"No Time for Lazy Bone": Naija Hustle Proverbs That Don't Lie
STREET ECONOMICS
"If you no wake by 5am, your mate don buy your breakfast"
- Alaba Market Proverb
Street Translation: In Lagos, hustle starts before dawn. 3 lessons from those who sell under bridges:
1. "Early Morning Na Contract"
Why Mile 12 market women arrive by 4:30AM:
- First to see fresh goods = best prices
- Empty roads = faster deliveries (ask any "okada" rider)
- Morning customers pay full price (no "I no get change")
2. "Corner Corner Hustle Don Pass 9-5"
How roadside mechanics outearn office workers:
- No salary ceiling ("The more hand, the more money")
- Multiple income streams (parts, labor, tips)
- Zero NEPA bills to deduct profits
Data Point: 72% of Lagosians with 3+ income streams survive recessions (NBS 2023).
3. "Who No Get Muscle, No Dey Talk Grammar"
Physical hustle > empty talk:
- Bricklayers don't negotiate – they deliver
- "Show me your blisters before your business plan"
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