No More Tomato Stew

I wanted to write about this last week after I came back from the market. Yes o… I go to market o, what were you thinking? I wanted to prepare my precious concussion tomato stew, so as usual I did my list.

Tomatoes: N200 Pepper: N100 (or less depending on quantity) Onions: N50 Iced Fish (Titus): N500

I know you are wondering about the spices, Maggie and co… I have them boku in my makeshift kitchen.

So with eagerness I went to the market and ended up disappointed. I wanted fresh tomatoes stew but I ended up settling for sachet tomatoes concussion jellof rice. What happened?

Tomatoes, is either not in the market or it has become gold or fuel all of a sudden. The price has skyrocketed alarmingly. I have been wondering and asking; what is really happening? 5 small bulbs of tomatoes where set for N100. “Ogini?” that was what I said to the aboki that was selling – of course I prefer buying from the aboki’s because I get more in jara (or fisi) than the regular sellers. I thought he was joking until I discovered the price was same throughout the market that day… Na wa ooo!

On Facebook this morning, I saw a friends post (see it in the picture below). He wrote: “Tomatoes #500, many will doubt that but a visit to Owerri market will convince you…”

I was tempted to call him up so that I can send money to him to buy tomatoes from Owerri for me and send to Lagos because from the picture I can count 8 tomatoes, same size as I saw in the market but of course, mine was just 5. Someone even told me she saw 4 for same price: N500.

D matter av tire me o… In fact, I have come up with a new resolution, at least for now; no more fresh tomatoes stew… friend rice all the way and probably every other forms of rice without fresh tomatoes. I am not so much of a fan of tin or sachet tomatoes, but I have little choice right now. I even hear their prices are going up too... hmmm!

So a bag of rice last week was N15,000… Just this morning I hear it is now about N20,000. Paint bucket size of Garri which was N400 was N600 as at last week, I don’t know about this week.

Which way Naija?

Some have said it is because the government has place a band on importation of these commodities. I was scared to hear that Nigeria imports fresh tomatoes even though statistics still shows that we are the second highest producers of tomatoes in Africa. Some have said that it is because of the little rainfall by this time of the year. I also heard that the issue of herds’ men who threaten farmers, talking tough is the reason, because many farmers seem to have abandon their farms in safety for their lives. Na wa o…

My own is; let there be food at least, man must wak ooo! 
And so I ask again: Which way Naija?