Responding to the outbreak of monkey pox virus in parts of the country and acting to prevent further spread of the disease, the federal government recently announced its plan to ban the consumption of bush meat. But the move has sparked protests from hunters, traders and lovers of the delicacy, our correspondents OKUNGBOWA AIWERIE, SIMON UTEBOR, BASSEY ANTHONY, CHRIS NJOKU, SUNNY NWANKWO, OGOCHUKWU ANIOK, NSA GILL, DAMIAN DURUIHEOMA and EMMA ELEKWA report.
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Hunters, traders, consumers dismiss FG’s call for boycott of popular delicacy
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Demand alternative means of livelihood
Asuquo Okon Andy, a resident of Ifiayong village, Uruan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, has been in the business of selling bush meat for more than 34 years. He has for over three decades depended on the proceeds from the business to fend for his family, pay the children’s school fees and attend to other family needs.
“I started this business when I was only a boy, and I have always operated from this place,” he said in a voice that revealed how much joy he derived from the business.
For him, bush meat business is all he has known all his life. In fact, he gets excited each time there is a discussion around it. But his love for the venture suffered a big blow last week as the federal government called for an end to the business as part of plans to check the spread of monkey pox epidemic.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, made the announcement when he urged hunters and dealers in bush meat to stop the business in order to prevent the spread of monkeypox in parts of the country that have witnessed its outbreak.
Disturbing as the announcement was, Asuquo said it is incapable of making him to quit his bush meat business, describing the statement as laughable and insensitive.
“I have been doing this business for years without any complaint that a customer has fallen sick from consuming bush meat,” he said, arguing that the Federal Government does not have sufficient grounds to take away their source of livelihood.
He said: “I have been doing this business for more than 34 years. I sell virtually all types of bush meat including alligator, antelope, tortoise and porcupine. No customer has ever complained of chicken pox or other sicknesses because of bush meat.
“Besides, I prepare it very well. Most of my customers are guests who lodge at the Ibom Icon Hotel and Golf Resort.”
His position was shared by other traders and hunters who described the venture as the life wire without which they would cease to exist.
Ekpenyong Udoh Etim, another bush meat seller on Urua Ekpa Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said there is no truth in the claim that monkeypox is caused by bush meat.
Etim said: “I don’t think the government knows what they are talking about. I feed my family and train my children in school from this business. I can’t stop my business because of what government is saying.”
A hunter, Unyime Akpanika, said the federal government’s decision to ban bush meat consumption was laughable because it won’t work in Akwa Ibom.
He said: “I can tell you that the government lacks something to do. It is not possible to ban the consumption of bush meat because even top government people book bush meat with me.
“Ask them (the government) what they want us to do for a living if they ban bush meat. Maybe they want us to start stealing or begging for survival.”
A bush meat consumer, Ekponta Abasifreke, said there was no amount of antics by the government that would make him stop consuming bush meat. He insisted that Akwa Ibom people are very neat and as such are very conscious of what they eat and how they prepare them.
He said: “Bush meat sellers in the state observe strict hygiene conditions in its preparation. Many of the animals are caught with traps, not by crude or harmful methods.
“So the use of monkey pox to scare people like us away from bush meat will not work in Akwa Ibom. Let the federal government look for better policies to improve the economy of the country, not imposing a ban on bush meat consumption.”
Bush meat dealers in Delta State have also vowed to defy the order.
A 45 year old hunter, Obinna Nwabueni who lives in Ibusa, Oshimili North LGA, condemned the ban, saying he has no other means of livelihood than the business he has engaged in since he was a teenager, having learnt the trade from his father.
Aside from being a hunter, Nwabueni has a bar where he sells palm wine and bush meat pepper soup. Business is booming for Nwabueni as many residents who live in the vicinity spend their evenings at his bar.
According to Nwabueni, he cannot afford to obey the ban because he has a family to cater for. He believes than the ban on bush meat is a ploy to increase the hardship bedeviling the masses.
His words: “My brother, how can I obey such a ban? How can I feed my family if I don’t hunt and also run this bar where I sell palmi (palm wine) to my customers? I have children in primary and secondary school.”
