The trajectory Of Kumasi Paa-oh-paa
The migration of women and young girls from mostly remote areas to the cities across the country in search of greener pastures down south has received tonnes of attention from non-governmental organisations and various governments.
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One may be tempted to believe that they are experiencing a miserable life, carrying heavy loads of cargo on their heads for a pittance. However, out of their bleak situation, they have found an ingenious way of making themselves happy.
These people are believed to have migrated from the northern part of the country. Even their subscribed names speak volumes about the trajectory of problems they go through. They are popularly referred to as Kayayei in Ga and Paani or Paa-oh-paa by the Akans.
Kaya-kaya, literary meaning ‘burden’ in Hausa, is a term given to people who perform menial errands by way of conveying the luggage of people at a cost. Literally, a kaya-kaya is a load carrier, a female kaya-kaya is commonly known as kaya-yo.
In Accra, they mostly reside at ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’, a slum near the Korle Lagoon, but in Kumasi, one can find them in areas such as Asafo, Moshie-Zongo and Aboabo. It is believed that Kumasi has the highest number of these kayayei. This is because the proximity between the north and Kumasi is incomparable to that of Accra.
In Kumasi, they are always seen moving to and from their places of abode and makeshift structures at Asafo, Moshie-Zongo and Aboabo.
Daily routine
Surprisingly, it is a sight to behold when these young ladies troop from their places of abode in large numbers to their “workplace”. A similar picture is painted when they close from “work” and trek back to their hostels.
To excite themselves and probably to take their minds off the daily hardship and threats at night, they resort to beautiful traditional songs interspersed with very robust dances.
In Kumasi, they operate at the Central Market, Kejetia Lorry Terminal, Abinkyi Market and the Alabar Markets, busily carrying goods on their heads for peanuts. They carry goods ranging from foodstuff to bales of second-hand clothing, all in an effort to make a living.
A typical example is at the Asafo Cold Stores area where they hang their clothes on the metal fence, pavements and at times on the shoulders of the road. After six solid days of engaging in manual and tedious work, they also find time to wash their clothes on Sundays. When they are done with such Sunday chores, they engage in activities just to entertain themselves.
A number of these ‘kayayei’ from Central Market, Kejetia, Alabar and other surrounding markets gather after work between 6 and 6:30 p.m. to have their bath at a public bathhouse beside a big drain which separates Aboabo and Moshie-Zongo.
In the morning, the rush hour period, the few who come early get the chance to bath, and the rest who cannot wait, bath in the open with only their panties on.
Health
On how they cater for their health needs and that of their children, this writer observed that most of them did not subscribe to orthodox medicine.
Most of them, who this writer spoke to, said they always felt fit to continue with their chores, because of their daily routines.
One of them, who did not want to be identified, said “I always pray to God that I do not feel sick. We know that the environment under which we live and work is not the best. But we hope in the Almighty that all will be well.”
Holiday night jam
While residents of Kumasi are revelling at various joints and spots including Lake Bosomtwi celebrating national holidays, these young ladies also find a way of celebrating the day in their own style.
With a few bottles of soft drinks, scores of these migrants occupy any available space, especially a nearby park just adjacent the Asafo Cold Stores area, where they treat themselves to some indigenous musical performances.
They display most of the popular dances from the north such as the takai, jera, bamaaya, sebre, bawaa and nagla.
The sweat and water-soaked attires of these paa-oh-paa really attest to the fact that one needs extra energy and vigour to dance to such musical tunes.
During the last holiday, a similar occurrence happened at a popular joint where these ladies met to shake off the stress from the hustle and bustle of life.
It was a sight to behold as the audience went gay, when the Disk Jockey (DJ) dropped Me gye wo girl, a popular single by Shatta Wale, which literary means, “I will snatch your woman”.
To be frank, that was the first time I saw a merger of the popular Azonto dance and the Dagomba Takai dance.
As of midnight when I was leaving the show, there were no signs that the event was coming to an end soon; looking at the way many others were trooping in.
Shelter
After the hard day’s work, these ladies spend the night in makeshift structures such as kiosks, containers and at times in front of stores in the central business district and houses near the markets where they are exposed to rapists and bad weather.
The explosion of the numbers of these Kayayei has compelled some of them to sleep dangerously under various overhead bridges exposing themselves to the vagaries of the weather. Whenever it rains, they coil themselves and defencelessly hide at corners till the rain stops.
At Aboabo, a Muslim community in Kumasi, is a big wooden ‘hostel’ where most of these young women spend the night. They pay GH¢2.OO per night.
One of them, Zainabu, told this writer that at least 150 of her colleagues spend the night at the hostel at Aboabo. She explained that although conditions were not good, they preferred that place to others because of the assured security.
Asked how she saved her income, she said she used to save with one susu collector but had unfortunately lost all her one-year savings after the person bolted with the money.
“As I speak to you, I have my entire earnings hidden in my underpants,” adding that the least carelessness on one’s part in that ‘mafia room’ could lead to the loss of her entire savings.
Moreover, looking at the increasing number of these people, coupled with the untidy environment in which they live, one can easily sense an epidemic waiting to strike at the least opportunity.
