By Rashidat Yusuf
A trip to a suburb of Narassawa State, North-Central, left a concerned Nigerian bewildered, going by what he witnessed.
Like the Yoruba way of exclamation, it was a “haa! haa!! haa!!! for him.
When questions were asked, he was told that the trailers he saw were heading to Benue State for onward transportation outside Nigeria.
This is happening at a time garri, which is a staple food in most homes is no longer food for the common man.
A Mudu of Gari is now sold for between 1,300 and 1400 . This is just as the Almighty ‘Gari ijebu’ is sold for between 2500 and 2700 in Abuja, the federal capital territory.
I don’t know of elsewhere.
The other day while at a foodstuff shop, I witnessed an abled body grown up man came to buy a cup of Gari, I quess that is to serve him for lunch.
Food crisis in Nigerian has never been this bad. Many households can no longer feed.
Gone are those days when we talk of whether 3 square meal is complete per day.
Nowadays, many are not sure of one meal a day let alone talk of 2 Square Meal .
The other time we took a trip to Zamfara State ,midway ,we encountered a grid lock ,with countless number of trailer load of Food Stuffs heading towards Sokoto State and subsequently to the Republic of Niger
This assertion is so because ,going by the number of trailers and knowing fully well that neither Sokoto nor Zamfara is a commercial city ,where else could the trailers be heading to order than Niger and subsequently to only God knows where .
All these are happening while Nigerians are hungry more than ever before in the history of Post Nigerian civil war .
I say this because we are told that hunger happened during the civil war in Nigeria..
The current trend of Food export to neighbouring countries while Nigerians are hungry brings one to the question of whether or not the African free trade agreement AFTA ,is in favour of Nigeria in any way .
Food Crop and Cash Crops have been collapsed into one ,all are now been exported to neighbouring Countries.
While wondering whether the issue of National interest is been jeopardised by somè section of the country against the other, I was told also by an eye witness that even during the Buhari administration , crate of eggs load of trailer left the shores of Nigeria through the same zamfara,sokoto , and the Republic of niger axis with the help of the customs officees who got a bribe of mere #200,000 naira .
This happen when crate of eggs was sold for #900 naira per crate.
Now same crate of egg is sold between 3,500 and 4,000 naira .
There’s is no doubt that stakeholders In the economic management of Nigeria has alot to do .
The other time, former president Mohammed Buhari often spoke about how Nigeria will now produce what to eat .
This campaign was to quench the taste of the Elite class who have flair for imported food .
Subsequently , alot of resources was deployed into the agriculture sector.
8 years after ,what we got what food inflation .
Accurate data showed that food prices went up almost 100% .
The Buhari regime over and what Nigerians are left with is the relics of the food inflation and now we have an almost 300% food inflation.
For instance, a mudu of rice sold for between 900 naira during the Buhari regime is now sold for between 2700 naira and 2800 during this present administration of President Tinubu .
Stakeholders in the Nigerian polity are asked to do something fast in the interest of Nigeria
The economic community of west African states,ECOWAS should also be asked to Come to the rescue.
Nigeria as the chair of ECOWAS also needs to bring the matter to the fore.
The rate at which Nigeria, stable food items are exported to neighbouring countries is alarming.
So much so ,a stick of carrot is now sold for #100 naira in Nigeria an item considered as surplus before now .
The ugly trend of food export from Nigeria to neighbouring countries needs very urgent attention.
Lest I forget ,Food security is syno
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