•They are kings at social events
From WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti
Call them clowns and you would just be right. But indeed, they are beggars masquerading as entertainers in social gatherings. You would find them in such ceremonies as baby christening, burial, wedding and birthday celebrations, where the rich, wealthy and influential people are like;y to be present.
They are the dancers, drummers, magicians and clownish characters you find in social events in Ekiti State, particularly Ado-Ekiti, the capital. They are the unwanted regular callers at public social gatherings. Their presence is a subtle reminder of the ugliness of poverty stricken lot, categorized as the dregs of the society.
The clowns come in varying appearances and guises: You have the minors who invent makeshift fans, radios and cell phones, powered with small batteries. They use these devises to attract the attention of their targets by fanning him for a while and later whisper into his ears: “Baba mi, e ban wa nkan f’omo yin” (My father, please find something for your son).
There are those who wear clownish apparels of chalking themselves all over their bodies. They look weird and funny, and use the appearance to draw the attention of their targets who they praise to high heavens in local language. Once his attention is secured, all in a bid to get him to part with a few naira notes.
Yet, others wear bogus costumes and make-ups reminiscent of the exaggerated comic characters of the Italian Commedia de’ arte of the 16th-18th centuries Europe. Also done to seek the attention of eminent and well-dressed guests whose eulogies they sing excessively to extract some money.
There are as well as those who do not pretend, disguise or wear bogus costumes, make-ups to impress their targets, but equally beg for alms. Although, not deformed or disabled in anyway, they simply look pathetic and carry little sign boards or pamphlets on their chests which announce that they are deaf, dumb or both and need financial help.
Some of the persuasive eulogies employed by these characters to get their target part with tokens include: “Baba mi o! Eyato siwon joo. Eyato sawon honourable mari o” (My father, you are not like them, you are not like the honourables who deceive with empty promises”), and the likes.
A probe into their world into their trade revealed interesting and diverse tales. Muiyideen Adio, one of those with bogus make-ups and costumes, told Daily Sun that the pressing need to beat poverty has though, drawn many of the clowns into the trade, but there are indeed more shocking reasons behind it:
“Personally, I am gifted in acting and entertaining people. But because I am from a poor background, I cannot go to school to improve on my skills and become relevant in society. I have learnt a trade and can sew. But that does not pay in most cases. One does this thing to get to know influential people and also earn some money.”
Saheed Omodunni, a 14-year-old boy who is one of those “inventors” of the makeshift fans, radios and cell phones amost in tears said: “Although, if anyone gives me money for fanning him with this fan, I will collect it and bless the person, but my main motive of doing this and why many of my mates you see here today, do this is to advertise our talents in electronics and electrical things. We are from very poor families and many of us have to even cater for our parents who are jobless, or have one terminal diseases or the other and cannot fend for themselves let alone feeding us. We hope that beyond receiving stipends from our influential targets, they can also ask us what they can do for us to change our situation and lift us from poverty to become empowered.”
Tosin Amodu, 13-year-old boy, was also fanning guests to get some “tips.” He disclosed that he needed to pay his school fees so he could sit for the promotion exams to primary four in a public school in Ado-Ekiti:
“My poor parents cannot afford to pay for my school fees. They could only pay for my younger ones, three of them. As the eldest, I was expected to not only fend for myself but also work for my school fees. I used to hawk pepper for my mother but because she ran into a huge debt from a micro-finance bank due to delay in payment of the salary of my father who is a gateman civil servant, she cannot afford to pay my own school fees. This is why I joined some of my friends who have been doing this for sometime now.”
How profitable can do the trade be? Adio Mukaila, 41, confessed to having once rejected a local government appointment, which would have taken him out of the trade without a second thought. He argued that it is more profitable begging in his clownish guise than working as a low class civil servant:
“Truth is that apart from meeting people who can assist me in other ways, I can make about N5,000 in a day when luck comes my way in this trade. Why would I leave such sometimes, juicy trade for a poorly salaried civil service job that you may sometimes not receive your remuneration for months while your family lavishes in hunger?”
A guest who was visibly angry with the attitude of the “uninvited guests” and frowned at the alarming rate at which they are calling at social events and “harassing” guests said:
“Many of these boys are school drop-outs, lazy and stubborn kids who ran away from being properly disciplined at home and flood the streets to fend for themselves by harrassing people at social events. I think government must ensure something is done to get rid of them and stop this charade once and for all.”