My small stand, where I sold akara and puff-puff, was close to Giwa Barracks. That was how I took care of my children after I lost my husband.
One morning, as usual, I set out to fry akara. Customers had already gathered. The oil was hot, and I had just dropped some balls of akara into the fire when suddenly gunshots rang out. At first, I thought it was normal sounds from the barracks, but the shots became louder and closer. Rockets were flying, fire and smoke were rising, and I knew this was no ordinary day. Boko Haram had attacked Giwa Barracks.
Fear took over. I remember leaving the akara still frying in the oil. I didn’t carry anything, not even my money. I just grabbed one of my children who was with me, and we ran as fast as we could. We didn’t know where we were going, only that we had to find safety.
As we ran, we saw military vehicles and security forces rushing towards the barracks. The sound of gunfire and explosions filled the air. My child was crying, and I myself could hardly breathe from fear. In that moment, all I could think of was survival.
After some hours, when things became calm, I returned to my stall. What I saw broke my heart. Everything was scattered. The money I left was gone. The akara I had left in the oil was burnt black. The puff-puff and the akara I had already fried were missing. Even the mixture I had prepared spilt across the ground, trampled by people who ran for their lives.
I cried bitterly. I am a widow, and that business was my only source of survival. Every naira I had was in that trade. That was how I fed my children. Losing it all in a single morning felt like the end for me. I asked myself, How will I survive now? Who will help me?
But life must go on. Slowly, I managed to rise again. I started small, selling akara and puff-puff again. It was not easy, and the profit was little, but I refused to give up. If I had folded my hands, my children would have gone hungry.
This experience taught me something: as women, we must find a skill or a small business to rely on. If I had only depended on my late husband, what would have happened to us after his death? Business has kept us alive. That is why I encourage other women to do something with their hands. It may be small, but it can carry you through the hardest times.
As narrated by: Madam Laraba Steven (Maiduguri, Nigeria).
This snippet is published as part of a series, The Day Boko Haram Attacked.
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