Food blockade: Afenifere campaign suffers defeat as beef boycott flops in Lagos, Ogun, other states
- A one-day symbolic beef boycott was called by some prominent Yoruba groups in reaction to the food blockade from the north to the south
- Looks like the boycott flopped in the major markets in the southwest region
- Residents in Lagos, Ogun and other states were seen purchasing beef in the market
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
It appears the one-day symbolic beef boycott announced by the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Aare Onakankanfo, Iba Gani Adams, Yoruba Summit Group and Sunday Igboho, was not so successful.
Recall the beef boycott tagged, “Anything but Cow Day” with the theme, “Towards Terminating the Cow Pandemic, had been published in an advertorial.
It came on the heels of the food blockade from the north to the southern part of Nigeria which caused a scarcity of food items in the market.
The boycott was to start from 12:01am on Friday, March 5, to midnight.
Source: Getty Images
No boycott in Lagos
According to a Daily Trust report, Lagos residents went about their normal routine as they were seen buying beef. Sellers, on the other hand, said there was nothing like a boycott.
At Ile Epo, Abule-Egba, Mushin markets and others, cow traders said they did not the effect of any beef boycott.
Speaking with Daily Trust, Mrs Ayodele Aje who resides in the state said she was not aware of the boycott, and that she would not have complied.
A butcher at Abbatoir, Agege Lagos, Alhaji Ado Kowa Abashi, said there was no boycott as businesses have gone on as usual.
Ogun residents ignore boycott
Ogun residents did not also comply with the beef boycott.
Mrs Janet Adenekan, a food seller in Abeokuta, Ogun state, noted that people were still consuming beef.
According to her, "There seems to be no alternative because people are used to it.’’
She added that the recent food blockade was a wakeup call for the south to go back to agriculture.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, described the beef boycott as a success.
According to him, Yoruba has made it clear that they would no longer tolerate the killing of their people in the name of cattle rearing.
Legit.ng reported earlier that Odumakin confirmed the boycott on Thursday, March 4.
While urging the people to respond positively to the boycott, the Afenifere spokesman added that cows are not the only source of protein available to the people.
---
Nkem Ikeke is a senior editor at Legit.ng with over 8 years of experience. She is a graduate of Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Music, books and her sewing machine keep her busy when she's not copy-editing or writing for Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
