The world of free newspaper readers in Lagos
Samuel Akpan, a resident of Ele-epo in Abula Egba, Lagos, says that in the past two years he has made a habit of always commuting between his home and the nearest newsstand.
Akpan, who said he graduated in Literary Studies and English in 2014 from the University of Calabar in Cross River state, told other free newspaper readers at a newsstand at Ekoro in Abule Egba on Monday that going to the newsstand to read the headlines, participate in group discussions, scan the newspapers for job advertisements, has reduced their frustrations and stress.
He said he was looking to work at a bank or oil company, where he would earn comfortable wages, compared to the paltry N30,000 wages that the federal government and workers are fighting over.
In Lagos, with an estimated population of 23 million people, Akpan abounds in areas such as: Kakawa, Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Obalende, Ikeja, Surulere, Iyana-Ipaja, Agege, Yaba, Maryland, etc.
It is noted that while members of the Senate and House of Representatives are doing their part to legislate on political, economic, social and other issues at the federal and state levels, people like Akpan, who number in the hundreds in parts of Lagos, seem to be parliamentarians at our newsstands.
But Kazeem Opeyemi, a newspaper vendor at Iyana-Ipaja in Lagos, seems to be fed up with all sorts of people who visit his newsstand every day and end up assaulting each other, or even exchanging blows, while maintaining hard-line stances. on national and state issues, especially politics, economics, security, and politics and sports.
Evans Udofia, a former circulation manager for a national newspaper whose newsstand is located in Allen Junction near Sweet Sensation, said he doesn’t mind the heated arguments that normally occur daily between newspaper readers in his place.
“Sometimes I join in their discussions, although I have been forced on several occasions in the past year to draw the attention of the police and other security officials when people, who may be unemployed and frustrated, try to stir up trouble at their job. newspapers”. , he said.
But Amos, a newspaper vendor at the CMS bus stop on Lagos Island, has maintained a standard in the past year. He said that he usually collects N50 to allow anyone to read every single copy of his article.
His words: “I had to take this drastic step because some people will come, pick up any newspaper of their choice, read it or look for vacancies or opportunities, throw the newspaper away saying thank you and walk away.”
Babajide Akeju, however, is grateful for always visiting the Maryland newsstand in Lagos to pay, scan the papers for jobs, contracts and other opportunities.
Akeju said that in October last year, a man she met at the kiosk gave her a contract to supply cooking food to a church for Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Alfred, a staff member at Axa Mansard Insurance Plc, in Lagos, said he got his job through a gentleman, who normally visits the newsstand in Ikotun, his area to buy different newspapers, every day.
But, said Bala Elkanah, a Lagos police spokesman, from time to time, undercover police officers visit various kiosks in Lagos to listen to the discussions of free newspaper readers, who may come to the kiosks for various ulterior motives.