By Theophilus Keme
Local man is happy, although he does not actually have all it takes to afford all his needs, but at least, there is one small item that he is most thankful for; that the Producers and Marketers of his favorite item had been most merciful to produce them in sizes.
Well, this he nudge in his heart that the producers must be a ‘sure guy’, ‘person wey sabi’, as he/she without having to meet him in person but still understands that saying that goes; ‘cutting cloth according to one’s size’. This he gives his unknown hero’s their due accolades.
This reality about his favorite item and it’s size alone makes him thankful always – to the invisible marketers and producers whenever he embellishes the sweet savour in solidarity into his rumbling stomach.
This size, conveniently he easily grabs by the road-side store and stuck them into his shallow pocket even as he goes about finding his daily bread.
This item however isn’t really his preferred choice though, but due to the nature of his work and also the stress from his society he seem to find it pleasurable and economic friendly, as he don’t have the luxury yet to patronizing the big bottles neither does he want to be indecent by carrying an oversized bottle on him along his way.
Life and things seem to be normal until this day that he passed by the local newspaper stand and he overheard group of persons decrying a ban on a product.
“Make them no try am o, which kind rubbish be this nau?”
This he saw an angry biker holding a newspaper lament savagely and another who also peeped from same newspaper spoke aloud;
“Na thunder go fire this woman ohh, see as she wear spec like wicked teacher for school”
This and other side comments got him curious to know what exactly is happening again for bikers and laborers of his class to be complaining.
“Ogar, una well done o, wetin don dey happen again la?” He enquired.
“You dey mind this our rubbish government! Oya talk na, wetin this thing do them?, abi na this thing be their problem?”
The biker man spoke very angrily as he didn’t state what it was exactly before he tossed me the newspaper to see for myself.
On the paper was the image of Mrs Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) with her signature fashion spec as always. And on the heading of her image I see the bold writings:
‘Nigerian Govt Announces Commencement of Ban on Sachets Alcoholic Drinks‘
This was unbelievable, as I had to bring the paper really close to my face to be sure that it was what I just saw and as I read further:
“Nigerian Govt Announces Commencement of Ban on Sachets Alcoholic Drinks
“According to Director, the deadline for manufacturers to cease production of the drinks in sachets and PET bottles, initially set for 2018, lapsed on January 31, 2024.
“This decision was based on the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC on the one hand, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, and the Industry represented by the Association of Food, Beverages and Tobacco Employers, AFBTE, Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria, DIBAN, in December 2018.”
Without reading anymore, I didn’t no when I suddenly shared in the plight of my comerade and shouted;
‘Oluwa o!’
“Na really thunder go fire these people o”
“No no no, na thunder wey dey do press up go fire this woman”
“So them think say everybody dey tiff tiff money like them to dey buy champagne? How sachet ogogoro wey we take dey clear eye for this nonsense country take affect them nau?”
This I had complained aloud as if anybody there could give me a better explanation but everyone continued with their personal agony of the matter.
From the complaints of the people around me, it only affirm we all are great patriotic consumers of the Sachet alcohol beverages of which the Federal Government has once again stolen our simple source of joy.
‘It is well, it is well in the name of Jesus’ I hummed, as I left the gathering and went about looking for my daily bread believing better days are ahead.