Mrs Angela Nwaka sells bush meat along the Asaba-Ughelli Road by Olloa-Ogwashi-Uku Junction in Aniocha South LGA.
She said she sells bush meat, yam and cassava. She fends for her family with the proceeds of her business and cannot contemplate stopping it despite the ban, which she said she was not even aware of.
Residents, mainly women from nearby communities, converge on Olloa-Ogwashi-Uku Junction to sell and transform it into a thriving business hub dotted with several bars.
For motorists plying the route, Olloa-Ogwashi-Uku is a place to purchase cheap foodstuff.
A commercial driver, Uchenna Sorokwu, who plies the Asaba/Kwale route, dismissed the ban, arguing that the federal government must provide an alternative means of survival for the poor rural women who are trying to eke out a living from selling the bush meat delicacy.
He said he makes regular stops at Olloa-Ogwashi-Uku to wind down with palm wine and pepper soup. He argued that the ban would be difficult to implement as many poor rural dwellers in the vicinity depend on the business for their livelihood.
Many of the shop owners, he said, live on bush meat and cassava they buy from hunters and farmers.
Madam Nwaka, on her part, said in pidgin: “Oga, I no go fit leave dis my market of bush meat and yam. How I go take feed my children. My husband no get work, na this business we dey take manage. I never hear dis ban wen you say government put for bush meat business.”
Mile Five, Ugbolu community, along the ever-busy Asaba-Illah Road is another spot where bush meat delicacy is sold. were unaware of any such ban.
A shop owner, who asked not to be named, said the federal government has not placed any such ban on bush meat business and accused the reporter of making it up.
He said he and other shop owners in the area would have no other means of livelihood if such a ban was imposed.
He noted that “Mile Five” has been in existence since the creation of Delta State, urging the state government to assist their small scale businesses with soft loans.
You can’t afford to compound our woes – Bayelsa bush meat dealers
The announcement of a ban on the sales and consumption of bush meat delicacy was described by Charles Peters, a bush meat seller in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as a plot to compound the economic challenges of the people.
Peters, who sells palm wine with varieties of bush meat, said the government’s action was meant to further make life difficult for people in the country.
He said: “The government’s ban will no doubt make life more difficult for people. There are people who depend on bush meat sales for their livelihood and with the ban, their business is closed. How do you expect them to survive?
“Before the outbreak of monkey pox, people have been eating bush meat. So, I don’t believe that bush meat consumption is responsible for the virus.
“Government should try to find out what is happening instead of throwing many people, hunters and bush meat sellers alike, into joblessness.
“I find it difficult to understand why the government is always looking for ways to cause grief and pain for its citizens.
“I believe the ban is another means for the government to make a fortune from the virus that has affected some persons.”
Peters said that because of the ban, he and other dealers in bush meat had been careful about incurring much loss. Hence they had reduced their stock of bush meat.
He noted that the ban had not actually reduced the consumption rate as many of his customers were still demanding for it.
He said: “I can tell you that many customers don’t even mind the government’s ban. They don’t believe the government.
“Instead, they feel that government officials are trying to use the opportunity to frighten people in order to advance their own selfish interest.
“The people that eat monkey have not contracted monkey pox let alone those who eat other kinds of bush meat like antelope, grasscutter and bush pig. We are appealing to the government not to destroy our business in the name of stopping the spread of monkey pox.
“They should find a way to deal with the scourge and not deprive hunters and traders of their means of livelihood.”
For hunters and sellers of bush meat in Anambra State, this has really not been the best of times. Even before the news reverberated across the state, there had been scarcity of bush meat in the state due to growing insecurity. Hunters rarely visit the bushes for fear of being attacked by gunmen who have taken over most of the forests in the state.
Besides, the threat by government to raid and subsequently seize any forest colonised by gunmen as camps has increased hunters’ fears about such locations where the animals are harvested.
The foregoing has reportedly led to its scarcity, with attendant increase in prices where available. There are also challenges of low patronage of the delicacy by owners of restaurants and joints across the state.
One of the hunters, Onyekachi Akujobi, said he had resolved to look for another source of livelihood to take care of his family.
