A female commercial bus driver, Temitope Olalekan, has encouraged young girls and women to be bold and develop a mindset geared towards success in whatever they choose to do for a living.
The successful female driver said this in an interview she granted to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.
Olalekan urged young girls to be willing to take on the challenge of becoming self-reliant and supporting their families by adopting the right mindset and a determined, go-getter attitude.
She said: “As long as a woman sets her mind to something with the right attitude and passion, nothing can stop her even in fields traditionally considered the domain of men.
“Women trading in markets are offering services.
“I am also offering a service by picking up passengers and taking them to their various destinations.”
Olalekan outlined some of the challenges she faces, including the lack of nearby bus stops, occasional non-payment of fares by passengers, and gender discrimination.
She said: “When some men board my bus, they say they would never allow their wives to do this kind of work.
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“They prefer their wives to stay at home, taking care of the household and children.
“I’ve also had experiences with passengers who refused to pay simply because I am a woman.
“Despite talking and even raising my voice, I sometimes have no choice but to leave such passengers to God.”
Olalekan also spoke about the issue of touts and unruly individuals who issue tickets to bus drivers.
She said: “Some of them are drunk and try to force tickets on us.
“When someone is intoxicated, they cannot carry out their duties properly.
“Some even carry dangerous weapons that could harm drivers.”
Olalekan further explained that her husband has been supportive of her commercial driving work as she strives to balance her business with her responsibilities at home.
She said: “I plan my day properly.
“In the morning, I take care of the children, prepare them for school, and make breakfast.
“Once they leave for school and my husband leaves for work, I begin my day as a commercial driver.
“When it’s time, I pick up the children from school and return home to prepare dinner for my family.”
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