine blessing in the Ramadan month, food vendors and restaurant owners are counting their losses by the day. Due to the large number of muslims who observe the fast, eating in the afternoon and early evening which according to some of the food vendors are the peak sales period have reduced drastically and in some places cut in half.

The Nation Shopping went around Lagos and spoke to several food vendors, many of whom complained bitterly about the loss of revenue occasioned by the Ramadan fast.

Mrs. Omolara Akanni, who operates a local food canteen popularly referred to as ‘Mama Put’, said the fasting has dealt her a big blow.

“Most of my customers are Hausa people and since the fasting began they only eat once and that is in the evening. They always break with their family so my business has been greatly affected,” Akanni said.

The situation has also affected food hawkers. Risikat Karim said she walks around all day without making any appreciable sales. “In the sun and even under the rain, more than half of my customers are fasting. When the fast first started, about half of my food usually goes to waste but now, I only cook a fraction of what I used to cook, what I am sure of selling in a day,” she said.

An attendant at Fatmot food canteen, Rashedat Afolabi said: “The Ramadan period has really reduced our sales because on a normal day the shop is always filled up and people would be coming and going, but because of the season the rate at which our foods sell has reduced.”

But the sales glut is not limited to food vendors and canteen owners alone, big restaurants are also suffering the same fate. According to many of those sampled by The Nation Shopping, the Ramadan fasting has affected the food they sell including snacks.

But not all the big restaurants have experienced financial loss due to food wastage, some have found an ingenious way of tackling the problems usually associated with Ramadan fasting. One of those who have devised a special means is Obinna Emeka, a manager at Mr. Biggs Restaurant in Surulere.

“As a matter of fact, this season has affected our system. If we are to cook for 10 customers in the morning shift, we reduce it to five customers because we assume that five customers out of 10 are Muslims. The number of customers we serve at every shift has been cut in half, but because we have envisaged this we prepared before the fasting began, so, we were not caught by surprise,” Emeka said.

Speaking further, he said the way out is to plan ahead of the fasting and if need be reduce the overhead cost. “When you plan ahead you will experience minimal loss in the Ramadan season.”

While the big restaurants and eateries may have recorded a minimal level of loss due to the seasonal fast, there are some who said the season has had little effect on their sales.

The manager at Dubenias Pizza, who preferred not to be named said: “The fasting has not really affected our sales but I believe we will make more if the people are not fasting. But the season has not really affected sales.”

Shade Dairo, an attendant at Finicky Restaurant at Ojota, said sales have not changed. “Sales have not been so poor but there have been little changes. Some of our customers have not been patronising us and some of them that come don’t really buy.”