Hunger: Alarm In Households As Nigerian Food Staple, ‘Akpu’ Now Down To Egg Size


By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

As hardship orchestrated by the President Bola Tinubu administration’s removal of fuel subsidy takes a toll on ordinary Nigerians, the situation has forced all sorts of painful socio-economic adjustments by the masses.

Findings showed that,on a personal level, the objective for many ordinary Nigerians is to stay alive by any means possible, given that most families are not feeding as well as in past decades.

It was also discovered that many petty traders, including food items producers, have devised strategies to manage to stay in business, rather than go under and await the inevitable.

The case of ‘akpu’, a local staple processed from yam, is sending worrying signals among consumers.

Some Nigerians also call the food item ‘fufu’, ‘nkpu’ or other names.

‘Akpu’ is made into round balls of a white paste, which is pounded in a mortar, and consumed with a variety of soups, especially ‘egusi’ (melon) soup.

‘Akpu’ is widely consumed in South-East and South-South Nigeria; Benue State, especially among the Agila, Ezah, Igwumale, Utonkon/Ufiah, Ulai, and Edumoga, as well as the Idoma ethnic nationalities; some of the Yoruba of South-West Nigeria; and many Northern Nigeria minority groups.

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Due to its high carbohydrate content, ‘akpu’ is most preferred by many Nigerians because it takes quite some time to digest in the body system,thus lasting for long and ensuring that the person need not worry about any further meals, possibly till close to night time.

Adjustment-crazy Nigerians love to call it “6 to 6”; meaning, once taken in the morning, it carries the consumer till late in the day, hence assisting one to conceal hardship which immediate noticeable showcase is hunger.

Peopleandpolitics.net findings show that this much-loved helper staple has, however, presently lost a lot of weight and size, sending alarm bells nationwide.

From the huge,belly-filling balls of years ago which consumers threw down their throats with relish, even shutting their eyes in the process as the balls threatened to choke, ‘akpu’ now sports a famished, sickening look.

Worse still, the dwarfish size is discouraging.

A regular consumer said: “The size of ‘akpu’ now, under Tinubu, is the smallest it was ever been since I was born –and I’m 62 years old!”

Reduced to the size of eggs in Nigeria presently due to the deleterious effects of ongoing insecurity on agriculture, high transport costs arising from fuel subsidy removal, bad roads, and other factors, most consumers are crying out.

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One hundred Naira worth of ‘akpu’, which was largely enough for a meal previously, now equates to the size of a small egg.

Lovers of the item accuse producers of dividing the former size of same amount into four parts and then selling a quarter for same N100.

Felix Obi, who hails from Imo State, and claimed he was born into ‘akpu’, said:”Honestly, what is happening with ‘akpu’ now is just too bad. I used to ‘hammer’ ‘akpu’ with ‘ofe akwukwo’ (vegetable soup) and take as many as my belly could accommodate, but the small size they sell nowadays is very discouraging.

“However, I love ‘akpu’, so no matter how little they make it, I have instructed my wife to buy as many as possible because we love ‘akpu’; I was born into ‘akpu’. I must eat ‘akpu’.”

Cassava, the anchor product for ‘akpu’, is also used for a variety of foods in Nigeria.

Cassava can be boiled and eaten. It can also be fried and consumed alongside rice or beans, among others, with the cost skyrocketing above the reach of the common man.


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