Wuse Market, located in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is known for many things – from fabric to clothes, household items, jewellery and lots more. There is almost nothing you cannot find in the market. It is also home to masa, puff-puff and fura da nono, Weekend Trust reports.
It is very unlikely that after a long day of walking under the scorching sun at Wuse Market, one’s mind is not occupied with the thought of food; however, it is known to be the home of a variety of delicious meals and local delicacies.
Right at the centre of the market are women who are known to sell one of the best fura delicacies in the city. They hardly go unnoticed as they gather under a very big shed in the market as many customers troop in to buy the stuff.
Sharing her experience in the market, Mrs Adediji Olubisi, a regular customer who was buying over four bottles of fura on that visit, told our reporter that she had been patronising the women for as long as she could remember.
“Some days I am here as early as 8am if I want to buy fresh cow milk. I have been buying from Rashida and her mother for a very long time. Their customer service is very good and they keep their corner very tidy, so I am not worried about the product being infected.
“Their fura and fresh milk is one of the best I have had. It is very clean and I have never developed running stomach from any of their products. I even introduced a friend to them and she will always make bulk orders,” she said.
Rashida Musa, her mother and other sisters have been selling fura at the market for over 20 years. She explained that her mum has been in the market before it became what is now known as.
“My sisters and I have been coming to the market for that long to assist my mum with the sales. But sometimes, like today, I am the only one who came to the market to sell,” Rashida said.
Rashida’s day begins as early as 7am with making milk collection at Jere before she proceeds to the market to start her work.
“We buy our milk from Jere, as much as 10 buckets on some days. We sell at different prices – 75cl at N1,500 and 1 litre at N4,000.
“On a good day, the least we make is N20,000. We have many customers who buy to resell. I can say that some days we attend to at least 15 customers with different orders. On weekends, we are sometimes invited to serve fura at weddings and other ceremonies. We serve at least 10 buckets at events,” she revealed.
Weekend Trust discovered that the milkmaids do not pay rent for the space they use nor disturbed by the market task force, which are known to hassle other business owners in the market.
“As I mentioned earlier, my mum has been in this market for a very long time. We are fortunate enough to have the space for free as we don’t pay rent, neither are we disturbed by the task force,” she confirmed.
While still speaking to Rashida, another customer who identified himself as Benjamin, a barrow-pusher, approached to buy three 75cl bottles of fura from her.
Asked why he chose to patronise Rashida, he said, “I really like the fura; and it keeps me full. If I decide not to eat, I can have two bottles of this and not feel hungry.”
Another milkmaid, Aisha, who spoke to Weekend Trust, said she had been in the business for over seven years. Aisha said she had been assisting her mother in the business, adding that she had attended secondary school before fully engaging in selling fresh cow milk.
“This is like a family business, so all hands are on deck. Some days, it is me and my mum who come to the market to sell, and at times, like today, it is just me that will come and sell,” she said.
Speaking on how profitable the business is, Aisha said she had customers who would always buy from her, as well as random buyers.
“We make enough money to take care of our family. Our daily profits depend on how many bottles we are able to sell in a day. If we are able to sell 20 bottles of the 75cl in a day, which goes for N1,500, that means we have been able to make N30,000 that day. If we sell in large litres or even the bucket size, that means more money. Some days are slower than others, but we definitely make sales every day,” she said.
Aisha corroborated Rashida’s earlier statement, saying, “We operate in this space without paying rent.”
She explained that the canopy covering their stall was erected by a Good Samaritan, adding that it gives them some protection against constant threats from the FCT task force.
Under the shed for milkmaids, our reporter was able to count at least 18 women selling fura, with majority of them being young.
Despite how one may look at the business, it appears to be lucrative as three of the young girls were seen with luxurious phones priced at over N300,000.
Also, not far from the fura shed is the popular ‘Papa and Mama Jude’ restaurant. They are known to always have the best puff-puff and other delicious stuffs.
Mrs Calista Ukamaka Eneh, also known as Mama Jude, said her business was one of grace and favour. She said, “Things were not always rosy when I started my business. I started hawking food, mostly rice and protein, from one area to another in Abuja. I graduated to selling in a wheelbarrow, which allowed me to have more options for customers. I also sold from a bus for a while before moving to the market.”
