THE MAKOLA WOMAN

Ouch!  She hit her heard hard at the window when the driver applied the breaks.it is not my head but I won't laugh.  I have a very bad habit of laughing at people who sleep in class and on public transport,  I guess is my mechanism against sleeping as well. This time round the smile is not coming, even though she is sitting just next to me but i am even ready to lend her my shoulder. From what I see in her basket,  I believe she sells sandwiches. It is 11am and the sandwiches are finished already.  I wonder the time she came out of the house to start selling and I will not try to imagine when she woke up to take care of her kids,  husband and even prepare the leaves and vegetables for sale. Her dozing in a car is understandable.  It is rather unfortunate I will have to wake her up in order to alight.  Sorry mum,  she smiled at me,  got down, and even helped me with my things so I can also get down.  Thank you maa,  oh don't mention she added.  She is strong,  she is full of life,  she is an African woman and she is a Makola Woman.

Hello sister, won't you buy red pepper,  I have onions too,   you can check the fish here as well.  I was confused but I couldn't help but smile at all that is going on.  I have walked like 200meters since morning and only 0.7% of the people are men.  The rest of them are our sweet mothers sweet sisters,  sweet aunties and sweet grandmothers.  I use to wonder how one of my school mates was able to complete university  with the support of  her mother who sells vegetables on a small scale.  Counting the profit they get,  you will be amazed how much effort they put in getting that penny. They hold a small round tray with a radius of about 20cm moving from one end of the market to the other.  At the end of the day, their profit is not even up to 20cedis,  yet they are pleased with it. They are looking forward to a brighter tomorrow, they cheer to the fact that their kids will eat. They donot think about adorning themselves nor do they care about branded items. They are determined and very optimistic.  They are our mothers, they are the Makola Women and they are our Pride.

Hey!  Maame don't step here,  we sleep here. I am only waiting for my father to descend from his office so that we can go home. Why can't I stand at the entrance of the Agricultural Development Bank? These women have hijacked the place as their bedroom.  Sleeping in the open like that,  are they not scared and who are they in the first place?  I do not understand the language they are speaking and their twi is unlike the normal,  I asked Daddy.  "They are travellers dear,  they come from Mali,  togo and other nearby countries to sell. They don't stay here for long and cannot also afford a hotel, so they sleep here for the one or two nights of their stay and then go back. You women are strong hearted my dear. You go to any extend to get meals onto the table. You are fearless, very kind, and you are our proud wives. Even if we do not have,  our women never rest. You take us out of the equation and fend for the home. But if we continuously neglect our duties that is when you take us off the dinning table too". We laughed to that and started discussing the funeral of Asantehemaa as we were within Manhyia, and it was all black and red.

Though men are trying their best, but our Makola women never rest. They go the extra mile. They are now hustlers,  travelling city to city and even country to country, not for any worldly gain, but to feed the home. To keep everybody alive and to keep every digestive system in constant motion.
The Mokola woman is ready to sell anything, from foodstuffs to clothes and even smelly and highly irritative products. It doesn't matter what smelly what they sell is, nor do they care about the rays of the sun. The rate of inflation is not a point of consideration either. it doesn't matter how little her impact is, nor does it matter whether the economy is good or bad. Her day never gets dull. Her hours never go waste and her energy never go useless. She is strong,  determined, caring, optimistic above all, she is the Mokola woman. They say a woman with a strong will is a different animal,  but I say she is a miracle. A manifestation of the greatness of our maker and a lovely mother of ours. We are proud of them,  never spill bad at them or about them nor should you deny them in public or feel ashamed to call them your own. They made you who you are today,  and it is their wish to make you a better person.

She sits with pepper even though she is having a cold. I respect her, I salute her and I love my Makola woman for her strength and determination. What about you?

Your sister
Nuhu Alimatu Sadia
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