Some women in South West have revealed that their intention of delving into male-dominated tricycle riding business is to redefine transportation in the region and assist their husbands in taking care of their families.
These female tricycle riders, popularly known as “Keke Maruwa” in Yorubaland, explained that they ventured into the transportation business in quest to support their husbands and children financially.
They posited that the somewhat strange terrain challenged them at their initial stage of riding the tricycle as their male colleagues felt that most of them would not sustain their voyage in the tasking transport business.
For others, even their fellow women mocked them when they were green horn by the stirring.
However, they told The Point in their separate interviews that the story has changed for better as they now smile to banks, support their families and are dreaming of making positive impacts in the ever busy competitive transport business.
Funmilayo Anpitan is a married tricycle rider in Osogbo, capital of Osun State. She was standing beside her Keke at her usual park at Igbona market area of Osogbo when The Point correspondent spotted her as the only woman riding Keke at the park.
Excited that she was approached for an interview, Mrs Anpitan, a mother of two children, disclosed that she has been riding Keke since 2016.
The Kogi-born transporter, who is married to an Osogbo indigene, recalled how she took the bold step of acquiring a tricycle on hire purchase agreement after her baby care business crumbled.
She explained that she couldn’t bear seeing her husband alone struggle to fend for the family and that she needed to support him in her own way, a reason that propelled her into riding Keke.
“I have two children. I am riding Keke because of financial issues. I just want to do something to assist my husband and also cater for my children. That is why I ride a tricycle. I was selling baby care products before but everything collapsed; so, I decided to venture into Keke riding business in 2016,” Mrs Anpitan, who was in a jean trouser and shirt, said as passengers boarded her tricycle.
While encouraging more women to consider investing in transportation business, Anpitan called on the governments to assist in subsidizing prices of vehicles, tricycles and motorcycles for easy purchase.
She said, “More women should ride Keke and it helps in sorting financial challenges at home. Women with little children may find it difficult to do but if the children have grown and can take care of themselves, it is easy for the woman to do.”
On the challenges she and other female transporters are contending with in the line of business, Anpitan stated, “The challenge we are facing is that tricycles are very expensive now and we need the government to help us. For hire purchase, they demand for N5million and more and this has been discouraging other women from joining me in this business.”
According to her, the transportation business is more profitable than selling items, saying, “If there is no market at all, you can still get between N10, 000 and N12, 000 per day.”
Sharing her future dreams, she said, “I want to buy more Keke because after three years, the Keke will start having a lot of engine problems. I need another one and I want the government to assist me on this. I want to have a brand and engage other women.
“I will appeal to women and ladies doing rubbish to fend for themselves to desist and embrace legitimate business like riding Keke, Korope or Okada. There are many ways you can assist your husbands and yourself without selling your body. If you cannot do Keke, there is korope or Okada. I know of a lady who rides Okada for business,” she advised.
In Akure, capital of Ondo State, many women have become popular faces in most of the Keke parks.
In fact, findings revealed that they have formed the Female Tricycle Riders Association in Ondo.
These women narrated that their financial status has changed for the better since they joined the male folk in the business.
Some of these women riders are widows who have been fending for their children with the Keke business since they lost their husbands.
Both Mrs Olarewaju Kemi and Mrs Omodogbe Olufunke are widows and they corroborated Anpitan’s claim that the Keke riding business is profitable.
“I have been a widow since 2009 and I have been living fine and taking care of my children and family members since my husband died. I thank God I didn’t give up at the initial stage when it was difficult fulfilling the hire purchase agreement,” Olufunke said.
Mrs Oluwayemisi Oki, the leader of the association in Ondo, narrated how some residents mocked her when she was new in the business and almost discouraged her.
She expressed happiness that their reactions did not change her mind. Now, Oki said she has successfully used the gains of riding Keke to support her husband in training their children through university level.
