JANET KYEREWAA, RETAILER
My name is Janet Kyerewaa aka Shatta Wale aka Empress Cocobod, No-size!” Janet enthusiastically introduces herself to her fourth customer of the day. Janet’s way of introducing herself to customers, and people generally, has become one of her signatures in the market. Janet stands in front of her five by four square feet wooden stall which intersects two aisleways. Spotting a buzz cut and dark lipstick which effortlessly compliments her dark skin, she scans the aisleways with hopes of finding buyers passing. It’s a Saturday, one of the two market days in Kantamanto; the other day being Wednesday. On these market days, foot traffic is at its highest in Kantamanto. Janet and other retailers try to harness this and maximize sales of their secondhand garments. Janet begins to clap and sing off key as a way of pulling some attention to her stall. While some of the retailers burst out laughing at Shatta’s vocals, three others start clapping and join in on the tune. Shatta pauses the singing and clapping, and calls out “sweethearts!” at two ladies who are approaching her aisle. She quickly pulls out two silk floral blouses she had hanged right in the front of her stall and proceeds to introduce herself to the ladies. The ladies do not seem to be interested in the silk blouses but somewhat interested in Janet’s character. She leads the ladies to her stall and shows them some of her first grade silk and polyester blouses. Since the stall can barely host two people, Shatta leaves the ladies to make their pick while she stands out in front to point and hype at some of her favorite pieces from that bale.
It is half past three in the afternoon, sales have not been great and the foot traffic is gradually lessening. Shatta walks over to Abena’s; her best friend in the market. They express to each other how bad sales have been that day. This is not the first time and most likely won’t be the last, they are used to being on this trade rollercoaster but their spirit is not all dampened. Janet and Abena spontaneously shift their conversation from bad sales to their individual plans for Sunday. Abena cackles as Janet tells her about a lunch date she has on Sunday with a man she had met earlier this year around easter. The two chat for a little while and stop when a customer shows up at Abena’s stall. Janet makes her way back to her stall where Raheena, a Kayeya ( typically women between the ages of twelve and thirty five, who carry bales and other loads on their head through narrow pathways in the market) who also assists Shatta with attending to the stall is busily shuffling some of the hanged garments for a refreshed display. Shatta grabs a dozen of her silk and polyester blouses and dashes out to the main Okai Kwei road which is closest to the exit of her side of the market. After four, most shoppers from Kantamanto and other surrounding markets get on Trotros (local bus transport service) back home from the Okai Kwei road. This makes it a good spot for engaging passerbyers for additional sales outside of the stall. After an hour and half of pacing up and down, and shouting at the top of her lungs, Janet sells five out of the dozen.
Back at the stall Raheena helps Janet fold and pack her unsold pieces to be sent to storage. Since Janet’s stall is not ideal for storage, unpacking, packing and storing outside of her stall is a daily occurrence that costs money. After ensuring all her goods are sent away into storage, she powders her face, reapplies lipstick and dances her way to Abena’s stall singing off key. Janet and Abena are neighbors not only in the market but also at home. As they make their way toward the exit, Abena smiles and shakes her head in amazement at Janet’s caper on such a bad sales day. But then again, it’s Janet!
For a few years I have known Shatta, one thing has been clear; there is barely a dull moment with her. See, her dream as a teen was to someday start a restaurant and pub where people can just come in and have a good time. Janet did not realize these dreams but she has still made it a point to let people have a good time even if it’s from her tiny stall in Kantamanto. From Janet’s perspective, true success cannot be measured by wealth alone but happiness with self and the ability to extend that happiness unto others.