Traders on Sunday smiled home as they count their gains as the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention ends in Abuja.

Some of the traders, who fielded questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that they made brisk gains from selling various items ranging from food, drinks, clothes, shoes and jewelry, among others.

Mr Isah Bala, a vendor of soft drinks, gala and water, said that he sold all his products and decided to sleep at the venue till morning to avoid being robbed on his way home.

“I sold almost more than N20,000 only yesterday. I was rushing back and forth to bring products to sell until I got tired to go, so I decided to rest for the night,’’ he said.

Mrs Ngozi Eze, who also sold water, told NAN that she sold all the ones she brought.
Eze said that due to shortage of drinking water at the venue of the convention, a bottle of water was sold for about N250.

“I sell water, I finished selling all the water and had to order more but there was no more cold ones, but people were buying like that.

“People bought it for N200 or N250. On a good day when we sell for N100 most people do not even look at us especially when it is not cold.

“I sold close to N50,000, that was the one I counted because I have lost count now, till I go home before I will count and know the exact amount I made,’’ she said.

Malam Yunusa Sabo, a dried meat seller, popularly known as kilishi, said that God was on his side because he made brisk gain at the convention.

“I will not disclose how much I made but all I can say is God did well for me,’’ he said

On his part, Mr Garba Dale, a cloth vendor, said that he brought over 50 pieces of cloths and sold almost everything except three.

“I enjoyed the convention and my sales. I wish everyday was APC convention, I will miss it dearly.’’

Mrs Abiodun Tunde, a food vendor, described her sales as good as she kept cooking more food until she got tired.

“I work very hard yesterday and I sold really as well. I thank God for the gains, I am so happy.

“What I sold yesterday alone was more than what I sold in a whole week. So the convention was a blessing, at least it will help me to pay part of my debt,’’ she said.

Miss Chinasa Emeka, another food seller, said that she sold enough food until she ran out of meat, yet people kept buying regardless of meat or fish.

“Business was really good, people were just eating anything available; no preference, I enjoyed how everything went.

“I am glad I came afterall because it is my first time of selling at large functions like this. I did not know that this is how people make gain.’’

However, for Mr Barahu Idris, a shoe trader, told NAN that he only sold just a few pairs as people were more concerned with edible things than shoes.

“I now know what to do next time. I think I will change to selling other consumable things people will quickly buy, even if I had sold water alone I would had made a lot of money,’’ said Idris.

Mr Ufedo John, a snacks hawker, said he was happy because of the money he made from the convention.

John said he sold all his snacks, added more and still sold all, adding “I will be coming for such big meetings from now on’’.

NAN reports that the ruling APC held its elective national convention on March 26 to March 27, ahead of the 2023 general elections. (NAN)

“I enjoyed the convention and my sales. I wish everyday was APC convention, I will miss it dearly.’’

Odin13:

princdebola201:
While mkpurumiri addicts re waiting for bubu to spoon feed them, hardworking Nigerians re cashing out

Odin13:
Imagine people that made the money Nigerians

Shoe vendors
Cloth sellers
Snacks sellers
Food

Haba naaaa

And to an average Yoruba human, is labeled Economic growth.

God help Nigerians to survive this remaining month.

Sunnymatey:
this guy deserves a life ban.

Mooh247:



Economic growth is not about Drug trafficking and baby factory alone


.

Mooh247:



Economic growth is not about Drug trafficking and baby factory alone


.

immortalcrown:
Those who took their business there did well and I am glad they smiled home.

But the manner in which they conducted the business shows they are not different from the politicians that loot in offices. Instead of inflating the price, why not supply larger quantity at the normal price and make the same amount at the end of the day? After all, it is certain that you will record higher demand at the convention venue than at your usual point of sale. Why are you inflating the price when the national convention did not affect the production of the commodity? This is the same mentality that fuel stations use to increase fuel prices during Christmas even if crude oil price is stable.

Some irrational thinkers will say the traders did nothing wrong as long as the buyers were willing to pay the inflated price. Irrational thinkers will say opportunity comes but once. Whether opportunity comes once or always, greed is greed. If this logic should stand, then the politicians that underpay civil servants do nothing wrong as long as the civil servants are willing to accept the poor salary.

Until we begin to put ourselves in the shoes of our clients or customers, our society cannot get better. The politicians abuse their opportunities. The masses abuse their own opportunities. The same way the greed of the politicians affects the society is equally how the greed of the masses affects the society.

I know most of the buyers who paid 250 per bottle did it because those buyers looted a lot before the convention. But do two wrongs make a right? Is looting from a looter not also bad?