Encomium
The state of the nation has gotten to a stage whereby people prioritize their needs and only go for the most pressing one. This has affected patronage of cloth merchants who complain that they sometimes wait a whole day without making sale.
ENCOMIUM Weekly spoke with some of them on how they are coping…
MADAM BLESSING
Will you say that the state of the nation is affecting patronage?
It is really affecting patronage. Some people have not eaten two square meals not to talk of buying clothes. I sell only 12 yards of clothes.
Can you compare patronage before recession and now?
The difference is clear, in fact, extremely clear. I have not made N10,000 this week. Before, I would have sent my daughter to the bank two times to deposit money for me. But I thank God. Once there is life, there is hope.
How are you coping?
We are just trying to cope and believe better days are ahead.
MRS. AWELEWA
It is having a negative effect on all aspects of life. People are no more spending as they used to. I have not sold anything since I came to the market today.
It is low. We used to make sales very well before recession. People are no longer buying clothes because of the state of the economy. We are just praying for better days.
MRS BABATUNDE
Patronage has not been too good this year. I am waiting for October. I know there are a lot of festivities from October to December. I hope things would be better by then.
There are lots of differences. Things were not that tough as it is now. People were buying in groups, individuals would come as well. Market was booming then. People are no more doing parties like before. God has been good. What else can I say?
MRS. TONYE
To say it is not affecting us is an understatement. Fabrics are more expensive than they used to be now. I sell Swiss lace. I have not travelled since last year to buy new stock. I had to send a friend. In fact, five of us contributed money so that one person can travel on our behalf to get new stock. The foreign exchange rate is really making things difficult. If things continue like this, I might switch to selling only Ankara fabrics. The difference is clear. The foreign exchange rate is killing business. I don’t even know what to do again.
MRS. YAKUBU
Nigeria generally has been tough since the beginning of the year. A lot of people are just trying to survive. I have not sold one yard of fabric today. People come in just to price at ridiculous rate. I don’t blame them, it is the state of the nation. Throughout last week, I made only N20,000. Can you imagine that? We just sit all day at times without selling anything.
The least I used to make is N100,000 in a day when things were good. I would even complain that market is slow. We are in God’s hands. I hope things would b different as December fast approaches.
MRS. AJAYI
We thank God. We cannot complain. God has been good to us. I was selling Ankara before switching over to chiffon, silk and other less expensive fabrics. I still have an outlet where we sell Ankara alone. Business in my Ankara store has been slow compared to before. But the other store is not as slow as this one. People still buy two yards of fabrics for less than a N1,000 to make simple gown.
It is only God that can intervene in the affairs of Nigeria. Nobody is coping, we are all believing God for better days.
MADAM MARTINS
Business has not been the same since recession hit the nation. Business has not been booming at all. There are days I don’t make any sales. We would sit down and be watching people like that. Things were not like before. We just have to keep on putting more efforts.
MRS. ADEOYE
Business has really nosedived because of recession. People don’t buy clothes again unless it is for a ceremony. Once in a while some people come in groups to buy but we can’t compare patronage to what it used to be.
I can’t compare, the difference is too much. I have not placed orders for new stock in the last three months. I used to restock every month and sell on retail to other market women but that has not happened this year. God is our refuge. We are praying for better days.
MRS. OKEZIE
The exchange rate is killing business. We can’t even buy new stock. If the exchange rate should crash, that means death. I am already developing high blood pressure because of the way things are going. I deal in children’s clothing. I buy from abroad. I dare not travel now, I will incur debts for myself.
Help us beg the government to step in and help the masses.
MRS. IYERE
Business has not been so rosy like it used to be. I used to anticipate the festive months, we don’t know how this year would be. There are days we go home without selling anything. The annoying thing is the way customers price goods nowadays, but what can we do? We believe better day would come.
MRS FADERIN
We bless God, we cannot complain. It is the sign of the times. When we make sales, we thank God. When we don’t, we still thank Him. There is a great difference now but we are still thankful. We are pleading with government to do something fast.
- SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN
