The major market in Yaba is famous not only for the wares sold there but for the level of sexual harassment that goes down on a daily basis.
Walking through Yaba market is an extreme sport for women as they have to deal with strange men, mostly market traders, who touch them indiscriminately, tug at their clothes and ridicule them when they complain.
A group of women decided to bring awareness to the act by protesting right in the market but the reactions from these men shows the situation may not be changing anytime soon.
See this Twitter thread:
An interesting day today guys. I was at the #MarketMarchYaba and just because we said "stop touching us", they booed us, called us prostitutes, lesbians and jobless people. They also threw pure water at us, one landed right on my chest. A guy even touched me TWICE!!!
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
I forgot this part. "How dare you say no to harassment? Holy Ghooooost fire" pic.twitter.com/NYq6UAIiCY
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
They said a lot of things I've seen here from "educated men".
If you don't want us touch you dress well.
Who are you that we shouldn't touch you.
If you don't want us to touch you don't come here.
You should be fighting for more important things (this made me laugh)..— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
"Ashawo, they no dey work" #MarketMarchYaba pic.twitter.com/xNuSf8XDnk
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
The idiot that touched me. Guys I nearly cried. The audacity and disrespect!!! #MarketMarchYaba pic.twitter.com/xKklFcnnxZ
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
"We must touch" #MarketMarchYaba pic.twitter.com/BSCkguHjhx
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
Just imagine 🤦🏾♀️. #MarketMarchYaba pic.twitter.com/1agK5IhtyD
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018
They were calling the guys that came out with us gay 🤦🏾♀️. As pa no straight man would ever feel a woman has a right to her own body??? #MarketMarchYaba
— Chi (@amaka_sandra1) December 15, 2018