Known to be destructive to plants all over the world, grasshopper is a delicacy and source of income to residents of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, writes Pembi Stephen-David.
Known to be destructive to plants all over the world, grasshopper is a delicacy and source of income to residents of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, writes Pembi Stephen-David.?
By late July and early August 2001 when Adarju (not real name) came to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital from Gembu in Taraba State where she sold pie in commercial quantity, she thought her world had ended. Adarju had established herself in the trade, moving from Gembu to Warwar, Vakude to Mbamga, to buy pie and sell to retailers. She could not imagine life outside the pie business. ‘‘I was so used to the pie business. People came in their numbers to buy from me. I had costumers from everywhere,’’ she said.
At about 5:15 pm on a rainy Thursday evening in the busy and pressure-driven street of Post Office, the heart of Maiduguri, Adarju was busy frying and selling grasshopper. Tension from her costumers was rising as it always did during the hour proceeding the no-movement period in the city. Today especially, there was an elastic demand of the product with many costumers competing for the best around. ‘‘Haba madam, I was here before her and you know it is true,’’ complained one of the costumers who introduced himself as John. ‘‘Be patient my dear, I will attain to you after him,’’ Adarju pleaded.
The wife of a Police officer, Adarju’s name conjures up the picture of unique courage and devotion to the food source that adds proteins and fats to the daily diet of her clients in the highest sense of the words; and courage and devotion to the business are integral parts of the very spirit of the Margi woman from Lassa town of the state. ‘‘I am committed to this business. It is all I do to earn a living and help in raising my five children,’’ she struggled to explain as she was shelled by her demanding clients.?
Like the grasshoppers she sells, Adarju leaves her house in Wulari for Baga Road, a distance of about six kilometres as early as 5 am to buy bags of grasshoppers. She cooks for the family and prepare the children for school before she goes out. Adarju, a woman of virtue, is tireless in the discharge of her responsibilities. Her husband has not only gained the best wife any man could have, but has also acquired an extra mother and father. She has not just given her time to her trade, she has given her life.
Jummai goes shopping every Thursday and as her costume is, she followed her usual routine today. Lara volunteered to accompany her and they both decided to spice the whole thing by buying grasshopper. ‘‘I chose Thursday as my shopping day and whenever I come around, I make sure I squeeze some change to buy grasshopper.? As long as I am in town, I eat grasshopper every week. I must confess that it is delicious,’’ revealed Jummai.? Lare, who could not wait to get home before she starts eating the snacks, dipped her hand into the container to help herself. ‘‘I accompanied her because I want to show her the woman that fry the best grasshopper in town,’’ she said while eating.
Emmanuel, a student of Ramat Polytechnic in the city, was moving from one stand to the other trying to buy grasshopper. Like any man trying to undo centuries of tradition, he is in no hurry. ‘‘I am trying to select the best among them. I rate them by the pepper they use. Yes, everybody is rushing but I want the best. If not,
there is no point in buying,’’ he said as he continued his search.
‘‘The idea of travelling to Abuja from Maiduguri without grasshoppers is a bad joke,’’ revealed Zanna, a native of Kondoga Local Government Area of the state. ‘‘Whenever I come home, I make sure I buy grasshoppers while going back to Abuja. If I don’t buy, my siblings will not take it lightly with me.’’ He said he spends N2000 on grasshoppers along each time he visits Maiduguri.
Austin, an indigene of Abia State, and a final year student of Political Science at the University of Maiduguri said he has spent five years in the city and whenever he travels, he buys the delicacy for his friends in Aba who are natives of Maiduguri. ‘‘They enjoy it and respect me a lot because I buy grasshoppers for them.’’??
It is hardly a surprise that visitors to Gomari Costine, an area behind the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital are greeted at the bus stop by vendors of grasshoppers. What is surprising is that with no one involved in farming the locusts, no sign board or posters, the snack is leading the chart of food items consumed in the densely populated part of the state capital. On a sweaty evening in the bus stop, Kwasini (not real name), a native of Garta town of Michika local government, Adamawa State, is hard-working in the grasshopper business. Assisted by Kuve, her first child; she sells more than anyone else in the area.
Positioned in the bus stop to ‘receive’ both residents and visitors to Gumari Costine, Kwasini is the bread winner of her young family. She sells the highly demanded food to sustain her children and pay her house rent. Widowed five years ago, she says she was forced into the business because the little her husband left could not sustain them for a year.? ‘‘When I lost my husband, there was nothing else to depend on. He was a factory worker and all the company gave us got finished. So my friend, Ladi, introduced me into the business and that is what we have been living on.’’?
Next to her is 13 year-old Habiba who is standing in for her mother who is indisposed. Her mother, according to Habiba, sells grasshopper to earn a living. She says her father has a grinding machine ‘‘And there is always no light in our area, so people don’t come to grand maize and guinea corn. So my family depends on what my mother is able to make from selling grasshopper.’’ A family of seven, Habiba says the business has been hopeful as they can go to school ‘‘without thinking of where to get money to buy books and pay school fees.’’???????
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At Tasha Bama after Government College Maiduguri, along University of Maiduguri Road, on Thursday, October 7, 2011, as on most days, with the zeal beyond measure and a desire to sell and close for the day, 50 year-old Titi Hassan, a grasshopper vendor, sits behind a heap of grasshoppers. She puts a measure of ‘the people’s favourite’ in a frying pan and turns it as she fries the delicacy and attends to numerous costumers who had lined up. ‘‘I have been in this business for about 20 years now and hopes to continue because it is all I know how to sell,’’ she said effortlessly.
Within the area, grasshoppers define the atmosphere as some escape from the bags and frying pans. Children take over as they chase them with vigour from the garage to Sheriff Stores (across the road). ‘’We enjoy the sport,’’ revealed Kassim who was holding about six grasshoppers which he caught.’’ Zanna, who was still panting after a long chase, said they cannot afford to buy the fried grasshoppers, so they exchange the ones they catch for fried ones. ‘‘We give them ten live grasshoppers for five fried ones. We help each other,’’ the delighted Zanna added.?
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Hunted in Baga and Gajgarna towns of the state between 7 pm and 12 midnight night, grasshopper, known as Kaffi and Heggi in Kanuri and Marggi languages respectively, is everyman’s food in Borno State. A bag of grasshopper, revealed Hassan, takes about a day or two to be sold. She says vendors make about six thousand naira profit on each bag. Hassana says a bag consumes about two thousand naira worth of groundnut oil. Dealers, she explains, buy between thirty and fifty sacks of locusts from hunters in the village and transport them to the town. The wholesale price of each bag according to Hassana, is two thousand naira only while the retail price is four thousand naira, depending on the season.
Belonging to the suborder Caelifera in the order Orthoptera of the animalia family, the grasshopper eaten in Borno State, is sometimes referred to as the short-horned grasshopper. Species that change colour and behaviour at high population densities are called locust. Breeds vary according to the season but are mostly found during the rainy season. They are usually collected at dusk, using lamps or electric lighting in sweep nets.?
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