Normally, the ubiquitous touts of the motor parks and bus stops, in many parts of South West Nigeria, are seen as the dregs of the society. They are mostly loutish and uneducated people that the refined members of the society just manage to tolerate as necessary evil.

Decent people hope as they leave their homes in the morning not to have anything to do with them because of their philistine ways and their proclivity for violence. Many of them are willing instruments of violence in the hands of unscrupulous politicians during electioneering seasons. These often dishevelled looking citizens, are associated with mayhem in the society with its consequent maiming and killings. However, in what is obviously like sweet paradox, some of these touts or agberos as they are called in the local parlance, are standing out as owners of decent businesses and employers of labour.

Those among them who have become entrepreneurs are often revered by their lesser peers in their “domains” as well as other members of the society. but avoid them since they are the lords of motor park minors.

Otunba Fatai, alias ” Danger,” is a name that rings bell in Agbado station and Ope-ilu areas of Ogun State and Adiyan, a suburb of Lagos.

Certainly, he has not made a name for himself as a writer, singer or thespian, yet he is more idolised in the communities where he holds sway, than celebrities.

This reporter had an accidental encounter with him at a hotel he owns in Adiyan. As he walked up the long corridor, accompanied by bodyguards into the large expansive alfresco bar, a medley of people acknowledged him by deferential greetings.

He later started chatting with makeitglobal.biz after this reporter had identified himself as newsman.

Fatai whose wife and children are based in the US, said aside the hotel, he owns two standard primary schools and a thriving bakery, and two commercial vehicles plying Akure, Ondo State.

“The popular misconception that agberos are layabouts without any ambition is very prevalent in our society, but it is not true. Though, there are some that are not responsible, a lot of us are decent people, with families and businesses. We are not paupers. We are the new middle class, and a lot of us are better off than many graduates on regular employment. And if you must know, we have many graduates in our midst. We should not confuse our public perception with what we really are.”

Lateef Akanji, another “agbero” lives in a two bedroom flat in Ijaye, Ojokoro, a Lagos suburb. He is one of the boys saddled with the responsibility of collecting daily dues from commercial drivers. He told this e-newspaper that he goes home with an average of N7000 daily, owns a commercial bus, has a small block making business with three workers, and has a large retail shop being managed by his wife.

“My two children attend a private school where I pay N25,000 each as school fee. I also own a small block industry with a staff of three”, he said.

Mutiu Okanlawon is one of the officials of motorcycle riders’ association in Ijoko, Ogun State.”


My brother, I take home an average of N8,000 daily. I have five motorcycles on the road, and two hectares of cassava farms with three permanent staff. From the cassava farm, I make an average of three million annually. The manager of the farm is an HND holder. I pay him N25,000 monthly,” he said.

Continuing, Okanlawon declared that ” the people you press call touts or agberos are responsible people with businesses of their own.”

Falodun Ajao is a regular agbero in Boundary, Ajegunle. At 29, he has two wives and five children who are in private school.

“I have made the two wives comfortable by securing well stocked stores for them with different wares. And I have a commercial vehicle that makes money for me. My two brothers are in university, and I take care of them”, he blurted out with glee.

The perception of the society that touts are disreputable scum of society may soon change, as many of them are succeeding as owners of small and medium scale businesses.

https://www.makeitglobal.biz/touts-become-entrepreneurs/

Life can be unfair.

Cc: Lalasticala

Imagine... 7-8k erryday.

Just disturbing the hard-working individuals in their daily struggle and still earning more than them.. This world ehhh...