By Tai Olaniyi
First Ladyship is equally very herculean in terms of interpretations and misinterpretations. Good and maybe honest intentions maybe commended or condemned depending on humans selective exposure, selective attention, selective perception and selective retention.
It is from the array of these phenomenal selectivity that I am here discussing a contextual issue of “Iya Alakara” and / or Iya Alakara General of the Federation.
“E ma fi Iya Alakara sere, Iya Alakara. Oun ta sansan si mi ni mu, Iya Alakara, oun ta dodo si mi lofun, Iya Alakara. E ma fi Iya Alakara sere Iya Alakara”.
This play song used to be one of our treasured songs during our childhood days in Iyeru Okin Olofamojo,the one and only God’s own Town of Kwara State. We used to sing that no one should joke with the catering or the fine dexterity of the seller of the bean cakes which aroma is greatly appetising and the taste so sweetening when chewed and swallowed.
Of course, in Yoruba land of old, “Akara” is fried in different manners for different purposes. In Offa we have akaras or bean cakes fried with ordinary palm oil as we had in Senke, Kengbe, Kangu and in modern day much more with groundnut oil such as we have in Larodo.
Akara in most cases is not eaten alone but with pap or grinded and boiled corn or maize or in modern day with custard or quaker oat and allied.
These days akara could be easily bandited or kidnapped along with bread, with or without tea, or with or without soft drinks. I don’t know whether people take it while sipping palmwine or light alcoholic drinks.
Hausa’s “Kose”,” Akamu” or with “Koko” are equally enriching especially for someone like me during the Muslim Ramadan.
Outside serving as minimal breakfast supplement, akara also had been used to serve other purposes.
During our childhood days, one along with a number of few friends – if perchance we discovered at the Crossroads that the ritual being offered inside a black pot contained akara, or eggs and coins – be rest assured of their reallocation as our own palliative from the deities.
Similarly, during burial ceremonies in Yorubaland of old, as part of ceremonial feeding of family members, relatives and friends, akara and “eko elewe” both solid and pap were usually served and became a must want to partake in for all and sundry.
I remembered as if it were yesterday during my holiday visits and orientation camp in Gusau then in Sokoto but now Zamfara State(s). Our orientation camp was equally electrified by akara, kose and koko or pap.
Later, with my cousins – Alhaja Bintu, brother Lasisi Alarape, their children and other relations, both Rabiu Bello and Waheed including Ganiyu Ibikunle – wemust ensure we had an anointing and interment of akara tucked inside our oesophagus especially at nights.
That main akara or kose seller, who when she sold akara and chicken late into the night and slept off, a couple of bad boys usually eloped with thighs of chicken and other breastless chests – but do not say I told you.
Akara Yahoo remains a palatable snack for the Son of Man when in Offa and I love patronising these young male enterprising ones, graduates who unfortunately are being disparaged by lazy ones when others are exploring the verging modern akara trade businesses.
My own encounters and the derivation of palliative from the First Lady, Her Excellency Senator Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu – now referred to as ” Iya Alakara” by her husband President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR – was when she was the First Lady of Lagos State around mid 90s.
Her akara then came both in cash and kind as honest and humble donations to the Red Cross Society of Lagos Branch when Pa Umunde and Dr Odugbesan served as Chairmen (both of blessed memories) and the Son of Man then served as Information and Fund Raising Adviser.
Mrs Tinubu was exceedingly humble and respectful to us all Red Crossers of that time without any iota of undue pride nor inhuman treatments by the security operatives in her encourage then.
As part of Her Excellency ‘s additional akara palliative to the downtrodden Nigerians – especially the graduates – my humble plea to Mr President through Madam Oluremi Tinubu is that the status quo remains for the National Youth Service Corp.
That not only the paramilitary aspect of it still be handled by the Military, but that the NYSC uniform be left intact for corpers against the pedestrian suggestion being peddled around.
There may be slight structural adjustments to how corpers are posted, taking cognisance of insecurities everywhere in Nigeria, but its fulcrum of national integration should neither be overlooked nor the cancellation of its paramilitary tradition and the change of its uniform entertained.
Your Excellency Ma, could you believe that my brother’s wife and mine are both dividends of our NYSC services in 1973 at Isukwuato – formally in Imo but now Abia and mine 1980/81 in Oyo State respectively?
That is the truth. So, ” Biko” make una let NYSC be; just as the frying of AKARA has been through the ages till date.
God bless Nigeria as Akara remains a worthwhile chop-chop forever and ever.
