Cursory: Abdulsherifdeen Olatunde, a 3-year graduate, started a fish-selling business after unsuccessful attempts to secure a job. Despite facing misconceptions, he remains devoted to his legitimate business while gradually expanding it and aiming to become a supplier in the future.
Abdulsherifdeen Olatunde is a 3-year graduate of the Federal Polytechnic Offa, where he obtained an HND in Office Technology and Management in 2018.
Following his NYSC service as a government school teacher in Niger State, he attempted to join the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, but was not successful in his applications.
Subsequently, he returned to Offa, Kwara State, where he now operates a fish-selling business, which he started last year due to the lack of job opportunities and his aversion to engaging in fraudulent activities (Yahoo Boy).
THE WHISTLER caught up with him in Offa and he spoke on how he became a fish seller.
He revealed that he started a fish-selling business last year due to the scarcity of job opportunities in the area and his desire to avoid engaging in fraudulent activities as a Yahoo Boy.
Recognizing the need to hustle and create opportunities for himself, he chose to venture into the fish-selling business as a means of livelihood. Since starting the business, he has experienced positive changes in his life and overall well-being.
During his service year in Niger state, the young man developed an interest in the fish-selling business. However, due to security concerns and banditry in the region, his parents urged him to return home after completing his service.
Despite applying to various places for employment, both locally and outside Offa, he had not pursued government jobs. Instead, he decided to embrace the fish-selling business, drawing upon his previous knowledge and interest in the field.
In his words:
“I started selling fish last year because there are no jobs outside and I didn’t want to become a Yahoo Boy(fraudster) so I just decided to hustle, and from the hustling there is an improvement in my life. This business is something I’ve been interested in since I was in Niger during my service year.
“But because of the security situation and bandits, my parents called me to come back home after service. I applied to so many places within and outside Offa, but I haven’t been applying for government jobs. So, because I didn’t want to sit at home, I decided to just pick up this business since I already know a little about it.
“I sell fish and it’s a business I’m very proud of. A lot of people around here think it’s something I do on the side and that I’m actually a yahoo boy but I keep telling them it’s a business I’ve always been very interested in ever since I was in Niger state.”
He started his fish-selling venture with a modest investment, purchasing three-quarters of a carton of fish for approximately N9,850. Over time, he gradually expanded the scale of his business, progressing to half a carton, a whole carton, two cartons, and now operating with five cartons of fish.
He typically sells the fish over a span of 3 to 4 days.The profit he earns from each carton varies depending on the weight of the fish. On a good sale, he can make up to N3,500 from a single carton, but there are occasions when the profit margin is lower or, in some cases, non-existent.
Despite these fluctuations, he relies on this business to sustain himself and cover his living expenses, including rent, as he lives alone. To further expand and secure the future of his fish-selling enterprise, he aspires to have more capital at his disposal.
He said:
“I started with buying three quarter of a carton of fish, which cost about N9,850 back then. So, from there, I advanced to half a carton, then a whole carton, two cartons and so on.
“Right now, I’m on five cartons and I sell it for 3-4 days. Depending on the weight of the fish, from a carton I could make up to N3,500 and sometimes less than that, sometime I don’t make any profit at all.
“I live alone and I pay my rent from this business.I need capital to expand and grow the business. I don’t want the business to fail. I don’t want to continue buying my inventory from the market.
“I want to be able to buy straight from the company. I also want to get to a point where I will become a supplier to others.”
Source: Thewhistler
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