“A Week In The Life” is a weekly Zikoko series that explores the working-class struggles of Nigerians. It captures the very spirit of what it means to hustle in Nigeria and puts you in the shoes of the subject for a week.
The subject of today’s “A Week In The Life,” is an interstate driver. He tells us about the risk involved in his job, his love for his wife and kids, and how he manages his girlfriends alongside his loving family.
MONDAY:
I don’t have a fixed time to wake up because my job is flexible. In the past, when I was a driver for Taxify, I’d wake up early so as to make a profit. However, since I stopped doing Taxify, I don’t have to wake up that early. I now do strictly calling. People who need my services call me for what they want and I help them out. I do anything transport — I drive people from one state to another, I help them drive their car for delivery from one state to another, and sometimes, I even help people buy cars. All na hustle.
I’m lucky that I have a good customer relationship and that’s why I have clients who always need me to help them do one thing or the other. And the funny thing is that I developed these relationships while I was still a driver on Taxify.
I tell people about the importance of honesty and human relationship because it has helped me. No be say na me holy pass, but I dey try. For the past three months, I’ve driven only one person, and we met on that same Taxify. One day in 2017, he ordered a ride and we were flowing. The next day, he called me to pick him up. We just clicked. From there, he became a plus in my life. Even though he’s based abroad, anytime he’s in Nigeria, I’m his driver. I leave all my other clients to strictly drive him for the duration of his stay. I can’t lie, he has been wonderful in my life. Even when he sends me message from abroad, I accomplish it. Always on point. In fact, today, we’re preparing to travel to his village. I need to put one or two things in place to prepare for the journey.
TUESDAY:
It’s very rare to see a faithful man. I don’t want to know how bad or ugly he is, as long as he moves around, he must have one or two babes to pass time with. That one is certain. It’s even worse for people like me who drive around all the states. I don’t have active babes in all the 36 states, but I have enough. Any state I enter, I must observe the ground and find at least one babe. Once I arrange the babe, anytime I visit that state, I holler at her. To make sure that she responds, I make our first meeting memorable for the girl. I will burst her head and flex her. And when we’re done enjoying, I will even dash her money. After that, many of them will be thanking me like fifty times. Me, I like honesty, so I tell them before we do anything that I’m married. I love my home. And this one is just both of us enjoying each other.
My parole is tight, and I talk in a way that they can’t say no. Again, with me, no dull moment. Haha.
WEDNESDAY:
Today, I’m thinking about how I don’t deserve my wife. I’m just opportuned to have this wonderful woman. It’s God that said she’ll be my own and love me for who I am. She’s my number one, and it’s because of that love that I don’t let her see any clue of my girlfriends. If any of my girlfriends calls my wife, I cut her off immediately because I don’t want anything to ruin my home.
I guard my home well because growing up, I saw my parents fight. And I don’t want my home to be like that. I love my two boys and one girl, and I cherish their mother. I can’t afford to send my kids to a big school, but the little I can afford, I give to them. I didn’t go to university even though I did all I could to make it work out. That’s why I made a vow that I’ll do whatever it takes for my kids to go to school. So far so good, I’m on track. My daughter is in JSS1 while the boys are still in primary school. I’m sending them to school, not because education guarantees success but because it’s vital — it’ll always set them apart.
People have asked me how come I have a wife, three kids and still have space for girlfriends. The truth is that I dey hustle well. Sometimes I may not make one naira in a week, but the next week, I’ll make ₦200k. I have clients that pay ₦20 – ₦30k here and there, and I join everything together. It’s God that’s helping me because the little money I get, I shuffle it. All departments must chop inside. It must sha go round.
THURSDAY:
Interstate driving is risky. I remember my accident on Christmas day of 2019 at Benin Bypass. I was going with this same friend that stays abroad when our car tumbled. I wasn’t the one driving, so I was in the back seat. The funny thing is that I was on the phone talking to my wife when it happened. One minute I was on the call, the next, I’m upside down inside bush. Fear catch me die. I was upside down looking at my phone still on, fuel was leaking out of the car, and I was strapped to the chair with the seat belt. I had to calm myself down to get out of the car. Then I also told my guy not to panic while I loosened his seat belt. Thank God for motorists who helped us out of the whole situation. With their help, we turned the car back straight and then Road Safety came to tow the vehicle. Even after that incident, I didn’t stop driving. I can’t stop driving. It’s a part of me. Anytime I touch a car, I’m at peace.
If I have my way, I’ll invest in a transport business because I know there’s money in here. This is the field where I’ve spent all my life. This is all I know and this is where my talent lies.
FRIDAY:
I love my kids so much. No matter how bad my day is, once I see them, I just brighten up. My work doesn’t give me enough time for my kids. When I’m in Lagos, I make sure I spend time with them. Sometimes I won’t travel for two months and other times, I wouldn’t be in Lagos for three weeks straight. There’s just that fatherly love that they bring out in me.
Even when I’m with any of my girlfriends, I must still speak to my kids. I’ll call to hear their voice: I’ll ask them about their studies, if they’ve eaten, and how their day went. I’m never far away from them.
I honestly don’t know how they’ll feel if they know I have girlfriends. All I know is that I won’t bring any drama near my house. Even if I’m a killer outside, I want to be a saint in my own home. I may not have a lot of money but home matters to me. I’ve been married for twelve years, and I don’t know if I can keep on living if anything happens to my family.
To be honest, I’m even changing. I’m not bad like that. If I count my girlfriends, I have only five consistent ones. I’ve removed the inconsistent ones from my list because no time. I’m also thankful that God take libido bless me to be able to keep everyone satisfied. It’s grace. I be pure Igbo guy, I strong die.
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