Ojuelegba, a place of no goodnights…

Inspired by their sojourn and experiences in Ojuelegba, some notable Nigerian musicians have at different times devoted tracks to talk about this town that stands tall in the history of Lagos state and one many refer to as an ‘urban jungle’. CHINWE AGBEZE spent quality time in this prominent town with a peculiar feel and now writes…

Ojuelegba, one of the busiest crossroads and uniquely dense spaces in Lagos state is a vital connection point for travel within the mainland area; allowing Lagosians to commute between the three surrounding districts of Surulere, Yaba and Mushin.

Known for its rowdy setting, Ojuelegba is tensely populated with ‘area boys’, armed robbers and street workers who dot the streets at night. Few minutes’ drive gets one into Tejuosho market popularly referred to as Tejuosho market. East of the crossroad is Yaba where ‘Yaba technology’ is located, a stone throw from the university of Lagos. South of Ojuelegba is where the popular National Stadium, an important venue for notable sporting events sits.

Out of respect for this town, the Late Afro beat, Fela Anikulapo Ransom Kuti made mention of Ojuelegba in his ‘Confusion’ album when he addressed the “infrastructural nightmare of Lagos” in its depiction of the complicated, frenetic and multilingual market of the Ojuelegba crossroads.

Fela sang, “For Ojuelegba, moto dey come from south. Moto dey come from north. Moto dey come from east. Moto dey come from west. And policeman no dey for centre. Na confusion be that-i o. He go say he pafuka o”

Wizkid’s ‘Ayo’ album has ‘Ojuelegba’ as its 5th track.

“Ni Ojuelegba-in ojuelegba, they know my story. From holdup studio, I be hustle to work eeeeh. Ni Ojuelegba ooooh. Me and CD, from holdup studio, we been hustle to work eeeeh.

Ni Ojuelegba ooooh, My people dey there. My people suffer, them dey pray for blessing eh. Ni Ojuelegba o, my people dey there. Them dey pray for blessing, for better living eh eh”, Wizkid sang.

Oritse Femi also whispered ‘Ojuelegba’ in his ‘double wahala’ track. Oritsefemi sang, “Many many things happen for ojuelegba….

And if you do anyhow,

se lo ma sha e legba… (wo, mawo mawo mawo weyin o)

Abi you find yourself inside surulere…(Ah no go, no go shitta…no go there)”

A visit to this prominent town, Hallmark observed that the popular Ojuelegba bridge is a huge blessing to motorists as it serves as an escape route especially when the traffic congestion that consistently plague this place becomes unbearable. The reason for this crazy traffic is not farfetched as Ojuelegba acts as a link to neighbouring towns like Mushin, Yaba, Surulere and the Lagos Island.

The noise from the numerous commercial buses- their conductors, drivers and passengers, the hustling and bustling that takes place in this environment and the activities of touts known as ‘agberos’  who constitute a nuisance all combine to make Ojuelegba pretty different from most places in Lagos.

As night drew near, this place got busier and the beauty becomes so glaring with the streets lights on. Unlike many parts of Lagos where it’s almost difficult to sight a single soul after 10pm, in Ojuelegba this is not so as nightfall means nothing.  Again, some traders are just arriving. What’s really going on?

Adewole Ologunla, a motor mechanic in Costain who is resides in Ojuelegba offers some explanation.

“As far as ojuelegba is concerned, they don’t sleep. If you come to ojuelegba anytime, you will meet people moving from morning till night. There are some people in the business line mostly cooked food items who stay all night. They are still getting prepared now to come out”, he said.

On if the sellers stand the risk of being robbed while working all night long, Ologunla says Fashola has made robbery in this place a history.

“Who will rob them? They don’t rob them. Since Fashola’s administration, Ojuelegba has been safe. The street lights are always on so all those bad boys that hide under this bridge can no longer do so. With light everywhere, there is no hiding place for them again.”

True to Olumide’s words, it’s just daybreak in Ojuelegba as many traders are just resuming work. The movement has also doubled if not tripled in the last thirty minutes. As long as people are moving around, sales are bound to be made, even if that movement extends till daybreak as it’s the case in Ojuelegba. One of such commodity that is in abundant supply here is …food. Man must wack!

