Area Boys: Hustlers of Ignorance
Chronicled by
Afronuts
@
Monday, October 29, 2012
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| Image by George Oshodi |
I was on my way home with
the family from church in a friend’s Toyota Tundra two Sundays ago when the
vehicle’s towing hook got us stuck along a bad road deep inside the rural town
of Alagbado. Within minutes neighborhood guys and some area boys had surrounded
the truck trying to push, carry and prompt the it out of the crevice that had caught
the hook.
The scenario was noisy and skirmished as everyone was
shouting different stupid solutions to the problem. They pushed and it got
worse, they told my friend to reverse and it didn’t work. Someone asked for the jack to lift the car
and only ended up spoiling it.
Eventually one smart guy who hadn't been arguing just took a
piece of rod lying somewhere, placed it under the hook and with effort from
another person lifted the hook as the jeep was throttled and we were instantly
free.
Simple solution!
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| Toyota Tundra |
Then the scruffy knucklehead who spoilt our jack had the
guts to come ask to be paid for his effort. I felt like socking him in the jaw
but I didn’t want to lose the blessings I had received in church. So I just
asked him ‘For what? For spoiling the jack?’
By the time we (my friend, wifey, and I along with some
elderly baba from the neighbourhood) faced him, he mellowed and took off. Even
the guy who had pried us loose didn’t come a-begging.
Then just yesterday, on our way back from church we stopped
at a petrol station to re-fuel. There was this area boy who would want to help
direct whenever anybody needed to re-park or reposition his car. His help was
actually not necessary but he did it and expected to get paid.
I laughed.
Na work be that? Well…at least it’s better than stealing,
but he can do better if people with one arm can hawk goods at Maryland Traffic
light junction.
I’ve noticed that Lagos seems to have factors that push
these area boys to get a bit creative a bit unlike their Ogun State
counterparts.
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Area boys in Lagos always attempt to be creative with their
hustling. Some are smart to come up with money making strategies – like removing
the divider on a highway where there’s traffic so that cars can turn into the
opposite lane, and collect toll fare for it or simply collect toll from you for
passing through their neighborhood as a shortcut. Some also attempt to crudely
fill potholes in roads with sand or debris for easy passage of cars and stop
you to pay them before you pass.
Meanwhile, the area
boys in Abeokuta, Ogun State happen to be a bunch of lazy goons. They only
thing they ever do is surround you, hail you to death with unmerited accolades
and praises, and expect to get tipped. I experienced this bunch full hand at my
Grandmother’s burial. What got me in their trap was the fact that I was wearing
traditional attire. That alone qualified me as capable of doling out cash at
the event. I managed to give a little cash to a couple of them and told them to
share it. I hadn't gone far when another bunch that had been lazying around and
saw what happen hurried up to me hailing me and expecting to receive their
share!
As if I was sharing national cake!
There are so many area miscreants out there who don’t want
to engage hard work but want to get paid. They actually
don’t have an excuse; unfortunately they are also ignorant about the fact that
they don’t have excuse.
I wish I could help keep them off the streets and make them an asset to society, unfortunately, that's not my calling.
God help us...God help them!
9 Screamer(s):
Area boys ish...
What u said about their Abeokuta counterpart is so true, I grew up in abeokuta and still go there. Something needs to be done, God help us!
i wont actually say the Lagos ones are better really....
i believe it's a mind set at play in many of thier lives. Quite alright they may have been disadvantaged from the start e.g they didnt attend corona school Ikoyi(you get my drift) but then they do nothing(most of them anyway) to better thier situations.
The Lagos ones absolutely drive me nuts harassing/demanding tolls thrice(or more times) daily from okada riders and bus drivers.
They should all be rid off the streets if you ask me!!!!
i must admit though that i have once or twice benefitted from thier being on the streets. But that is story for another day......
There is high unemployment in Nigeria, especially for unskilled people. But those guys are also lazy, at least some go into construction or mechanic or small trade.
Area boys alias agberos have come to stay no matter the effort anybody or organization try to re-rehabilitate them! Nothing like AWUFF..free money...and the root of the problem is breeding so many children that cannot be catered for by some couples! POVERTY the underlining factor!
A customer of mine told me his parents gave birth to another baby last year! This man is in his late 20's! He was the one that footed all the bills! And taking care of his younger siblings....he had to warn his parents to STOP having more children! Tell me, if there was nobody to help, won't these children turn into miscreants just to survive?
NOBODY was born to be like that or wish to grow like that, but condition nah make crayfish bend.
It is a continuous phase.
Truth is there's so much they can do but r they willing? The worse ones are the ones who shout 'park here...park here' like the own the road. Like without them u won't park.
area boys and their madness...most of them are just lazy and want to earn money without doing anything.
Don't limit this to area boys o, even the security guards do same. Imagine trying to get food at an eatery or even going to the bank. They rush to open your door, hail you all sorts and stop cars for you when you're driving out. All this in the hope that you would "find something" for them. Then when you don't respond they out-rightly say "Fine aunty, anything for us?". I always smile and say "maybe next time" not because I cant give but heck, don't do it for the sole purpose of "ragging" me.
@Dayor....lol! Thank God someone else noticed it. I thot I was the only one.
@fluffycutething...You said that right! Those area miscreants can drive u nuts!
@Myne...yeah...especially those that decide to really work. Lazy ones just full everywhere.
@Simply mee...lol...you talk am as if there is no hope for them...is there?
@Real8...Laziness...na the major evil spirit wey don possess dem
@Lara...they are usually the goons behind thefts and armed robbery too.
@Jhazmyn....lol...Very true Jhazmyn, I've experienced the scenario. But at least they have jobs. I know it is usually a customary thing to tip but one must not be pressured into doing it. Area boys love to pressurize
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