“The insecurity in the state has affected us badly. Moving into the bush now is like signing your death warrant. You can’t predict what you’ll meet there,” he said.
Another hunter, who identified himself simply as Jude, said gone were the days when bush meat business was lucrative. He regretted that the news about the ban would further worsen the situation.
Jude said: “I remember those good old days when bush meat hardly stayed in our hands. As soon as you come out from the bush and stand at the roadside, a potential buyer is already standing by to pick one or two.
“But now, going into the bush to hunt is a big problem, not to talk of selling the meat. Vehicles will keep passing by without anyone stopping to price one.”
Jonas Ewurum, an owner of one of the eateries in Onitsha, said it has been many months since they stopped selling the delicacy.
“Why will we continue to keep meat when no one is ready to buy them? We’re now concentrating on suya and nkwobi,” he added.
Ban not meant for us – Abia dealers
Hunters, sellers and consumers of bush meat in Abia State have said that the current warning by the federal government against the consumption of bush meat following the outbreak of monkey pox will not stop them from hunting, selling and consuming the local delicacy.
Our correspondent who visited some bush meat spots in the two major cities of the state like Aba and Umuahia and also spoke to some respondents reports that it was business as usual as customers that patronise such spots were seen enjoying their favourite bush meat with their special brand of drinks.
Some of the sellers told our correspondent that they were yet to record low sales since the warning was issued, stressing that they were yet to meet the demand of their customers who throng their shops for bush meat.
One of the respondents who gave his name as Goodluck said: “This was the same scenario that we faced during the ebola crisis.
“We heard the announcement from the federal government concerning the outbreak of monkey pox, but I want to say that it has not in any way affected our business.
“The patronage has not dropped, but our challenge is the availability of bush meat.
“The demand for bush meat is high such that hunters sell their kills before they even get to their houses.
“To ensure that we have regular supply, we even book meat before they kill and I don’t see anything changing anytime soon.”
A bush meat lover, Mr. Walter Chigozie, said he was not thinking of changing his preference for bush meat despite the threat of monkeypox in the country.
For Chigozie, monkeypox will soon become a thing of the past like ebola, adding that the only advice that they will give to those cooking and selling bush meat is to ensure that they cook and prepare their meat under hygienic conditions.
In Ebonyi State, it was gathered that many dealers and consumers were not yet aware of the ban on bush meat and vehemently stated their resolve not to adhere to it.
A bush meat seller in Afikpo, Mrs Stella Nnachi, said the federal government cannot ban the consumption of the product. She boasted that she and other dealers were not aware of the ban and would not adhere to it.
“Well, this is the first time I am hearing of it. Do they have any other source of livelihood for us? What do they expect us to do to survive or do they want us and our families to go hungry?” she queried.
Mr Okpani James, a resident of Amasiri, a town in Afikpo noted for the sale and consumption of bushmeat, laughed off the ban.
He said: “Bush meat is a popular food in this area, so it is impossible for the ban to work.
“You have been to Amasiri and seen the number of joints selling bush meat including the number of those hawking it on the road. How do you intend to stop all of them?
“Are you also going to stop the buyers from patronising them? It is going to be very difficult to enforce,” he said.
We’re not aware of ban on bush meat consumption -Enugu hunters, dealers
Some hunters our correspondent spoke with in Enugu State claimed that they were not aware of the ban on consumption of bush meat in the country.
To this end, they said, their business was going on unhindered while their customers were not showing any sign that they would comply with the ban.
Speaking in separate interviews with our correspondent, some of the hunters said even if they were aware of the ban, it would not stop their business.
They disclosed that the only time they noticed a ban on their business was during the outbreak of ebola virus some years ago.
One of them, who identified himself simply as Uzodimma, said that any ban on bush meat hunting was bound to fail because no consumer has been reported ill for eating them.
Uzodimma, who was at the New Market, Enugu to sell some of his kills, said:
“I’m not sure those who want us to stop eating bush meat know what brought about the so-called monkey pox.
“They tried this during the time of Jonathan when they said that our bush meat was responsible for Ebola, but eventually, they found that it was not bush meat.
