I have been very busy with work work work. New year, New challenges but the problem in our markets still persists.
I was at the abattoir last month and it was crazy. The Kara abattoir at the outskirts of Ogun State. I was too afraid to take pictures sorry. The way the people there were behaving I just had this feeling that I would be mugged if I’m caught with a camera.
Filth everywhere. Everyone had access to the slaughter slab and with shoes, rain boots, slippers all sorts. Butchers, traders, regulators, herdsmen with unlimited access to every corner. Blood soaked pavement also covered in faeces. You should have seen the water from the reservoir that was used there... goodness, if not for that we boil, fry and over cook our meat in this part of the world I bet we would all be dead from poisoning.
The way the cows are dragged to the slabs, some visibly sick, some with high energy and full of rage some in wheel barrows almost dead. The way they are killed and skinned and cut must be wrong.... no no no, I have never been to an abattoir outside Lagos but from what DSTV has shown me on tv haba haba, this cannot be right. This cannot be healthy.
Blood everywhere, even the cow tripe (Shaki) with all the faeces was not properly disposed of. It was a good thing I had only coffee before I left the house, I would have been sick. I have been here countless times but because I am now very conscious about food safety and hygiene, I see things differently. It is funny how you see things when you are better informed. Education will definately set this people on a different path.
I was reading one of the news papers last week and it talked about how they had similar tales about the Abattoir in Agege. I can only imagine how that place would be since it is far bigger than Kara with more activity. I hope to go there soon and if the coast is clear , i'll take pictures.... hehehe.. fingers crossed.
In Kara Abattoir, I witnessed butchers inflating cow tongue with water, inflating cow meat with water so it will appear large. Imagine! The cows were skinny and tired when they were slaughtered and as soon as they finished they inflated the meat so that they would appear large. All were covered with blood as well making them appear red and healthy. God forbid!.
I fell for that scam about 5 yrs ago when I was new at this and mehn.....I regretted it. When I got home and cut open the meat, it was filled with air and water. Upon cooking it, the meat disappeared in the pot. As for my customers that also shared in the cow, I had to return their money to them since we have a 100% return policy at www.easyshopeasycook.com . That was a very expensive education for me, one I hope not to fall for again.
Another thing they do here is lie about the gender of the cow. The female cow is always hard and takes a while to cook. If you are not vigilant they will sell that to you in place of the male cow. Not that the female cow is bad but it is meant to be cheaper because of these issues but ignorant people; which I once was fall for this and regret afterwards. If I want to buy cheap hard meat, let me know upfront what I am paying for.
I really do not know how I can help with the cleanup of this Abattoir because the stories I have been reading and what I have experienced have been out of this world. Officials that have tried to clean up the place have been threatened and some having their hands cut off.
Anyway, I’m not alone, we are building a network, so I pray we will come out ahead otherwise this country is in trouble.
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