Ladipo Market according to Wikipedia is also known as Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market. It is located in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State. It is considered to be the biggest auto spare parts market in Lagos and opens every day except Sunday.
Ladipo Market apart from selling auto spare parts; sells fairly used phones, laptops, fans, television, clothes, easy wears, shoes, satellites decoders and dishes among several others. From my opinion, there is nothing you would want to buy in Lapido Market that you will not find.
There are banks; there is a filling station, food sellers, phone repairers, motor mechanics, hoodlums, truck pushers, gamblers, motorcycle riders, etc. It is a world of its own. However, there are some salient activities that take place in Ladipo Market that I want you to beware especially, if you are planning to go there to buy anything.
I travelled down to Lagos State to visit my father in Ajao Estate and youthful exorbitance made me to take a stroll down to Ladipo Market since it was just a walk away. I was told that they sell fairly used phones and the likes thus, when I was given some money by my father, I decided to go there to see for myself.
The mistake I did was going to Ladipo Market alone. I thought that I was a graduate thus; I can get along anytime and anywhere. I was wrong and this is where the first lesson comes to effect. Never, go to Ladipo Market alone on your first visit. I understood that there was difference between being a graduate and having business sense on that day.
I saw fairly used phones and they were saying, they are non-tested and I was told that I can buy them and give these phone repairers and they will fix it for me at a fee of N 1,000 and they were selling the phones at a flat rate of N 2,000. I saw blackberry, Nokia, Samsung and all kinds of phones and the worst thing was that they were all looking new. I made my calculations and discovered that even if I spent N 3,000 to fix one of the phones, I will sell them back home for at least N 5,000 thus, I bought without much ado.
I asked for receipt and they told me that there are no receipts. I then proceeded to the phone repairers but discovered that the phone couldnt be repaired or fixed. I returned back to the seller and he said that I can only change the phone but he cannot give me back the money because, they told me it was non-tested. I picked another one only to discover that it was the same thing. I want back and insisted that they must return back my money and collect their phone but they even wanted to beat me, I was only rescued by one Mr Gentle. I wasted my N 2,000 on a phone for nothing. That was when I discovered that there is difference between tested and non-tested phones which you should take as your second lesson.
I returned back to my house dejected and angry that my outing was futile and fruitless. Sometime ago, I decided to relocated back to Lagos and in the course of my stay in the same area of Ajao Estate. I decided to visit Ladipo Market again so as to get a phone for myself. I want to say here that I went to Lapido Market because, I didnt have enough money to buy a new phone and anytime I went; I came home with a sad story. So, the third lesson will be that you should go to Ladipo Market only when it is necessary.
On my second visit to Ladipo Market, I bought another phone which they claimed was 4G enabled and when I put my Sim Card, it actually showed the 4G symbol but when I took it home, I discovered that it was refurbished. That they just put the 4G for formality sake. How did I know that it was not 4G enabled? I upgraded my Sim Card to 4G and I was told that I will be given double of the data bundle I purchased but when I subscribed, I didnt see the bonus. Therefore, I went to complain and I discovered that it was not working because it was not a 4G enabled phone. I felt bad because, I could see 4G symbol displayed but it was not a 4G phone. I went back to Ladipo Market and to my greatest surprise; I didnt see the seller of the phone anymore.
You can be saying now that I was careless but I will say that you should not be quick to conclude until you go to Ladipo Market and come out unscathed. There seems to be something strange about that market. This is because, when I was there with the sellers, I wouldnt see anything wrong with the phone but immediately I leave, sometimes before I reach my destination, I will discover one flaw or the other.
Therefore, the fourth lesson is that you should never rush in and rush out when you want to buy anything in Ladipo Market. Take your time and check every detail because, it may be hidden at a glance.
I went sometime again to Ladipo Market to buy a phone yet again. Someone may be asking me why I kept coming back to Ladipo Market. This was because, I wanted to conquer Ladipo Market by having a day that I went and didnt come back with grief or sorrow. Thus, on this day, I had N 5,000 and I was hoping to get a phone that could browse. Just before I would reach the place where I would price one, I saw some gamblers playing a game over the other side of the pavement. I went close and saw that people were winning phones and all kinds of things with just N 1,000. I thought within myself that N 5,000 cannot give me a quality phone but people were winning quality phones with just N 1,000.
Most importantly was the fact that I had observed and seen that most of my guessing or prediction of the gambling technique was correct. They man gave them a set of paper encoded with letters thus, anytime you opened and it was green, you won a phone. At this time, most of my predictions were correct and I had N 5,000 which could play at least five times. I trusted my instincts to play and I did just that.
However, something strange happened, immediately I arrived at the place where the man was presenting the set of encoded paper, I couldnt think correctly anymore. Instead of leaving immediately, the thought of having a quality phone kept me back and that is how, I wasted that N 5,000 and didnt win any phone and came back home empty.
I later discovered that the people winning the phones and other prices were this mans acquaintances; they were his partners in the game but I didnt know. Thus, I was forced to gamble for the first time: a thing which I had vowed not to do. It was here that I discovered that before you criticize people about something, experience that thing yourself then, you will know better. I broke my vow that I made never to gamble in Ladipo Market and I felt very bad and horrible when I was going home that day primarily because, I broke my vow and secondly because, I didnt go home with a phone. What a bad day! This brings me to my fifth lesson which is; it is not every opportunity you see in Ladipo Market that you should take it.
I want you to realize that Ladipo Market is a place where if properly guided, you can get quality things for a cheap price. However, if you go there without proper guidance, you may end up losing all your money without bringing home what you intended to buy. I just wanted to keep this story brief so that I will not instil fear into anyone but just remember that there are thieves, swindlers, and people that are just waiting to prowl over your ignorance in Ladipo Market.
Most at times, when you are going to buy something, you will see someone asking you what you want to buy and he will be coming very close to you. You will be telling them that you dont want to buy anything but they will not want to leave you alone. They are people looking for opportunities to steal something from you. Therefore, always be on a watch out and chase them away promptly and firmly.
Also, when you go into any of the warehouses to buy any equipment or appliance, you will find people who will stop you at the gate requesting that you settle them before they can allow you to take whatever you bought outside.
Remember to ask for receipt from whoever you bought something in the warehouse because, if you are not seen with a receipt then, they will cease it at the gate until otherwise proven that it was legitimately bought. This can sometimes delay you for hours and time is money. However, you must remember that you will be asked to give money before going out of the gate with anything that is bought which should not be more than N 500.
Let me add by saying also that if you are carrying equipment or appliance into the warehouse, make sure that it is checked at the gate because, when you want to go out with it and there is no proof of ownership, they will not allow you to go out with it. Please, be careful and as I said, I dont want to tell you every detail because, I dont want anyone to become scared. Just know that provided you are on a watch out, you will safely navigate out of Ladipo Market.
I want to conclude by saying that you must be mindful of your pulse, your wallet and anything that you keep your money. This is because, moving into Ladipo Market is usually crowded with people and you can be literally touching each other as you are moving into Ladipo Market thus, if you are not on your guard, someone may remove money from your pulse, wallet or bag. Thus, keep a watch on your belonging as long as you are in Lagos talkless of Ladipo Market because, you may never see them again.
I hope that this experience sharing was helpful. Please, leave your thoughts in the comment section. Thank you.
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