Renowed novelist Chimamanda Adichie on Friday gave a special shout-out to Yetunde Mohammed who describes herself as the first female Danfo driver at Ikeja ‘underbridge’ in Lagos.
In an interview with BBC Pidgin, Mohammed said she began her journey as a commercial bus driver to support her husband.
The Ogun State indigene said she started with a tricycle locally called Keke in 2016, then she sold it and got a mini-bus locally called Korope. She said she also sold the mini-bus and got some money from her husband to buy a bus which is locally known as Danfo.
“When I’m on my bus, I’m happy. Even if I’m sick and at home for two days, the moment I enter the bus I’ll be fine. The bus and I share a special connection that people can’t understand,” she said.
Mohammed added that after she drops her children at school in he morning she picks up other children to school free of charge from Monday to Friday.
Mohammed said she does not regret being a Danfo driver because it has helped her solve problems and she would soon became a house owner.
The female driver noted that she makes between N8,000 and N10,000 as profit daily.
Chimamanda posted the video of Mohammed on Instagram, saying she was inspired by her grit and humanity.
“I love this wonderful piece of journalism. I am so inspired by Yetunde Amole Mohammed: her grace and grit, her hardwork and humanity,” the writer of Half of a Yellow Sun wrote.
“Total role model material. May God continue to bless her hustle.”
