Follow Us on Google
From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin-Kebbi
Jega Bridge, on Jega-Maiyawa Road, from Kebbi State to Sokoto State is a source of income for less privileged Nigerians. It assumed the function of a business hub years after it was constructed, attending to the needs of several small income earners in its immediate area.
Businesses thriving around the area included dry cleaning, car wash, block-making and catering. From sunrise to sunset, these Nigerians locate themselves at the foot of the bridge, some travelling down to the base of the river or swimming across to eke a living.
Many of those engaged found themselves there by accident. Some had accompanied fiends to their businesses only to be attracted to a trade. Others had lost their parents and had to look to the direction of the bridge for a lifeline.
But majority suffered from lack of formal education. Rather than join the long band of Almajiri children begging on the streets, they decided to take up a craft, only for fate to gift them with the opportunities on the Jega Bridge Gali Abdulhami Yauri was an orphan, having lost his parents years ago.
Specifically, he lost his father some eight years ago while his mother’s death trailed a year after. He migrated from one town to another, until he finally came to a stop at Jega Bridge.
He maintained that life under the bridge has become his own paradise on earth as it has taken care of his needs by providing him with an opportunity to fend for himself.
He told Daily Sun: “There are numerous job opportunities or points of survival on the bridge. I just picked one and it has been well with me. Before I came here six years ago, I was an Almajiri on the street, begging.
“When I came here, I joined them and learnt the art of dry cleaning and clothes washing. This job has really helped me. I have stopped begging on the streets. I earn between N6,000 and N8,000 daily, depending on the time of the year.”
Forty-year-old Jamilu Umar Jega had a different story he grew on the job. He learnt the art of cloth washing from his senior brother, Balarabe, as their parents could not afford to send them to school in their village:
“I have no regret doing this job since my childhood. I got married here, and I am with children today. Even without any education, I earn at least N5,000 or more daily from washing people’s clothes.”
Bashiru Umar has been here also for the past 20 years. Many of his colleagues learnt the job from their senior brothers or from their parents. They make use of the old fashioned style of stone washing because they could not afford modern washing machines:
“We are over 70 people here working as dry cleaners. This is our job this is our destiny. We are not afraid of cold or hot weather. We just want to earn our daily income through a legitimate means. And we thank God and government for not disturbing us here.”
Chairman, Dry Cleaners Association on the bridge, Suleiman Ibrahim Jega, has been working there for the last 40 years. Now 57, he said government should improve the facilities around the bridge, as it has become a catalyst for economic activities.
He also appealed to government to assist their members with modern equipment to enhance their enterprises: “Our people are very hard working. They will be ready to step up from washing with stones.”
Block-making and car wash businesses are also booming around the bridge. Block makers go down to the riverbanks to fetch sands from the canoe operators to mould their blocks.
One of them, Issau Abubakar, dropped out of school because of financial challenges: “We do not pay taxes here, because government already knows we are struggling to survive.
“Apart from flood and rain that usually disturb us, we have no problem. During the flood, we face a number of challenges and incur debts. During that period, this place is usually inaccessible and our blocks get destroyed.”
While speaking on his sojourn to Jega Bridge about three years ago,
Moshood Suleiman came to the bridge only three years ago. He stopped street begging after he was introduced to car wash business under the bridge. He makes between N3,000 aqnd N5,000 per day: “I use the money to fend for myself and my family. So, I have no reason to complain.”
Some of the workers on the bridge are girls. They hawk foods, snacks, drinks, fruits and nuts to the cloth- washers and block makers. These girls spice the environment with gist. They also offer some other forms of services to the workers.
Daily Sun gathered: “Some of the girls even get married to our members and raise children for them.”