She refused giving her name but we later got to know why and who wouldn’t do the same given the state she was in. She sells Indomie noodles probably in a manner you have not tasted before. Neatly displayed on her table are tins of Sardines, Geishas and corned beef. Tucked away under the table is her small camp gas, pots, plates, utensils and not to forget, a cartoon of Indomie Noodles.

On approaching her table, she looked scared and nervous as if she were caught red-handed in a criminal act but she was only being on her toes. Calculating every single move and always ready to take off. We ask her name again…

“Wetin you wan use my name do? You be police?”she queried

She quickly backed her “market” as if she was trying to protect them from being whisked away but relaxes when our correspondent who went in the company of a customer said they meant well.

With orders placed and price discussed, she immediately dragged out a small stool from God knows where and immediately settles to fix the meal as if she were in her kitchen.

When asked why she was startled when we came to buy food she says, “Na police. Dem no dey gree us work well. Na so dem go dey chase us to close and if we no gree, dem go seize all our goods and arrest us join”

It’s just 7.45pm and according to this young woman, they are expected to 10pm but being one of the people who violates this rule on a daily basis she thought she was being arrested. Why the chase? Is it wrong for you to sell here?

“I no sabi for dem oh. Dem say we dey sell food for thieves. Me no dey sell for thieves, na people wey go night vigil dey buy my market. As dem say na thief we dey sell for, dem suppose leave us mek we fit help dem catch the thieves nao. Na my market I dey sell, if dey see the thieves mek dem come arrest dem mek I fit sell my market. Wetin concern me?”

She makes a lot of money and the trade gives her time for family, good reasons she cannot kiss the trade goodbye.

‘If market good I dey sell reach N20, 000 but as dey no gree us stand for one place I no dey even finish one cartoon. Dey say mek we dey close 10pm but na for midnight night I dey sell pass. I dey use morning tek care of my people and for night na work”

She’s done cooking. One packet of indomie and two eggs was the order and the price, N200 only. The customer said it’s worth it and it does smell really nice too.

More customers troupe in and settle down on the long wooden bench she provided. She tells us more about her resumption time and why she finds this business interesting even with the loads of police troubles.

“I dey come around 7pm but today I come late. Before I go arrange finish kom join traffic, time don go. As I reach here almost 8pm, nothing go make me no sell this market finish.

My husband na policeman too, e say mek I dey run anytime dey come. So na why I dey watch. If I see them I go pack my load run”

One wonders how she will move all she had at once when the police chase begins but that’s for her to worry about.

Moving a bit down, Onyekachi Mbah, sells snickers for both sexes. He has just finished displaying his goods waiting for prospective buyers to come calling when our correspondent approached him. He says unlike so many others, he does not stay all night.

He said, “How I go stay reach morning. Na people wey dey sell food and some other people wey feel say dem fit sell market go stay. But for me, once 10pm don nack, I go begin go house. I sell in Balogun market and when I close, I go come here because my house no too far”

With lots of customers hanging around her, ‘Iya Bukky’ another food vendor but now on the other side of the bridge who is all smiles says business cannot be any better.

“I dey quick sell market as I dey sell wetin people dey wan eat. E hard before I go say I no finish my market. Plenty people come to eat rice, beans or spaghetti. Police dey worry wen e reach around 10pm but if I no rush finish den I fit hide when dey kom or find dem small change so dey fit allow me finish even if na midnight”

Aside from the nocturnal movement and trading, Hallmark learnt that one street ‘Ayilara’ shot Ojuelegba to the limelight with the sex boom which has become its hallmark.

According to a resident, Friendy Okeke, the street can be likened to Sodom and Gomorrah as what is seen here cannot be imagined.

“This street is known as ‘ashawo depot’. When it gets to 8pm or even before then, they will start coming out and lots of men come around to patronize including policemen. They have their union and so no can molest them as they are adequately protected”, Friendy said.

At exactly 9.30pm and with few signs of the night callers in sight, one wonders if we had by any chance missed them or perhaps it was one of those “bad market” days. It must be a bad day as the few not only appeared stranded but frustrated as well.

Apart from the beauty of Ojuelegba at night, the fact that one can be rest assured their hunger bites will always be quenched with any delicacy they so desire and at any time of the day is something really different about Ojuelegba.