Despite the political tension that enveloped Lagos State before and after the presidential election that kept people out of the streets, shoppers trooped out to the Ikeja Mall for Easter shopping, reports Tonia ‘DIYAN.
Shopping malls seem to be insulated from the elections heat that has affected many businesses.
Lagos malls are preparing people for Easter despite the election fever.
The malls continue to thrive daily and it is getting huge patronage from residents living in the areas where it is situated across the state.
Alongside the usual get-to-together, merry-making, and social networking, most people find shopping malls interesting places to visit and ease up the political tension in the air. A cross-section of tenants, shoppers and other business owners at the Ikeja City Mall told The Nation that there has been an upsurge of social and economic activities in and around the malls.
These days, because of the Easter celebration shopping malls seem to be a significant part of the lives of many people. On the outside of the Mall, cars are parked on the vast parking lots. It’s very noisy with different kinds of music and promotional jingles going on in each of the shops. At the top of the building, the volume of sound changes, people chatter while kids scream, most of them are heading to the Cinemas upstairs using either the elevator or the escalator. The pitter patter of feet on the tile floor echo through the mall. Aroma from the mixed at restaurants positioned strategically inside the mall; decorations to remind people of the season and people walking, talking, and laughing everywhere are common sight at the mall.
Most families with kids went to the kids clothing stores like Kidz Country and Play Zone, with nice piece of music renting the air immediately their doors open. Cashiers at the various store greets people as they walk in; there are bright colours and sales tags everywhere. Inside the clothing stores, racks are organised by stylish and high quality clothes and are arranged by designs and colours. While parents do the shopping, kids mess the malls too as they play around.
Adults are seen using the mall for their dating place, couples walked hand in hand. The mall lounge became a hangout for teenagers with most of them watching movie with their dates. Some of them walk around a large enclosed space to exercise. At the beauty salon section were teenagers and middle age women doing their manicure and pedicure, some others are busy with their hair styled. On the whole, people were seen enjoying, relaxing, exercising and having fun at the mall.
Common sight at both the inside and around the shopping malls were cab operators, otherwise known as taxi drivers. They positioned themselves strategically hunting for passengers, particularly those who came without their personal cars. As shoppers strolled in and out of the mall, they beckoned to them for patronage echoing words like ‘very cheap, affordable taxi for you’ or ‘AC taxi for you, I will take you wherever you are going’. These taxi drivers are both male and female. They usually arrive the mall at 10am and will not leave until late hours like 12am. This is because they would like to attend to those patronising the bar and hangout sections of the mall where young people are allowed to remain till the next morning.
A female cab driver at Ikeja City Mall, Mrs. Ngozi Abu, a graduate with first class honours from Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma, Edo State, joined her male colleagues at the mall two years ago when she saw how lucrative the business is.
She told The Nation Shopping that she closes earlier than the men because she has to attend to her 6-month old baby. “I am doing this taxi business here because I couldn’t get a job after my University degree. I have interest in this trade, particularly in an environment like this where there is no discrimination and segregation,” she said.
She said the job comes with challenges such as getting regular passes from men, who are interested in going out with her. “Some men asked me to go out with them. I tell them that as a married woman I can’t do such a thing, I have come across many, who will still tell me they don’t mind. It is a major challenge in this trade, but apart from that I am fulfilled doing what I am doing,” she said
Similarly, another taxi driver, Mr Deji Awolu, a graduate of Yaba College of Technology said he had worked as a Manager with PC corner, a restaurant at The Palms Mall in Lekki- Lagos, before retiring to join the taxi business at Ikeja City Mall.
Awolu said he bought his taxi with the money he got from his pension. For him, the mall is closer to his home and this enables him to return home without a hitch after a day’s job. According to him, he takes home about N5, 000 daily, after buying fuel and paying his daily dues to the malls management, which charges N22, 000 monthly and N50, 000 registration fees from cab operator, who stay inside the mall to canvass for passengers. “The cab business here is a lucrative one. It is a good location for my kind of business. Though tedious because it has to do with driving, sometimes long distance. To economise fuel, I do not put on the Air conditioner except on demand and that will attract extra charges of N1000 per trip.”
He added: “Life as a cab man at the mall is profitable and I do not have regrets whatsoever it is my car and I am enjoying using it to work at this kind of location where I am sure to take something home for my family every day. I cannot afford to stay inside because of the charges involved. But my colleagues who are inside are making more money than we are making.”
The gate of the mall has not only been taken over by Taxi drivers, but by recharge card and bottle water sellers. Mrs. Rita Okafor is a recharge card seller, who said she sits at the gate to sell cards to people as they go in and out of the mall, said: “Patronage here is higher than staying in my area to sell. Sales move here faster and sometimes I get tips from some people who will ask me to keep the change. I face the challenge of attending to many customers at the same time, but, I am happy about that.”
Mr. David Uche is a security man at the mall. For him, the turn up for Easter is just as massive as it has ever been regardless of the elections season that is posing fear in the minds of Nigerians. “The crowd here this season is normal and it is always like this during festivity. I am trained to manage the crowd here and that is why I am employed. I and my colleagues know what to do when we have challenges,” he said.
He said he joined the mall seven months ago and has been coping with the challenge of standing for hours. “It is a shift job, but sometimes it can be challenging when I have to stand all morning till another colleague comes to relief me in the evening,” he added.
Tenants at the mall are had mix feelings. Some said they are making sales others said they are not making as much as they should. There were others, who said the mall is known to always push sales with promotions and freebies’ they make available to shopper at speculated times.
At the Accessories2die4 store where ladies accessories and costumes for occasions are sold, the sales representative who gave her name as Cynthia told The Nation Shopping that business is thriving as usual and it is not distrusted by election. “Business is hitch free, elections or no elections, but the grocery stores stocking food items tend to have more customers than we do. Some events were put on hold last Saturday and those are the kind of people that patronise us. However, that has not hindered sales for us because of our locations, we are situated in all the malls in Lagos and we are happy that we have been making sales and for this Easter, the best is yet to come for us,” she said
To regular shoppers to the mall, prices of items this Easter is fair. A shopper, Mr Ola Parr, who owns an advertising agency called Midea Mix, said items he bought from clothing store inside the mall is N5, 000 cheaper than its usual price. “Prices of items here are fair and encouraging. I bought three shirts for N20, 000. Before now each of the shirts was N10, 000. Promotional offers during festivities are real, let people take advantage of offers as they come,” he said.
Mrs. Olivia Benson, who was at the mall to window shop said she was not a regular shopper at the mall as she was just returning from a journey and needed a place to sightsee and wait for her hubby who would pick her home. “I went round some of the shops and noticed ridiculous price slashes; I will visit the mall on Easter Sunday to make my picks. There is also a promo box outside the mall to encourage people to shop and win prize, this is very encouraging, “she said.
Operators say Easter has begun at the mall. Mr Eniola Ositelu, its Marketing Manager, said: “Aside the election and post election days, foot traffic at the mall has been normal as expected. Business activities seem very fine here. Foot traffic hasn’t reduced, it has stayed the same.”
He added that the mall is safe. “Security isn’t taken lightly in Ikeja City Mall. The management has and will always put in place adequate security measures to ensure the centre is safe. The mall and its stores always have something special for shoppers this season,” he said.
