She was sighted walking slowly alone and hawking white granulated sugar measured in small nylons along Okere Road, Warri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State. With a relatively loud voice, she called out to passersby to patronise her wares.
Through hawking sugar stuffed in a transparent plastic bucket around the streets rather than begging, Stella Onovughakpo, an Urhobo in her early 50s, ensures she makes money to cater for the five children her late husband left behind.
Hear her story: “My name is Stella Onovughakpo and I am 52 years old. I am from Orogun Town in Delta State. I am married but I lost my husband some five years ago.
“I have five children. My first child is 32 years old and my last born is in Junior Secondary School (JSS I).
“All my children are grown up. My husband was a civil servant before he died, and since he died, things have been tough. Things have not been easy at all.
“Things got so bad that I have to hawk in the streets before I can feed and also feed my children. Life has not been easy, but God has been merciful and gracious.
“When my husband died, I ventured into provision business in my street, but the money I was making from it was nothing to write home about.
“It was not enough to feed my children, pay house rent and do other things, so I stopped. It was a tangible business when things were still cheaper. At least it could take care of some food stuff and other necessities when a basket of garri was sold for N1000 but it is no longer so.
“If I was making about N10,000 a month from the provision business, N5000 could buy five baskets of garri which would last us for two months but imagine now that garri is sold for N3,500? N10,000 is not enough to buy three baskets of garri.
“So, because of this and so many other reasons, I had to stop the business and I ventured into hawking sugar.
“I supply sugar to people selling in shops. Though the money is still not much, we are making do with it for the time being.
“The money I am making from here is usually not enough in taking care of the children but their father’s family is assisting me in some areas. So that is how we are surviving. Two of my children are graduates now.
“I can’t make N15,000 monthly from this business but I am not the type that likes sitting down with folded arms, that is why I am hustling.”
Stella was asked to speak to the current economic situation of the country vis a vis her situation: she said: “It was not easy when things were cheap talk more of now that things are now very expensive.
“I can’t go to the market with N50,000 and come back with a bag full of foodstuff. Everything is expensive.
“The government should look into how to reduce the price of foodStuff and other things so that the poor in the society can feed. It is not easy for us widows with children to feed.
“If I see anybody that would like to help me, I would want a shop in the market where I can be buying sugar in bags and be supplying sugar to retailers. I know that one will be more lucrative than selling in small quantities.”
When asked if she would like to remarry, she said that marriage was not in her agenda, adding that the only thing occupying her mind was how to hustle to take care of her children as a single parent.
“Marriage? No no no! I am not thinking about getting married again right now; what I am thinking of is how to take care of my children so that they would come out well in life,” she quipped.
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