THINGS REMEMBERED: Obioma: The Itinerant Tailor, Who Disappeared From Nigerian Streets

Gone are the days when the click-click sound from a pair of scissors announced the arrival of an “Obioma”, the roving tailor with a portable sewing machine on one of his shoulders in your neighbourhood.

That time, many Nigerians in rural and urban centres anxiously waited for them to mend their worn-out or torn dresses. Their services were good and affordable.

These street tailors, who were nicknamed “Obioma” — meaning “good-hearted” in Igbo — were also common in community markets, where they offered instant mending and stitching services to Nigerians, especially the poor.

But over the years, the Obiomas have disappeared. Yet their services are still needed daily.

The established tailors, because of their low charges for old dresses, are no longer willing to mend them. They adopt big names such as “Fashion Designers” to scare away the poor, who have clothes to mend or stitch.

In some shops, there are bold signposts or inscriptions of “We sew and don’t mend clothes here”.

According to BusinessDay Nigeria, the tradition of mobile tailoring in Nigeria has deep roots. In the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War, many Igbo artisans took to the streets with portable sewing machines to eke out a living — a practice that came to be known as Obioma tailoring. Welcomed into homes and courtyards in earlier decades, these tailors were valued for their convenience and craftsmanship.

“Customers would beckon them through gates and into parlours, and a mutual trust developed between tailor and patron. The name ‘Obioma’ reflected more than skill; it conveyed patience and goodwill — traits that helped these artisans earn repeat business in neighbourhoods in various parts of Nigeria.

“Today, however, the sight of a tailor balancing a pedal or manual sewing machine on his shoulders and walking from street to street is becoming rare. Several factors have diminished the presence of traditional Obioma.

In its report, BusinessDay attributed the trend to security concerns: Rising insecurity in urban communities has curtailed the freedom to move about and enter private spaces, restricting tailors to sidewalks and gate entrances.

“Economic pressures: Wage stagnation and inflation have driven many mobile tailors to seek more stable income streams, often opting to rent permanent workshop space if they can afford it.

“Market competition: A new wave of itinerant tailors, often from Northern Nigeria, has altered the competitive landscape. Some offer lower prices that undercut traditional practitioners, while others lack the language skills and customer relations that once defined the Obioma’s appeal,” the report noted.