Although he sits behind the wheel in a sea of identical yellow Norshore cabs, Pius Adejumobi has more to offer Evanston than a ride to the Deuce.
Emigrating from his home in Nigeria, Adejumobi moved to the greater Chicago area about five years ago, leaving his five children with his parents after a divorce from his wife.
“When I remember them, I get in a very sad mood,” he said. “It is hard, but I had to come for better opportunities.”
Dressed for the office, though his cab sits behind Burger King waiting for his next call, Adejumobi spoke proudly of his educated background. His collared, blue striped, long-sleeved shirt reflecting the professional approach he lives by, the cab driver discussed his ambitions in the United States, his family and life in Nigeria in a hopeful, optimistic and determined tone despite numerous obstacles.
Framed by his moderately receding hairline, which he rubbed in hesitation to find the right words to describe himself, this father’s belief in the American dream beamed through his gray-blue eyes.
Like many immigrants first coming to this country, Adejumobi insisted he is working to succeed. Although highly educated in Nigeria, he now accepts a tip profit of only $50 per night, even on busy weekends. The small tip profit is because of police regulations which dictate how many passengers a driver can transport at a time.
Adejumobi’s life in Nigeria was very different.
A graduate of a Nigerian university, he worked in several offices as a manager and banker for more than 11 years, Adejumobi said. Proclaiming himself an “office guy,” he said driving taxis and the other odd jobs he has put himself through – including manual labor jobs such as tent making and laying, moving and gutter cleaning – are just temporary steps.
He said he plans to attend graduate school for communications and return to his preferred office lifestyle in America once the economy gets better.
But even in his two months driving for Norshore Cab Association, Adejumobi has faced many challenges. He spoke passionately about the racial climate in his new country, emphasizing a misunderstanding on both sides of the racism equation. Passengers and children of different races have spoken condescendingly to him, he said.
“Racism is not loud, but it is there,” he said. “People react differently to color – you can feel it when a black man enters the store; the white women working react differently to him and act very fidgety and nervous.”
He also spoke of his discontent with American culture, saying that without any distinct, identifiable values to serve as a foundation, there is no concept of community.
“In Nigeria, they embrace everyone,” he said. “They want to touch, and talk and carry things for everyone, especially if they are different.”
Adejumobi knows many other drivers from Nigeria feel the same lack of community and genuine love for one another in America, he said. Many choose to emigrate alone, not wanting to bring their children to the “polluted environment” brought about by obsession with individualism and lacking the feeling of familiarity and trust with every member of the community. He has seen that once people come here they start “running after money” and become too suspicious of one another, and they do not trust the judgment and actions of others.
For Adejumobi, it is the nuisances such as runaway customers and daily amusements such as the occasional receipt signed, “Taxi Driver, I love you,” that make the job interesting. Still, he plans to remain in the United States and pursue the “office guy” of his past.
“I love what I do and love where I am,” he said. “Without love, that’s no life.”
