By Ola Ajayi

LIFE is full of many inexplicable ironies. While some were born with silver spoon in their mouth, some did not enjoy the luxury of being fed with any spoon let alone a silver spoon. Some have sumptuous meals on their tables at any given time, but, fate has been so unkind to others as they live like parasites on few affluent ones. Instead of eating what they want like people in wealthy homes, they eat what they see.

Most times, eating three times daily is a very tall dream. When eating becomes difficult, they either steal or search some unhygienic places like garbage and dustbins for the leftover dumped by the rich. In fact, it is a competition among them as those who get to the waste early enough are likely to get something that would keep the body and soul together.

In Ibadan metropolis, the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi at the inception of his government tried to consolidate on waste disposal method by purchasing additional compactor trucks, roll-on-roll-off trucks and dust bins to complement the ones he met on ground.

•Scavengers at a refuse dump in Ibadan

When the state government purchased the equipment, little did it know that it was providing source of livelihood to some indigent people.

Early in the morning since the scheme was launched, South West Voice observed that scavengers, young and old, male and female rush to various refuse sites to get their means of livelihood. They are scattered everywhere. Some of the items the scavengers pick from waste bins include food, plastics, iron rods, electric appliances and many others. While some of them rely on these items for feeding, some collect them for onward sale to waiting buyers.

South West Voice gathered that some of the destitutes who feed on sour leftover food are usually being conveyed through the Oke Ogun area of the state, from the north-eastern part of the country ravaged with insurgency.

Speaking on the activities of the scavengers, Mr. Boye Ajayi, a businessman said what looks dirty to many is a source of wealth for others.

According to him, the scavengers are turning waste to wealth. He said, “They are turning convertibles to money-making venture. In the past, If they were able to get one trailer load of iron wastes to a popular steel company, they smiled back home with nothing less than N1million”.

On the implication of their activities, he said it depicts economic stagnation and poverty rate in the country. “The scavengers do not depend on waste bins alone, they usually move from one mechanic workshop to another where they vandalise essential motor parts that are still functional,” he said.

A motor mechanic at Oluseyi Bus-stop, Ibadan, Mr. Sola Olowo complained bitterly about the activities of scavengers saying “these people just hide under the guise of picking discarded items. They steal our equipment, motor spare parts of our customers. We don’t allow them here in our workshop”.

However, a scavenger, who simply identified himself as Umar said he could not speak for others but he could speak for himself that he has never stolen anything.

According to him, “this job is better than stealing around. When we pick things from refuse dumps, we sell them to our customers. We make our living through this. It is wrong to say we are lazy people.

Legitimate work

Most of us have our legitimate work. But, because patronage is low, that is why you see us roaming the streets picking just anything that could fetch money for us.”

Umar added that “Some people may be stealing and eating from the refuse heaps. For me, I am not mad. How do you expect me to be eating leftover food from this dirty place. You see me wearing a pair of glasses. It is because I am ashamed doing this job. Once I realize enough money, I will divert it to another business that is more dignifying than this.”

In her own account, a woman, Aisha who was with her daughter said in a rather inaudible voice that she was driven from the battle-torn Borno State.

The woman who spoke through an interpreter was seen at Veterinary Hospital junction, Mokola with her daughter waiting for anything she could get. She said, “I came down here some months ago when my village was ravaged by Boko Haram. All my people ran away and up till now I don’t know where they are. I then decided to come down South where there is peace. Since I have nobody here, I come here early to see if there is anything for me and my daughter.”

“There are times that some people from a church bring us food. When they bring it, we will have hope for that day. But when they don’t, I beg for alms from people. If I don’t get anything, I try to come here and see if there is anything here.” When asked if it was only food she picks from the waste, she said she picks other things that can be useful for her. “I pick shoes, clothes, bags and plastics.”