Curiosity. That was the main reason for choosing to ride in Ms. Aisha Umar’s taxi in the Federal Capital Territory on Friday. RASHEED BISIRIYU reports his encounter with the first female taxi driver in Abuja

Ms Aisha Umar has been a taxi driver in Abuja for over five years. Her handling of the vehicle is professional. She calls out for passengers and attends to matters relating to her job cheerfully and promptly too. She is never shy; and almost every day, she has had to answer questions, especially from many inquisitive male passengers. That, she does, courteously.

According to her, taxi business was the last thing on her mind when she dropped out of the university over 10 years ago.

She was in her second year studying Public Administration at the University of Abuja when she became pregnant.

Her initial plan was to take a break for one year to have her baby and then return to the school to complete her studies.

But the plan failed and that changed her course.

Today, Aisha, a 33 year old single parent, is a taxi driver in the FCT. She is the first lady taxi driver in the nation’s capital.

She was the only woman in the business for over five years until about six months ago when another lady took up the job at the FCT, apparently impressed by Aisha’s success.

And business has been good, she admits.

According to her, she pays her rents and takes care of the family with what she makes from the taxi.

Five years is a lot of time to perfect the commercial driving act and most people are not surprised that the lady handles the steering, driving around the city, picking and dropping passengers with a high level of dexterity.

Aisha, a mother of two, told our correspondent why she had to abandon her trading business and went into taxi business. She said it started by accident.

She had returned from Algeria, leaving her husband behind when it was obvious that the marriage would not work. She came back to Abuja with two kids, a boy and a girl.

She immediately went into trading and was dealing in clothing materials.

As a lively woman, many liked to patronise her.

She bought a car, a Nissan Sunny. It helped her to move the wares around, supply interested friends while she collected money later.

Only few paid for the materials on delivery; many bought on credit. The debt kept mounting and it was beginning to affect the business. She was fed up but she could not call it quits because there was no other means of survival.

One Saturday, she set out to meet some of her debtors. It was all stories, Aisha said. She became dejected. The fuel in her car was running low and she needed to top it up but there was no money.

As she was driving back home, dejectedly, a middle-aged man who appeared stranded, having waited for a cab for about an hour, flagged her down. Aisha stopped, almost absent-mindedly.

The guy asked if she could take him to Asokoro. She agreed and got N350 for the effort. And as soon as the man alighted from the car, another man entered and paid N400 for a journey of about the same distance. That was how it started.

She said, “At Wuse, a man stopped me and asked if he could help get more passangers into the car at N50 each and I accepted. And I got N250 on the short trip.

“That first day, I went home with N1,700, that was after I had filled my tank with N2,300 worth of fuel.”

The next day, she hit the road very early. And since then, she has not looked back.

Aisha has changed her car. It was in 2008, a year after she started the taxi business. She bought another Nissan Sunny for N650,000. It was an imported used car, but a newer model.

She has not set eyes on her estranged husband since they parted many years ago. But she is not bothered about that. As long as her taxi business is not hampered in any way that will affect the upkeep of her children, she is happy.
SOURCE: www.punchng.com/business/transport/why-i-operate-a-taxi-abuja-female-driver/

This is more of a lesson to the ladies. Do what you have to do at the right time so you wouldn't have to face the inconveniences later. Its good she didn't resort to prostitution or other vices. May God bless her hustle.

Ok.

I once entered her taxi (drop) and she over-charged me

What a man can do...a woman can do beta and cheaper....na so dem talk sha

This is a lesson to other women that are engaging in a shady business like prostitution. Welldone Aisha.You are a role model

Wow! She's even attractive. Women are really pushing the boundries especially muslim women.
Btw she should be charging double.

God bless her hardwork

I tot its haram

The resilient spirit of the northerns. When she hammer we go say na juju money. Ride on madam.

Dr. Wise:
Ok.

i tink u deserve an award 4 quoting d whole story only 2 write OK. I truely dont understand wat Kindergertens are doing on dis site. May God b her strenght jare. But i bet dis same woman canot try dis in 1 of dos countries wia d RELIGION OF PEES is d same as d constitution. Dat is wat freedom can giv u, not bondage by dat religion. God knows her head wud hav been rolling by now. Woman Spread d gospel of freedom 2 ur peeps up dia in Northern Nigeria, Mali,Pakistan,Iran,Afganistan,Saudi Arabia e.t.c Tel dem its only Christianity dat can grant such liberty.

val_dubem: I once entered her taxi (drop) and she over-charged me

Women can be greedy when it comes to money!!!

Women are indeed challenging men (in good stuff), this sends a message to lots of lazy men and women.

Beautiful and tough

Yes I've entered her taxi before along Ademola Adetokubo crescent Wuse 2 in font of Bigbites and she drove more like man.

spywareczar: I tot its haram

Oh shut up.

There is diginity in labour. I respect her hussle, not like all this Buy-Me-Buy-Me ladies.

I like my Northern babes..hehehehe

Most women will say what a man can do a woman can do. Some don't even know the inspiration in that. Anyway am still searching for female barbers and electricians and bricklayers

Brand_new: Wow! She's even attractive. Women are really pushing the boundries especially muslim women.
Btw she should be charging double.

You started very well but like the retard you really are, finished poorly.

May God bless her business the more, It pays to be hard working both men and women

Hi Aisha!

Keep it up, Aisha!

QUIZ!: Who is the first female taxi driver in Abuja metropolis?
(A) Abike dabiri
(B) Ngozi Okonjo
(C)Aisha Umar
(D) Patience Jonathan

sasview: QUIZ!: Who is the first female taxi driver in Abuja metropolis?
(A) Abike dabiri
(B) Ngozi Okonjo
(C)Aisha Umar
(D) Patience Jonathan

Turai yar'adua

@Unanghope,

When you make sensible posts, people will like or quote naturally.

alpha conde: Most women will say what a man can do a woman can do. Some don't even know the inspiration in that. Anyway am still searching for female barbers and electricians and bricklayers

Of course there re female brick layers, go to Abakaliki, Ebonyi state