By Bose Adelaja
How often do you buy edible items on the road side especially around some popular markets like Agege, ketu, Ojota, Mushin and Iyana-Ipaja areas of Lagos State? You need to be careful as you might have unknowingly subscribe to expired or substandard products from some dump sites in the State especially Olusosun landfill in Oregun, Lagos.
Situated at Kudiratat Abiola Way, the dump site apparently occupies about 42 hectares of land where a bill board reads, Welcome to Olusosun Landfill site, Oregun, Lagos State. It used to be on the outskirts of the State, but due to the rapid urban development, the site is presently surrounded by residential, commercial, religious and industrial buildings.
It was supposed to be a dump site where wastes from various companies are burnt, however, the supposed burnt items have now find their ways back into the market, no thanks to some gullible traders who connive with other unscrupulous workers of some companies to turn the site to a 'gold mine'.
A first time visitor to the area might mistake the site to a ghetto as it now constitutes various sections where the traders' interest are well taken care of. This comprise of different ages and tribes who have turned the dump site to an all comers joint such as the elderly and the youths who are scattered in different directions.(http://vml1.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Refuse-dump.jpg?9d7bd4) (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/04/olusosun-seeking-for-wealth-in-refuse-heaps/refuse-dump/)
Olusosun Sandfill is a place where hoodlums, social miscreants and scrap scavengers have turned into a haven of illegal activities. At the site, one can easily notice a fleet of LAWMA vehicles that carry wastes but investigations by Vanguard Metro reveal that as soon as these vehicles arrive, the traders swoop on them to bid with the conveners who are majorly insiders or intermediaries to the companies.
The traders have formed illicit business clique who operate without the companies' consent and thereafter purchase the 'products' at give away prizes in order to sell to innocent Lagosians. The items include alkaline batteries, seasonings, confectioneries, beverages and frozen foods from notable eateries.
In some cases, the intermediaries are paid to dump the items in the traders' coffers for onward transfer to various markets. At the site, the traders pretend to be scavengers looking unkempt during the 'business hours' but come out in their latest attire as soon as the day's business is over.
Some of the traders did not want their names in print but they told Vanguard Metro that the place has turned their lives around, "I was introduced to scrap business by a friend, initially, I did not see any sense in coming here but gradually, I got used to the system and today, the business has paved way for me. If you see me on duty, you will think I am insane due to my way of dressing, shit money no dey smell now, the business has taken me to a higher length,''said a scavenger.
A trader who simply gave her name as Moriamo said she usually displays her wares at Agege and she sells at a reasonable price.
Asked the reaction of her customers and she said, "My sister, I don't stay in one place o, Agege is big enough for me, all I do is to move round the garages. As soon as I come back from Olusosun, I sort out the products by grades and the grades determine the price. I sell the expired ones at give away prices, some of the products don't expire but the companies have their reasons for discarding them and customers will gladly buy at cheaper rates from us. In most cases, we usually arrange with the workers of the companies and the rest is story,'' she said.
A scrap seller, Alhaja Sekinotu Aderibigbe said she usually make arrangement with her 'clients' to drop some items in her house, "I have a large compound where workers of various companies dump their unwanted products, after sorting the products, I ask my drivers to dump the rest at any dump site. The drivers of such vehicles will pretend they are going to the dump site and diverted to my house at Abule-Egba where the deed is done,'' she informed.
Vanguard Nigeria