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Ever since he settled for meat business about twelve years ago, Mukaila (First name) have lost count of loses incurred over lack of facility to preserve unsold meat for the next day.
His story was not different from other meat sellers in the popular Odori market in Iwo, an ancient city in Osun state, who shared tales of how large chunk of their investments have been lost to factors that is beyond them.
Things degenerated when the never-ending power outages frustrated adequate supply for coolrooms as the meat sellers were left shattered watching their unsold wares waste away.
Those who have been plunged into debt beyond them or could not cope with the unfavorable situation of their business, pulled out or fled the city to avoid embarrassment from creditors.
”As much as the business seem promising, the unfavorable situation that confronted us over the years was depressing,” an emotional Mukaila said in Yoruba language.
“Almost on daily basis, we encountered loss. Whenever our sale didn’t finish up, it usually ended up as a loss because it either waste away or lose worth as there is always power issue to adequately preserve them.
“That has led most people to quit the business while some of us who persevered have microfinance institution and cooperative societies to our rescue.”
However, hope was rekindled for the meat sellers when Ademola Adeleke, the senator representing Osun west district, showed concern to their plights and promised intervention to the epileptic power supply challenges facing them.
Within two months, Adeleke fulfilled his promise as he donated a 500 KVA generator to Iwo town abattoir as an alternate power supply, eliciting wide jubilation from meat sellers, who are convinced that the intervention will pull their businesses off the cliff.
The gesture which caught many unaware, drew commendations from the public who are used to politicians not honouring their promises.
Akanni, a meat seller, who cherished the intervention of Adeleke, recalled how several appeals to politicians for aid are usually met with disappointment, adding that he (Adeleke) as proved to be a promise keeper.
“The hardship we have endured over the years in keeping up with this (meat) business, is terrifying. Several appeals for intervention are never answered unless (Ademola) Adeleke who proved to be a politician with difference by keeping his word,” he said.
Akanni sentiment captured that of many meat sellers in the popular market in Iwo, who shared experiences of how they struggled daily to survive the attendant loses which inadequate infrastructures usually caused.
He recalled how he usually rely on blood from freshly slaughtered beef to sprinkle unsold meat to aid sale the next day but however, that wasn’t adequate enough to assuage loss, as customers either avoid them or buy at far lower prices.
“Since the generator was installed for us, it has solved the major challenges we have with power supply and loses that characterised the past has been eliminated,” he noted.