Outside the puff-puff she is popularly known for, Mama Jude’s restaurant also offers a variety of meals, including rice, spaghetti, ‘swallow’ with soup, snacks and many others.
Our reporter witnessed a lot of customers at her restaurant.
“Almost every day is a sold-out day for us. We have people who come here mostly for puff-puff and those who come for food. One of our most requested meals is yam porridge and jollof rice. Our puff-puff sells at N100 a piece while other pastries go for N1,000 and N1,500. Our foods range from N1,000 to N2,500 a plate. Some days we sell over one bag of flour making snacks,” she added.
Mama Jude attributed part of her success to her children who have been of big help since she started her business. She said, “The restaurant has grown to become a family business; therefore, all my children must play part in its success. My sons have been coming since they were kids.”
One obvious fact is that business is booming for Mama Jude. She narrated that her initial rent was N300,000 annually but she has bought the shop from its owner.
“I am grateful that I was able to buy this property from its owner, considering that rent in the market, which was initially going for N300,000, is now going for N3.5 million.”
Mama Jude also said her business had served as a training hub over the years, churning out young girls with passion for food business.
“Aside the fact that a business like this needs enough hands on deck, I also use it as an opportunity to train young girls who want to learn how to cook and go into the business,” she added.
Jude Eneh, Mama Jude’s son, has also been of big help to his mother. Narrating his story, he explained that although he had other side businesses, he dropped them to pay more attention to the family business.
Jude said, “I have been working in the restaurant since I was in secondary school, all the way through to the university and after the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme. It was hard securing a job, so I decided to do more at the restaurant. And I must say that our business is really growing. I was also able to open a bole (roasted plantain) stand right beside my mum’s spot; and luckily, since the space is ours, I don’t have to pay any rent.”
Every business faces challenges and Mama Jude’s restaurant is not excluded. She explained that although she had tried to expand her business, it has been hard getting an affordable space in town to rent. She also said that sometimes, staff can be a problem.
“I have tried moving out of the market but most spots in town are very pricey. Also, it is very hard to find good staff. Most of the people who come to me are very young and you have to train them while keeping an eye on them, which can be very tasking. That’s why you see me sitting here. I have to keep my eyes on how everything is moving – from how the food is being made to how customers are served; and most importantly the payments as a lot of people still pay cash,” she explained.
As Mama Jude made another batch of puff-puff, it was obvious that the quality of her food spoke for itself. In less than 30 minutes, she had sold out two trays of freshly baked meat-pie.
Mrs Agnes Oke, who was among the customers on the queue, said Mama Jude’s puff-puff had become a staple in her home as she would always pass by whenever she could to pick up some snacks for her children to take to school.
“I have never had an issue with any of their snacks. The taste and quality have remained the same standard. And my children have grown to like it, so I usually buy this and give them as snacks to take to school. Sometimes, I can just buy them and refrigerate in case I have kids or guests come by,” she said.
On the same line, down to the extreme end is another meal spot that is very hard to miss. Here, northern guys prepare masa, another local delicacy.
Although masa can be gotten anywhere in the city, it would seem as though the one in Wuse Market has greater perks because as at midday when this survey was carried out, the ones they made were already sold out.
On another occasion, our reporter had seen someone come from elsewhere to purchase over N10,000 worth of masa in Wuse Market.
However, despite experiencing a sold-out day, Nasiru Ahmad, the masa vendor, who has spent over a decade in the business, lamented that things were no longer as they used to be 10 years ago.
He complained bitterly over how the rising inflation in the country, which has resulted in exorbitant transportation, condiments and other raw food items needed for daily operations had affected his business.
“Every Nigerian is affected by the high cost of living in the country as it impacts everyone and every business. For instance, back then, a plate of rice did not cost more than N250, but now, it is N1,000, an amount many people can no longer afford. A 50kg bag of rice used to be below N10,000, but now, it sells at a staggering price of N80,000 or more,” he lamented.
Ahmad also noted that in the past, many customers could afford meals with protein and pepper-soup, but now, most people are simply making do with whatever they can find.
“This situation has created a ripple effect across the entire value chain. We are only managing to keep the business running because we are accustomed to it; our customers are also used to us. However, I am honest when I say that our profits have dwindled,” he added.
But despite these challenges, Ahmad noted that they had been able to open additional branches in various locations, apart from their main outlet in Wuse Market.
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