Two physically challenged men share their stories of survival seeking alms in the ever-busy Lagos traffic. They also spoke of their unbelievable love life, battle with government officials, family life and challenges with Gboyega Alaka.
THEY are almost everywhere in Lagos. Maybe not exactly, but from time to time, you can’t but notice these ‘little men’ rolling on little wheels and seemingly having fun, as they seek alms from motorists in the ever busy Lagos traffic. What manner of men are these, who, in spite of their conditions, seem unperturbed and carrying on with life as if all was perfect with them?
Looking at them from afar, some of the questions that come to mind inclusive: how they became disabled? Why do they always seem excited? Do they have family life? Love? Marriage? What are their challenges as men with disability?
In Ikeja, along Oba Akran Road, two of such men: Muhammed Abdullai and Abdullai Shuaibu, have become regular spectacles. For anyone who plies that road, it is not unlikely that you would have encountered them, as you wait for the green light at the Adeniyi Jones junction. Gentle, smiling and greeting you in rehearsed English, these men day-in, day-out, inundate motorists, hoping that their physical situation will move them to doll out ‘something’.
Speaking to this reporter after serious persuasion and a promise to compensate for their time ‘away from their duty post,’ Muhammed Abdullai, 42, from Jigawa State, said he became disabled after he was involved in an auto accident back in his home state when he was 11 years old.
He recalled in his smattering English mixed with pidgin and Hausa language, that his parents did their best to keep him alive by taking him to a hospital. In the end, he said, “I survived, but this is the outcome of their effort.”
In spite of his predicament, he said he managed to finish his primary school education but could not go further. “I can read small small,” he said.
As he grew older and increasingly began to have needs, Abdullai said his people put him in a hummer bus and sent him to Lagos in 2003 to hustle.
When asked ‘why Lagos?’, Abdullai retorted, “Why not Lagos?” According to him, Lagos has always had a reputation of illustriousness, of a city where money flowed, where the people are kind, give freely and where as a beggar, you could always make enough to take care of yourself.
”Lagos people dey pity well well’, he reiterated for emphasis.”
Asked why he hasn’t got himself a wheelchair, rather than this roller with which he prods himself around, Abdullai said he wished he had one but said he has never been able to put together the kind of money that could get him one. “That chair is expensive, wallahi.”
He however said he is okay with the roller, as it serves its purpose.
On why his group looks to be always happy and excited despite their visible disability, Abdullai said, “What I’m I supposed to do? What are we supposed to do? Life has to go on. If you want to be sad because of your situation, that means you will be sad forever. Yes I am disabled, but I know those whose cases are worse than mine. At least I don’t need anybody to push me around, I have eyes to see and move about without anybody’s help. Why then will I not be happy? Walahi, life must to go on.”
Abdullai however gave this reporter the biggest surprise of the day, when he revealed that he is married and has four children.
On seeing the surprise in the eyes of this reporter, Abdullai smiled shyly and said, “It’s true, I am married. My wife is in Jigawa and we have four children; they are going to school.”
Asked how he was able to woe his wife in his condition, the 42-year-old smiled again, shrugged and said, “I simply told her I wanted to marry her, and she agreed. She’s in my village in Jigawa. She is a full complete woman, no disability. From time to time, I go to Jigawa to see her. I was in Jigawa two months ago; in another month, I will go and see her again.”
Asked if he is indeed able to satisfy his wife sexually in his condition, Abdullai laughed and said, “I told you my wife has four children for me and you’re still asking me that question. Let me tell you, It’s money that I don’t have, I have power, I am a strong man.”
Asked if he has any woman in his life in Lagos, he said, “No, I don’t have any woman here in Lagos, I don’t womanise. Once I finish with begging, I retire to my house in Agege. I live in a rented room in Agege. It is from this begging that I pay the rent, feed, pay my bills and send money home to my wife and children.”
Agege by the way, is a suburb of Lagos with a huge population of Nigerians of Northern extraction.
