Dayo Olukanni, 55, with her partial facial burns has been in the work of frying garri for over 5 years. The woman who attributed several illnesses she has been diagnosed with to the work of garri noted that she suffered from malaria due to the stress she passed through during the process of making garri.
Like others in the garri production work, Dayo is adroit in frying garri who is also very smart in peeling cassava, was met frying garri and sweating profusely trying to bring out the best in it.
While she holds the large stick using her right hand to turn the garri on fire, she narrated a scenario when she was not able to work for some days because of malaria caused by the work, where she was bedridden in the hospital.
She explained to this reporter that garri production passes through different stages, which makes it more stressful and sometimes harmful to her health.
She noted that despite her adroitness in the frying of garri, carelessness sometimes leads her to burning it when she loses focus and is tired and just relaxed, stating that before she knows, the garri has burnt. She also noted that if the firewood is not enough, the garri might not be well cooked and be dried to satisfaction, making her go the extra mile to get plenty of firewood.
"There was a time I was in the hospital and I have my cassava ground already, so before I came back it was pressed and I need to fry it, but with the rush that it must be ready to be sold in the market because I had no money with me then led me to managing the little firewood I had and it caused the garri to be like cassava flour "elubo" which can never be accepted in the market" she narrated
"There was also a day I was dozing off in this work because of different stress passed through in previous days" she added
Garri Production has been a source of income for people in rural areas in Nigeria, most especially some villages across the country.
Though the production of garri is very stressful and at the same time consuming, the people still engage in it to produce food for the populace.
Garri is a common food made from cassava and consumed by most people in Nigeria. Garri was highly demanded with an estimate of one million tons (1,000,000), with the supply of two hundred and fifty thousand (250,000) tons estimated.
Nigeria as a Country is reported to be one of the largest cassava producing countries in the world having over 47 million in 2013. A paper in 2017 asserted that cassava production will help in moving the nation from the economic crisis it is encountering.
With the high production of cassava, Nigerians produce different things from it. Cassava can be used in producing different foods ranging from cassava flour, fufu, garri, cassava chips, cassava bread and akpu
The most reputable and commonly accepted out of this product is garri which almost everyone in the country consumes. Though, it can be used to make a swallow food called Eba but what most people consume is garri, taking it with anything. With its high demand, the increase in its price by 66% has caused some homes in Nigeria to suffer from hunger.
Garri have different forms based on how it is produced and where it is Produced. Igbo people who also produce garri have their own in yellow colour, but the reverse is the case for Yoruba people as they have their own garri in white with different forms based on the dryness, and the rate of light ignited to it.
Ada residents known majorly for farming, with high specialization in cassava planting and making of garri produce quality garri in dryness, smoothness and palatability to the taste.
Ada people use garri production as a source of income as it is believed by them that there's more gain in making garri. Then making other cassava products.
Marketers and distributors visit Ada to purchase garri either in wholesales, retail or for consumption.
Ada residents mostly distribute their garri to different towns like Osogbo, Ikirun, Iragbiji and most especially people from other places come to the town to purchase the food or better send through a dispatch rider to distribute to them.
Garri price varies from time to time, depending on the season and the rate at which farmers plant cassava in the farm and also the rate at which people focus on garri production rather than other cassava Products.
One of the producers who spoke to this reporter, Agboola Kafayat who was seeing peeling cassava explained that garri production is the most arduous out of all the products of cassava.
She explained that if the energy used in producing garri is channeled to other cassava products like cassava flour or fufu, it will yield more of the products, adding that garri is just majorly accepted by the horde of people in the community.
"Garri production is very hard, very stressful indeed. Assuming I'm to produce cassava flour, it will not take me more than 3 days and the work will not be much.
Just after peeling and putting the cassava inside water in the drum, I will just relax till it get soft in the next three days, then I will dry it, but the case is different in garri production, someone needs after uprooting cassava, peeling it and grounding to still look for enough fire woods to fry the garri"
The frying section is the most stressful in all the works, the flame entering one's eyes while frying can make someone turn blind if care is not taken" she said.
It is known that garri passes through a different process before it gets to be fried during its last stage.
The cassava after it had spent over 2 years in the ground while germinating will be uprooted, peeled and taken to the engine where it would be grinded, before the water in it is pressed and ready for frying.
A Garri producer, Toyin Adebisi who spoke to this reporter noted that the process of garri making is very stressful, added that sometimes she will get tired after peeling the cassava.
She said, "Garri Production is very stressful, starting from planting the cassava, uprooting it, carrying the loads, peeling the cassava and grounding it till we fry it. And even before we fry it, we still need to sieve it, the stress is massive compared to what we even get there"
Speaking further, Toyin reiterated that Nigeria's economy is not helping the matter as the price of what she buys while producing is high because of the high price of everything in the market.
"Since Nigeria economy has changed these days, the gain is not like before again, there's no money in Nigeria, because people rarely get money to buy it and we cannot keep selling in credit"
Garri Production is not easy but we have no choice, Producers.
Despite the stress the producers pass through during the process of making the garri, some of them noted that it is very interesting to them because it is their source of income and it brings food to their table.
Kehinde Adeshina, a garri producer and grinder, explained that the work is what he has chosen to do and he has no choice but to find a solace in it despite the challenges that accompany the work.
He said, "After we have uprooted it from the farm, before we start peeling it. We can't say it's not easy because it's our work and it's bringing us money. The profit there is different from what we sell now, because the price of everything has risen and it's price keeps reducing"
Adeshina pleaded with the government to establish a large factory where there will be modernized way of production by having different engines, ranging from the one that i peel the cassava, sieve the garri and also fry it, adding that it will make it easy for people to produce it in large quantity and there will be connection between producers and buyers.
"If the government can establish an industry, there will also be job opportunities for youths and others that have nothing doing in the community, adding that the modernized method will encourage the people to participate in the process"
Also, another producer who narrates her experience over the last five years, expatiating that the stress has been a thing they can't avoid, added that she has trained most of her children in tertiary institutions through garri making.
"Though, the production is stressful but it is a work I have ventured into since the past few years and I have no choice than to do it, because it has helped me in sponsoring my children throughout tertiary instructions"
"Another problem is economic recession in Nigeria presently, it has affected us drastically because it is everything we buy in the market that is expensive and the garri we are selling is not expensive " she added.
Agboola Kafayat who showed this reporter some scars she sustained while peeling the cassava, explained that it was interesting as they also eat out of it, which is part of the reasons she prefers the work.
"Though I do other things but I love garri making because there's no way I will be producing it and I won't eat out of it. I am a trader but I do this one as a supporting business"
While speaking, a producer who was peeling cassava noted that the work it's not easy but it is her life saver.
"I have been in this work for over five years and I can bluntly say that it is stressful, but the gain and the pleasure we derive from it keep us moving. I have no work and this has been helping in terms of financial needs"
Kafayat therefore beseeched the government to help them by allocating resources to the garri producing industry, and also easen the work for them by providing modernized engines.
