Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s chances of securing a second term continue to gain momentum, with the latest endorsement coming from the Delta State Vulcanizers Association. In this interview, the Chairman of the association in Oshimili South Local Government Area, David Owofia, pledges state-wide support for the governor, while also offering insights into the vulcanizing profession. Excerpt:
Can we meet you, sir?
My name is David Owofia. I am from Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. I am a vulcaniser and also the Chairman of the Association of Vulcanisers in Oshimili South Local Government Area.
Take us through your educational journey.
Yes, I am married with four children. I only finished secondary school.
How long have you been a vulcaniser?
For 19 years now.
What inspired you to go into this business?
After secondary school, there was no money to continue my education. My parents asked me if I would learn a trade. I said yes. They asked what kind of trade I could learn, and I said whatever they chose for me. They chose vulcanising. That was when I came down to Asaba and stayed with my sister and her husband to learn the work. After three years of learning, I got my own shop.
Why learn vulcanising or a trade at all, especially when other young men like you are out there looking for quick ways to get rich?
That’s because I know there is nothing like having a skill. It is the best. Even an educated person, if they learn a trade, it is an added benefit because they can be sacked, as many have been. It is that trade you learnt that will keep you from hunger. That trade will make people call on your service, particularly if you have children. In a situation where life throws a hard blow at you, maybe you get sacked from your paid employment, you can easily start all over if you have a skill. But if you only focus on being an employee, moving from one company to another, it is not the best. Even in this economy, it is those with a skill that are enjoying it.
Is vulcanising lucrative and, on average, how much do you make daily?
I’ve been in this business for a long time. Now, in a day, because I have a strong customer base and I do a good job without disappointing my customers, I get a lot of repeat customers and referrals. On a good day, I make about ₦20,000.
Is this the only job you do, or do you have another side hustle?
Yes, this is my only job. I used to sell tyres. The reason I stopped is that people kept buying on credit. People would come and buy tyres and say they would pay tomorrow, but you wouldn’t find them. If they don’t pay, your business will start dwindling because you won’t have enough capital to restock. That is why I decided to stop it and focus on my vulcanising job.
People look down on vulcanising; some prefer to wear suits and ties and belittle jobs like yours. How do you feel about that?
If you ask me, “Young man, who are you and what do you do for a living?” I will answer that I’m just an ordinary vulcaniser. People feel it is an easy job meant for those who have no ambition and do not want to compete for something better in life. They also feel it is the only option for those who lack the experience to learn a better skill. It is not like that. They belittle us, but it does not hurt me because I make money from vulcanising and I feed my family with it.
What has been your challenge since doing this business for over 19 years?
I am a free person. I have never been in a police case since I was born. The only challenge is that in the rainy season, the frequency of jobs is unstable. There are school fees and house rent to pay, and there is no man who does not go through such challenges. Moreover, sometimes my tools can disappoint me, and I have to run up and down to look for alternatives and solutions. That is why I always prepare myself.
What season do you get the most patronage?
During the rainy season. That is because when it rains, floods bring up all kinds of refuse onto the road, and that affects vehicles. In Nigeria, everybody is trying to manage. For those whose rims have rusted, in the dry season, they have no issues because water doesn’t enter, but when it rains, they visit vulcanisers frequently.
You mentioned that you’re the Chairman of the Association of Vulcanisers in Oshimili South. What is the vision behind the creation of an association of vulcanisers?
The reason for founding the association, which has been there since before I learnt the trade, is to hear from your colleagues. For example, if we agree that patching of tyres is ₦1,500, we will have one voice.
Is that good?
Yes, it is a nice one.
What if one of your members decided to go against the agreement and, for instance, opts to patch for ₦1,000 to gain more customers?
It depends, because if I am patching tyres for ₦1,500 and you are doing it for ₦1,000, we both use materials for our work. If I am buying original materials, it will cost me more than you, who might not. That tyre you patched will eventually disappoint the customer.
But why don’t you let customers choose which vulcaniser is best for them, depending on price and skill? Because some unions single-handedly hike prices and cause inflation when it is not warranted.
Well, it is good from the perspective you are looking at it. However, we are not people who incessantly hike prices. The reason why we agree on a price is so that we can hear from each other. Another thing is that when it comes to pricing, it is when fuel prices go up that they affect us. We might add ₦50 or ₦100, for example, to augment, but if the price of fuel goes down, we cannot reduce the cost of our service, considering other variables.
There was a time when former Director-General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency (DSCTDA), Hon. Joan Onyemaechi, asked vulcanisers to leave street corners and move to the Mechanic Village. After she left office, it seems vulcanisers are now coming back to the streets.
