By Timothy Daniel
Kaduna (Nigeria) – Looking at the continuous rise in unemployment rate among young graduates in Nigeria, Usman Abukakar, a graduate of Marketing said venturing into the commercial tricycle transportation business was a better option for him than staying idle as he is able to take care of his family with proceeds generated from the business.
Abubakar who graduated from Bida Polytechnic in Niger state said for him lazing around and waiting for a white collar job was frustrating, as such the only option for him to stay alive and take care of his immediate needs and family was to keep pride aside and live.
According to him, “the reason behind me going into the business is to make a living and to sustain my family. I also want to avoid myself from being an idle because it is said that an idle mind is the devils workshop.”
Abubakar who does his business within Kaduna Metropolis explained that, he started as an Okada rider (commercial Motorcyclist), but after the banned on commercial motorcycle in Kaduna state and tricycle was introduced, he still embraced it. Though he said the tricycle when introduced was very expensive and beyond his reach, as such, a Good Samaritan bought one for him which he was able to pay back the money instrumentally.
When asked how much he makes averagely in a day, he said when tricycle was introduced newly, he makes nothing less than N5000 daily between the hours of 8a.m – 9pm; but currently he works an extra hour and goes home with about N3000 daily.
Abubakar however stressed that, as a father of three, life has not been easy especially with the economic recession but gives God the Glory.
While calling on the state government to create programmes and policies that will positively affect the lives of young people in the state, he urged young graduates not to stay idle but find something little to do and take care of their immediate needs and challenges; saying, “they should never despise their days of little beginning in life.”