Say Asiwaju
Abdullai also took out time to speak about his face cap, on which the trademark Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu logo is boldly emblazoned.
“Asiwaju Tinubu is the next president In sha Allah. He is a good man. Very generous.”
I have two beautiful wives
If Muhammed Abdullai’s love story is a surprise, that of his compatriot and friend, Abdullai Shuaibu, is shocking, as he told this reporter with pride that he is married with two wives and five children.
The over 50 year-old, who also hails from Jigawa State, Wiri Local Government, precisely, said he became disable after he was given an injection as a little boy. He relocated to Lagos in 1999 and has been married for 21 years.
Unlike his friend, Shuaibu’s wives and children are in Agege, where they all live in rented rooms.
Asked how he manages to meet up with the emotional needs of two women in his condition, Shuaibu laughed and said, “It’s God o; not by my power.”
Do his wives work or does he make enough money as a beggar to pay rents, bills and other monetary needs?
“No, my wives are fulltime housewives; I take care of all their needs. And to answer your other question, I do not make enough money, but I have to come out and hustle to take care of them.”
Waxing philosophical, Shuaibu who proudly disclosed that all his children are in school, said, “You know it is easy for people to say ‘Oh he enjoys begging,’ but how does a man enjoy begging? The need to meet up with the daily demands of our family is what pushes us into the streets. Look at me now, I have two wives, I have children; my children will go to school; from time to time, I will have to meet up with their monetary demands- bring one thousand, bring two thousand. How do I meet up, if I don’t come onto the streets to beg? That may mean the school sending them home. I couldn’t get enough education, would I also not do all I can to make my children get education in this age and time?
“Apart from school demands, I live in a rented house. I will pay rent, I will pay NEPA, I will pay for toilet, pay cleaner; how will I be able to meet up with these daily challenges if I don’t come out? So it’s not as if we enjoy begging or that we don’t want to work. What manner of work can I do in my condition. It’s a different thing if I learnt some work while growing up, but I didn’t. Government would not give us money, so how do people like me meet up with these daily and monthly challenges? If you ply this road regularly, you would have noticed that we are always here. Sun will beat us, rain will beat us, but we have to be here to seek the favour of people, good Lagos people. So I am not begging to do big man or because I’m lazy, but to survive. And most of the time, the kind of money we make here are daily money. That was why during the lockdown, people like us suffered. I have also heard people saying begging is business, no, it’s not. As a human being who has dignity, I do not enjoy begging; I am doing it because there is nothing else I can do to survive. The truth, if you must know, is that even I am tired of begging. If I had the money, I would have gone into business – at least that is dignifying. But the money we make is daily money.”
Shuaibu also spoke of how he has been arrested by government officials on several occasions for street begging and taken to Alausa, the seat of the Lagos State government, but said he always returned because it is the only means of survival he knows.
“When they arrest me like that, sometimes, we beg them and the officials release us; and sometimes, we give them small something.”
His colleague, Abdullai corroborated his story of arrests.
Proud father
Shuaibu also spared time to speak on his children whose progress he obviously is very proud of.
“In Sha Allah, my kids attend Olusanya Primary School in Agege. And when they come back from school, they go and earn tailor work. This is because I don’t want them to turn out like me but to be better. My first child is in JSS, my second is in primary six, while another is in Primary three.
Like Abdullai, Shuaibu confessed his love for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu: “He’s a good man. That’s why I want him win.”
Proudly, he regaled this reporter of how he has given birth to a child during the tenure of each of the Lagos State governors since Asiwaju’s days.
“Since 1999, I have been supporting Asiwaju Tinubu. I have given birth during the time of all the governors of Lagos State. I gave birth during Tinubu’s eight years, I gave birth during Fashola’s time, and also during Ambode’s time. Even during Sanwo-Olu’s time, I have given birth to another child. So you see, I’m a proud Lagosian.”