“Now, they have come again with another tale of monkeypox, asking us to stop eating bush meat.
“I think they should find something else that brought monkeypox to them. I’m sure it is not bush meat. We’ve been eating it without any problem for generations.”
Sellers, like Joseph Agada, said if people had believed in the ban or observed it, his business would have been adversely affected.
Agada, who said he was not aware of the ban, added: “As I am talking to you, bush meat, like every other commodity, has become very expensive and it is not meant for the poor.
“So, if people believed the ban, most of my customers, who are largely public servants and traders, would have stopped patronising me.
“The only time we witnessed the ban was during the time of Goodluck Jonathan. Because people believed it and were afraid of contracting Ebola, it affected my business then. But not too long after, my business picked up again.
“Even during the time of COVID-19, similar things were said but nobody cared and nobody got sick from consuming bush meat.
“This is the market I have been doing for 36 years and I am training my children with it and taking care of my family too.
“I’m sure nothing can stop it unless my customers stop coming, God forbid!”
Many dealers and sellers of bush meat in Cross River State are not aware of the recent directives from the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control urging caution in the consumption of bush meat following the reported cases of monkey pox diseases in some areas across the country.
In a survey carried out among a cluster of bush meat sellers on the outskirts of Calabar, Atimbo Road in particular, all the respondents said they were not aware of any directive or warning about monkey pox. Rather, they expressed hope that no situation will arise for them to shut down like they did during the Ebola outbreak.
“Please, God of the poor, help us. It wasn’t easy. Our children are in school. We feed from these businesses and it was not kind for us,” one of them, who gave her name as Mary, said.
“Monkeys are not part of the bush meat we deal in. We deal in antelope and grasscutter, but we can also prepare any bush meat for you,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State Government through the Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Janet Ekpenyong, has debunked reports of active cases of monkeypox in the state.
The DG, who spoke in a telephone interview, said so far, there was no active case of monkey pox in any of the 18 local government areas in the state, noting that the state government was held headstrong to the detection and management of related cases.
Ekpenyong noted that a well constituted health awareness and sensitization team as well as a rapid surveillance team was on ground to checkmate the outbreak of any epidemic or pandemic.
She urged residents of the state not to panic for any reason, noting that the health authorities in the state were seriously working on a preventive medical approach while advising residents to comply with medical advice given to them by the health team.
According to her, “Cross River State has always been a state with proactive approach to outbreak responses from the onset.
“We try to activate immediate search and border control measures as it can be traced as far back as the poliomyelitis control, COV-19, Lassa fever where almost all of our neigbouring states recorded substantial number of cases, and that will continue to be our approach to safeguard our people.”
However, she revealed that sometime in February, the state only had two cases which were well managed by the state government.
“We also traced those they had one on one contact with so that we would be assured of a pandemic-free state.
“Notwithstanding, we won’t relent in our efforts to prevent the spread of the disease since we are aware of how transmittable it can be with a lot of people coming into Cross River from states where there are active cases even in the month of May.
Nigeria cannot enforce the law – Zoologist
The General Manager of Imo State Zoological Garden, Francis Abisoye, commended the Federal Government for the positive step.
He said that the ban, if implemented, would help in balancing the nation’s ecosystem.
“It is a positive step because it will promote conservation. It means many of the animals will be saved, which in turn will balance the ecosystem if those animals are allowed to regenerate and re-procreate,” he said.
He however doubted if the ban would be enforced because Nigerians make laws but do not enforce them.
“Most of these wealthy men will not allow the ban to stay because they patronise the hunters and sellers of these bush meats,” he said.
A hunter who gave his name as Matthias Igwe said that most of the bushes in Imo State do not have monkeys and wondered how monkeypox could spread.
“We hunters here do not even kill monkeys, so we do not kill and eat monkeys. How can we contact the virus?” Igwe wondered.
He warned the Federal Government not to be quick in implementing the ban on bush meat because “most wealthy men depend on it to survive just as we depend on the game for our survival.”
Another hunter, Kalu Ndubuisi, said he had trained five of his children to university level from the sales of bush meat.
“We depend on it to survive. Will the government provide us with alternative jobs to train and feed our families?” he asked.