Market WomenWhen Hugh Clapperton, a British explorer, visited Nigeria in the 1830s, he was surprised to find that the markets there were highly organized and offered a great variety of imported goods: “silks from Cairo, beads from Venice, and salt from the Sahara.” Locally produced goods were also abundant, including pots made from gourds, clay water jars and intricately designed cotton shirts, along with all sorts of things to eat and drink. If Clapperton were alive today, he would find the markets little changed, for they are one of the most stable aspects of Nigerian life.Perhaps this is so because the markets play such an important part in the life of Nigerian women. In fact, women dominate the market. Over 80% of Nigerian traders are women, but for them trading goes far beyond being an occupation that supplements the family income. It is a way of life, and accounts for the major part of the social life of Nigerian women. They go to the market to meet their friends, hear the latest gossip, learn about the newest fashions, and get news of the world beyond their village.When did he visit Nigeria?