Bar and club owners: Election Day is boom time for us

And finally, the D Day is here. It is election day; a day that has kept most people including the candidates and voters, sleepless.

Of course, even before this day arrived, many Nigerians had been so sceptical concerning the outcome of the election. Some had perceived violence leading to so many Nigerians leaving their base and returning to their villages.

Many others have stocked their houses with foodstuffs in order not to be caught napping if at all there would be post election crisis. Schools are not even left out in this matter. Most schools have hurriedly closed for the term, students and pupils sent home ahead of the election.

But then again while some Nigerians are wondering and worrying concerning the outcome of the election, some people are happy and saying business would certainly boom for them this weekend.

Weekends have always been a good business time for club and joint owners. For them, business couldn’t be better any other day but weekends as clients and customers patronise these joints to unwind, relax and have fun after the hustle and bustle of the week.

And for those who may wonder if it would be business as usual for these joint owners, for those who may think relaxation centres would close shop like most other businesses and organisations, the opposite is just the case.

To them nothing, not even the election, would affect their business or make them lose sleep in any way. In fact, a good number of them feel this is boom time for their business.

Findings made by our correspondents revealed that these club and joint owners are really looking forward to the Election Day. They believe that the restriction of movement would make most people very bored and they would come out en masse to pubs for relaxation and political discussion.

Speaking on behalf of O’jez, a popular hangout in Surulere, Lagos, Justine Akpovi-Esade who manages the image of the company said they are not anticipating any loss of revenue this weekend.

He said, “Well, the movement restriction period is between 8am and 5pm, there was no form of restriction on Friday, so O’jez still held its normal Friday gig that normally lasts till about 1am and everybody still went home safe before 8am.

“ After the voting exercise, our teeming patrons can still have the time to be back for our Saturday gig while reading election updates on their smart phones. Nothing will affect our O’jez Sunday family show that starts from 7pm. So really, we are cool and like every responsible Nigerian, we pray for a violence- free election today.”

Mr. Tola Oyeyemi owner of On Point bar in a neighbourhood in Ogba, Lagos, confirmed that he has been running the bar for about five years and from experience, business normally booms after election.

“I would open my bar on Friday and Saturday despite the election. I have been running this bar for over five years. Last election, I regretted that I did not have additional hands to help out. When the ban on movement was lifted, my bar was filled to the brim. I had to rent extra chairs.

“I noticed people were weary after they had stood under the hot sun to vote. Most of them were holding political discussions and were predicting who would win. I am sure this year would be the same. I am more prepared this time. I see election day as a blessing for us,” he said.

Media personality and owner of DC Suites, Dayo Adeneye, confirmed that his lounge would be open to customers despite the election. He said that he believes this period would be a blessing to his business as customers would have somewhere to relax after the election.

“As a matter of fact we are expecting the bar to be very busy because there would be no movement for a period of time and when people are allowed to move, they would want to go somewhere to relax. We are a neighbourhood bar and we cater for the people around us so they could easily troop in to relax. We are not just a bar; we also have a lounge and a restaurant as well. Some people would want to come and discuss what they went through at the polling unit with friends. Some would want to discuss politics generally and others would want to celebrate in advance the candidate they think would win, so our lounge would be opened for them. We expect to be very busy both Friday and Saturday and as a matter of fact, we have to double our staff because we are expecting an influx of people. Some people would want to watch football while they wait for the results. So we are actually expecting our business to boom this weekend. By God’s grace, the election would be a blessing to the business and we are adequately prepared for our guests,” he said.

 Also, Theo Ukpaa, the Public Relations Officer of Quilox, a popular club in Lagos corroborated Adeneye’s claims. He said that the elections would make this weekend a good one for their business.

“Nothing is going to change at Quilox because of the election. We would have our regular club night on Friday and Saturday. Even with the restriction I know that after the election on Saturday people would come to have fun at the club. I know that there will be more customers because people have been sitting at home all day and they will want to ‘flex’ later at night. Because we know that we would have more customers this weekend, we have stockpiled our inventories to meet the demand of our guests. We usually have extra hands when we are expecting a large crowd and this weekend would not be any different. It would definitely be a blessing to our business because a lot of people would be around after being bored or stressed out because of voting during the day. In the night, they would want to come and calm their nerves and it is good marketing for us,” Ukpaa said.

In Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the story is not different either.

Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, for those who know it, is synonymous with serenity and hospitality. Dubbed the ‘Garden City’ for these priceless attributes, it is one of the most preferred destinations in Nigeria and even Africa. That was until a few years ago before oil-rich Port Harcourt lost its place in the scheme of things.

In the build up to today’s presidential election, many of the town’s residents have been involved in last minute rush to stock food items, petrol, kerosene and other vital things needed to keep their households going, for many business owners, especially bar operators, this weekend has left them deeply confused. While some, for fear of a possible outbreak of violence after today’s presidential polls told our correspondent that they have stopped stocking drinks and other items like fish and beef customers ask for when they visit and might even not open for business, a few others disclosed that they were prepared for a business boom because of the election.

Ayonma Dimgba, a joint owner in the city, told one of our correspondents that some of her customers had been pleading with her to fill up her freezers with drinks ahead of today’s election because, according to them, it was a good opportunity to sit with friends to discuss national issues. She revealed that she would be at her store as early as 12:00pm to attend to customers who are willing to hang around with their drinks rather than sitting down because of law enforcement officers who would be patrolling the town.

“Ordinarily I wouldn’t open for business on Election Day but during the governorship election here in Rivers State, a polling unit was beside my shop and the men who came to vote started asking for drinks to buy. It was one of my biggest days since I started this business six years ago.

“So, since the beginning of this week, some of them have been reminding me to keep enough drinks because of the election. Though, Port Harcourt is no longer as peaceful as it used to be, I know that people would still come out to drink. We are ready for our customers,” she said.

But then again, some joint and bar owners in the city said they would not open for business this period.

Okorite Roberts, owner of a big relaxation spot at the Diobu area of the city, told our correspondent that he would not be open for business until after this weekend because he foresees an outbreak of violence after results had been announced. According to him, the two leading political parties in the area were fierce rivals who could cause trouble at the slightest provocation.

“There is no amount of profit that I want to make this weekend that can’t wait. I would not because of money unnecessarily endanger the lives of my workers. Election in Port Harcourt is a do or die thing. I have lived in this city all my life and I understand how things work here.

“If by God’s grace things stay calm, then by Monday we could open for business. Otherwise, it could be whenever things settle that we would open. I did not even bother to stock drinks because I know we would not be here for the weekend,” he said.

In other parts of the town visited, drinking joint operators shared similar opinions. While some like Magnus and Dimgba said they would open for business in anticipation of quality patronage from customers, a handful in the category of Roberts, revealed that they had no special preparations for this weekend and that no amount of temptation can make them open their doors to customers on election day.

“It would be too dangerous. I don’t have the strength to run in case anything happens. So, I would stay in my house. But by Sunday if the town is calm, I will definitely open for business.

“This town has witnessed too much violence in recent years and I am just praying and hoping that there would be peace. The youths in Port Harcourt know nothing more than violence. But we are believing that God would take control this weekend and keep everywhere calm so that some of us can move on with our businesses,” said Eberaba Gibson, 45, a bar operator.