Everyday Heroes: Jason Bido Bangoji

In the Northern part of Nigeria, ‘Kose’ is a very popular word; or rather, a very popular food.  Koseis basically is referred to as ‘Akara’ in some other parts of Nigeria. Simply put, Kose is Beancake;a meal for the  whole family. But to Jason Bangoji, Kose is more than just food; it is a way of impacting a demography; being a blessing to his immediate environment and sphere of influence. Jason Bangoji: the Young and the Restless

  Born 16^th July 1984, Jason has had a fair share of the good and… the other side of life. A Graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, a one time winner of the Malta Guinness street dance (first edition) with Soul Quest; a prolific talent. He has gone swinging between the extremes of blessings and disappointments; enjoying the bliss of love and enduring the curse of heartbreaks. One out many experiences is his growing up in a broken home, having to live with a third mum. That should give one an idea of the experiences of this young man growing up. Despite all these, Jason has a soul as tough as shoe leather but a heart as soft as new feather.  He wakes up daily with the ambition to reach out to the less privileged women, especially those engaged in petty trading, and to ensure that they find a reason to smile because of Him. The ‘KOSE’ Republic

To Jason, Kose is an acronym for Kind Open and Selfless Expression. The focus is to reach out to women in the society who are struggling with small businesses to support their families. Why women? Why not women? The struggles of the woman, her impact on the family and society, her sacrifices, the sometimes unrealistic expectations on the African woman, etc. More so, in a case where this woman is widowed, the huge demand to take little and accomplish much; feed her family, train her children, pay bills and cater for their general welfare. That is a summary of ‘why women’? And that summary is Jason Bangoji’s drive. Innovative Initiatives

In order to achieve the above objective of reaching out to the target group, Jason has an initiative called Gobe Zamu Ci Kose- meaning, ‘Tomorrow, we will eat Kose (Akara)’. This initiative allows Jason to strategically find any Kose (Akara seller) around his vicinity and purchase everything on her selling tray or table with just one buy. {Emphasis: EVERYTHING!}. This is possible because He mobilizes his friends and other well-wishers to come partake of this act. But it doesn’t stop there, Jason and his group of friends/well-wishers donate food items and cash to the target population. In most cases, she is not the only beneficiary because by-standers, passers-by and onlookers eventually benefit from this philanthropism. They get to eat freely from what has been paid for. When and how does this happen? On the first Saturdays of every month. The mobilization and invitations are usually informal; made both on social media and word of mouth. Kind Open and Selfless Expressions

Since kose is an acronym, it applies to more than just kose sellers. The target is every struggling woman engaged in small business, which are usually undertaken to support the family. In supporting this woman, Jason believes that her family and society at large is supported, and that is all Kose intends to do. The kose initiative intends to deliver a simple message; of love and hope; to inspire and encourage; to engage and motivate people to think of enhancing the lives of the common man and woman in their environment.This Kose initiative serves as a binding force between religions and ethnic groups, which is commendable especially when you consider how polarized some parts of the country are based on religion and ethnicity. Jason Bangoji is a hero; putting smiles on faces, food in bellies and money in purses. For some, love makes the world go round; for others, money makes the world go round. Jason Bangoji brings both to the table of the average petty trader and kose seller in his sphere of life. Other photos from Kose Republic Outings:

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This article was first published on 21st November 2018

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