That move only affected mechanics. The then Governor was aware of the issue, and the Association of Vulcanisers held a meeting with him, insisting that vulcanisers cannot leave the town. Because if people are going for school runs and their tyres go flat, will they have to drive to the Mechanic Village to pump their tyres before dropping their children at school? Or will they call someone from the Mechanic Village to come and fix it?
Everyone has their reason for doing things. Even Hon. Onyemaechi thought about it and called us, then told us to make our environment neat, keep only two to three tyres outside, and ensure that when we close, there should be no sign that a vulcaniser was there. Some of our colleagues behave like touts, wearing one cloth for weeks, smelling, and you can’t go near them. The association is correcting those habits, with fines and sanctions for offenders.
For instance, the DSCTDA is aware of our union and is helping us. Some people do not want to join the union; it is not by force. But when they see that those who join the union only pay the Local Government fee of ₦5,000, while those who do not may pay ₦200,000, they change their mind. Another benefit is that if anything happens to you or you have a celebration, the union comes together to contribute.
In this job, are there quack vulcanisers?
As a vulcaniser, if your gauge is not working, you are playing with people’s lives, and that makes you fake. It is not about how long you have learnt the work. You will see people pump tyres to 60 or even 70 while their gauge reads 30–40. They have over-pumped the tyre and put people’s lives at risk.
Does the Association of Vulcanisers have a task force to check these?
We do not have a task force, but on meeting days, we advise vulcanisers to respect this, even if they are not part of the union. We also discuss these issues during meetings.
You mentioned earlier how some vulcanisers can wear one cloth for weeks. Has the union ever thought of branded shirts or uniforms?
There is an apron for vulcanisers that the state government, through the DSCTDA, introduced, so we always wear it.
When did you become the Chairman of the Association of Vulcanisers in Oshimili South?
I’ve served for four years, and we will soon hold another election. I am looking to go for a second term.
Why?
It is not about money, because there is none in the chairmanship. But the respect is there, and you can solve problems for people.
Do you buy tickets like tricycle (keke) drivers?
No. We only pay the Local Government and the State Government.
Many young boys don’t want to learn skills anymore. Are there young people showing interest in learning vulcanising?
Not everybody. It is only those close to me who are privy to the details of the job, knowing how much can be made and how lucrative it can be, who bring their relatives to learn.
How many people have you trained in vulcanising?
About 10 have gone on to open their shops, not counting those who learnt but didn’t go on to practise. I am training one currently. However, these days, many apprentices want to learn the trade quickly and go ahead to open a shop so they can start making money. Some learn for one year or a little over.
Apart from the apron you mentioned earlier, has the state government empowered vulcanisers in any other way?
No support yet.
What kind of support does the union expect from the government?
What we want is this: since we have promised to keep our environment clean, if they (government) can buy vulcanising engines for us in the union as part of empowerment, it will go a long way. For instance, I am also a politician. The Executive Director of Project at Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), Olorogun Ebenezer Okorodudu, is my boss. The government is paying me because I am a waterways appointee. That is why, as chairman, I brought the union closer to the government. I campaigned in 2023 and spoke with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, and he advised me.
How do you appraise the Oborevwori-led government?
The man is trying. He has done so much and impacted all the local government areas. No leader is liked by everyone. Some people’s sentiment towards a leader is affected when, for instance, illegal funds that are used to reach their office are cut off, and they start to speak badly against the leader, even criticising the good he is doing. But instead of one person eating the money, why not let the leader use it for the betterment of everyone?
Before Oborevwori got into government, I was interviewed, and I said, Yes, this man will work even more than governors before him. People can now testify that he is working.
What do you do as a waterways appointee?
I am in waterways security. I work at my shop, but I also go to Warri. Our job is to check oil bunkering. I don’t work with Tantita yet because it is step by step. There is no work without risk; there are risks there, too.
The 2027 election is near. Do you see the opposition having any chance?
The good work Governor Oborevwori has done and is still doing will bring him back. I have never heard anything bad about him not working.
Will the Association of Vulcanisers vote for him?
That is why I am the Chairman. In the last election, I promised the Governor 5,000 votes. This time, I promise him 10,000 votes. I will mobilise vulcanisers across the whole state because we are all “Sheriffied”.
What is your advice to young Deltans, seeing the lack of zeal to learn trades?
Whether you are educated or not, it is good to learn a skill. There is nothing like it. In our vulcanising work, no matter how bad it is, you won’t go hungry, except you do not come out to work or you don’t save. As long as you are healthy and you come out to work, even just pumping tyres can make you a substantial income. And during the rainy season, or any season, as long as people drive their vehicles, they will always need vulcanisers.
