By Dada Ahmed.
Photo credit: The Reporters.
LOKOJA, Kogi State – Under the scorching midday sun, at the bustling Ganaja Junction in Lokoja, a lone figure stands. His calloused hands rest on his worn-out shovel, his gaze fixed on a world that seems, for all intents and purposes, to have forgotten him. A daily struggle for survival written all over his tired face, yet his eyes tell a different story – a story of resilience, of a man clinging to the thread of hope amidst the storm of his economic situation.
“I have to keep going,” says Ibrahim Musa, a construction worker who has been in the trade for nearly 15 years. His voice, though heavy with fatigue, carries a spark of determination. “But where will the next income come from? Today? Tomorrow?”
These are the questions that rattle the minds of many Nigerians like Ibrahim, as the country continues to grapple with inflation, rising unemployment, and escalating living costs. For the common man, every day is a struggle to make ends meet.
At the junction, vendors peddle goods, tricycle and motorcyclists speed past in their daily hustle, and the noise of cars echoes in the background, but amidst the hustle, Ibrahim is asking himself the same question every labourer in Nigeria is: What next?
From dawn till dusk, Ibrahim’s workday is marked by the rhythmic sound of hammering, the hum of construction machines, and the constant effort to earn just enough to feed his family. Yet, despite his long hours, he is unsure if the money he makes will be enough to keep the roof over their heads.
“I’ve been doing this work for years, but lately, it’s been harder.
“The cost of living keeps going up – food, transportation, everything. I can no longer afford the little things I used to. I don’t want to think of what happens if I don’t work today. How will I feed my kids tomorrow?”
Ibrahim’s plight is not unique. Many Nigerians are forced to find ways to survive,leaving families and individuals like Ibrahim scrambling for alternatives.
But even in the face of such adversity, Ibrahim and countless others find solace in the unyielding hope that comes with being able to work. It’s that hope that propels them to wake up each day, despite the odds, to find the next opportunity, even if it’s just a few hundred naira to tide them over.
At Ganaja Junction, stories of hardship are intertwined with stories of hope, resilience, and community. As Ibrahim pauses to take a deep breath and push on, a fellow labourer, Musa Bello, offers a word of encouragement. “We can’t stop trying, Ibrahim. Almighty Allah will provide,” he says, his tone both hopeful and pragmatic.
It’s a sentiment shared by many, despite the overwhelming challenges. In Nigeria’s toughest moments, when the future feels like an endless stretch of uncertainty, the strength of the human spirit shines through.
For Ibrahim, and many like him, there is no clear answer to the question of when the next income will come. But one thing remains constant – the drive to keep moving forward, no matter how difficult the journey may be. Each day brings with it a new opportunity to work, to fight, and to hold on to the belief that a better day will come.
As Nigeria navigates its economic storm, it is stories like Ibrahim’s that remind us of the resilience of the human spirit and the indomitable will to survive in the face of unimaginable odds.
Ahmed , a retired Assistant Editor in Chief in NAN,publishes The Reporters.
ahmeddada008@gmail.com.
