Mrs. Chineye Okey is a regular visitor to the Ile-Epo Market, Abule-Egba, Alimosho LG, Lagos State. She had not been to the market for more than a month now, but last Saturday, she decided to visit the market. Unaware of the changes in the prices of goods and foods, Okey gingerly walked through the market, meticulously weaving her way through the crowd, while pricing various items, to her chagrin, she realized that rather than the prices of goods coming down, they were still going up.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
She walked through the yam section of the market which is now the exclusive preserve of the rich, same with the vegetable section.
Frustration and dejection etched on the faces of women who had come to the market to buy tomatoes and pepper as they were haggling with the Hausa traders, they never envisaged that the prices of goods were going to be that expensive. Many of them had come to buy fresh tomato/pepper to prepare the traditional meal of rice and tomato stew.
Despite the recent rumors in town of tomato prices coming down, Okey said that she was surprised that a medium basket-size tomato she bought for N90,000 in early June this year was sold for N120,000. Many of the women dejectedly left Ile-Epo Market without fresh tomatoes and pepper.
When our correspondent paid a visit to the two major markets noted for fresh foods in Lagos, Mile 12 Market along Ikorodu Road, and Ile-Epo Market on the Lagos- Abeokuta Road, at the time of writing this report, the biggest basket size of tomato was being sold between N150,000-N160,000. The medium size basket cost N110,000-N120,000, while the small basket was sold for N80,000-N90,000. Meanwhile, a small plastic bucket of tomatoes costs between N4,500-N5,000.
However, early this year the same big basket of tomatoes sold for between N12,000-N15,000 while the medium-sized basket of tomatoes sold for N10,000-N11,000. The small basket went for N8,000-N9,000 and the small plastic bucket sold for N1,500-N2,000.
About two months ago, the lowest price for fresh pepper was N200 but now less than that size of pepper cost N500. The lowest price for pepper is now N500, the same thing applies to fresh tomatoes.
Though the increase in prices cut across every section of the economy and every foodstuff, tomatoes are a very versatile food product in Nigeria. It’s a major staple food. There is virtually no family in Nigeria that does not use tomato/pepper to cook, so whatever happens to it, affects nearly every family in the country.
So many reasons have been attributed to the scarcity and the over 500 percent increase in the price. Alhaji Abubakar Sanni, a trader at the Ile-Epo Market credited the development to the high cost of transporting the commodities and the prevailing insecurity in some parts of the North.
Shehu Jubrin, the chairman of Mile 12 International Market Lagos, blamed insufficient supply, insecurity, and infestation for the outrageous price hike of tomato and pepper.
While the price of tomatoes continues to rise, there are about ten delicious, nutritious stews, soups, sauces, and gravy that can be used as an alternative to tomato stews. These delicacies have always been there, people have been cooking them but not everyone is aware of them there are:
Egusi stew: This stew can be enjoyed with rice, beans, yam, plantain, potatoes etcetera. Speaking with Mrs. Ebere Amarachi who has a family of six, she explained that she buys a 400g cup size of egusi which sells for N1,400. She blends the egusi, heat palm oil, and slightly fries onions and 70 grams of tomato paste. She then adds the egusi, frying it slightly after which she adds the meat stock, water, crayfish, and her seasonings. She adds fresh curry leaves last. This quantity of egusi stew, according to her, serves her family generously three times.
Ofe Akwu: This stew is made with palm fruit juice. For a family of six, two cups of 400g palm fruits could be served up to three times. Ingredients needed are palm fruit concentrate, beef/chicken/fish, scent leaf, crayfish, seasonings, onions, and pepper. Some people now add ginger juice. For Delta-style banga, one will add Delta spices.
Garden egg stew: This stew serves as an excellent substitute for tomato stew. Essential ingredients include garden eggs[purple aubergine, white or green], palm oil, smoked fish, ground pepper, rinsed iru[fermented locust beans], onions, crayfish, and salt to taste.
Pumpkin leaf sauce: Known locally as ugu, pumpkin leaves are very popular in Nigeria. This stew is not only delicious but very nutritious. Quick to prepare. It requires chopped pumpkin leaves, beef or chicken, meat stock, vegetable oil, chili pepper, onions, seasonings, and salt to taste. Iru is optional.
Palm oil sauce: As the name implies, this tasty sauce goes perfectly well with yam, boiled unripe plantain, and beans. Essential ingredients include palm oil, onions, pepper, and salt to taste.
Obe ata iru: This goes well with white rice, yams, beans, and etcetera. Ingredients, combination of pepper, iru, much onions, seasonings, beef/chicken/fish[optional] palm oil, and salt to taste
Baobab Stew: A northern delicacy. Another name for it is miyan kuka. It is a favourite among the Hausa tribe and it is usually served with white rice. Key ingredients are beef, onions, dried fish, pepper, pounded kuka[baobab] leaves, dawadawa[fermented dried seeds of African locust bean], yaji [suya seasoning], a pinch of potash, palm oil, seasonings and salt to taste.
Ofada stew: Commonly called Ayamase. Ofada stew is typically served with ofada rice but it also goes well with ordinary rice, beans, spaghetti, pasta, yam, unripe boiled plantain, etc. Essential ingredients include unripe habanero peppers, green tatashi or green bell peppers, locust bean seasoning [iru, ogiri, okpei or dawadawa], red palm oil, onions, crayfish, assorted meat and fish.
Curry: Curry can be chicken curry, beef curry or goat meat curry. It is excellent on white rice, yams, pasta, beans, potato, boiled unripe plantain etc. Major ingredients are the meat, vegetable oil, corn flour for thickening, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin, coconut milk, seasonings, chopped fresh curry leaves[optional], salt and black pepper.
Gravy: Just like the above it can be chicken gravy, beef, fish, vegetable turkey, or goat meat gravy. The key ingredients are meat of your choice, curry powder, thyme, garlic, onions, corn flour, ginger, cloves, seasons, and salt to taste. One can also add vegetables like diced carrots or string beans.
Vegetable goulash: This stew can substitute for tomato stew anytime. It is delicious and packed with nutrients. Key ingredients are Irish potato or sweet potato, onions, carrots, vegetable oil, garlic, fresh pepper, corn flour, chopped curry leaves, ground black pepper, cauliflower [optional], and small tomato paste.