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MAUREEN AZUH, who visited a relaxation joint in Lagos, tells how snake pepper soup is prepared and served there
An average Lagosian is fun-loving. After the day’s activities usually marked by traffic challenges, everyone is on the lookout for where to relax and relive the events of the day.
Being a largely mega setting, such relaxation spots are everywhere in Lagos. In some places there are even more than one on a street, some tastefully furnished and others built in makeshift forms. The most important thing, however, is that they all offer different delicacies.
Ejo Village is one of such spots. It is located in Agbelekale area of Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb. At the joint , assorted delicacies such as antelope and alligator are offered, but their star menu is snake pepper soup.
Although Ejo (snake) Village is located in a rather secluded area, the proprietor of the popular joint, Mrs. Basirat Akinlade, says she has been in the business for over 10 years. According to her, the business is borne out of the desire to do something other than the usual “point and kill” affair that is the toast of many fun lovers in Lagos.
Although busy frying some of the colourful snake meat for preservation, she explains, “I never thought I would do this kind of business. A friend introduced it to me. I started with cow tail, pomo and fish pepper soup. Then later I went to Sango and met some other people who sell bush meat such as antelope, grass cutter and even alligator. Every body sells cow tail and fish pepper soup. So, I decided to do something different, I don’t see anything unusual about it. My customers cut across different classes, some who want to have a taste but feel shy, send people to buy on their behalf.”
A plate of the spiced pepper soup with a chunk of snake meat either fresh – sold especially on market days when the snakes are brought in – or fried costs N300. Akinlade says she has never had any problem with patronage and nobody has ever made her feel she is doing something out of the ordinary.
She, however, explains that unlike the ‘point and kill’ affair – in which case a customer points at a live fish or animal desired and asks the seller to kill and cook it for him – she does not breed the snakes in her home. She buys from a market in Badagry or Cotonou – where they are bred for commercial purposes. She then soaks the entire length in hot water to get rid of the scales, before cutting into her desired size. According to her, the snakes come in different prices, depending on the specie and, of course, size. An average-sized Python sells for N7,000 while another type the Yoruba call manamana, which she sells regularly, costs N3,000.
“Pythons cost more because they are hardly available. Sometimes we get to buy just one in a year but I sell more of manamana, which is readily available, ” she says.
On some of the challenges she faces in the business, Akinlade says, most of them have to do with transporting the snakes in their full length from Badagry or Cotonou as the case may be to her place. She says sometimes she has to carry more than one sack, “And if you are wondering how I do this, you should know that I have been in this business for so long that I don’t fear snakes anymore,” she notes.
She also says electricity is another major challenge, which is the reason why she fries the meat.
Although she makes a living selling spiced snake pepper soup, she does not prepare her household food with the meat. It is strictly business and a means of livelihood.
While there may be divergent opinions on snake meat consumption, a nutritionist at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Rasaki Sanusi, says eating it is like eating any other kind of meat.
“Generally, all meat from whatever source can be eaten provided there is no toxic substance in them before they are consumed, and provided they are cooked thoroughly. The emphasis is on thorough cooking because that will get rid of some of the toxic substances. Though there are some animals that are toxic themselves, so whether they are thoroughly cooked, it does not remove the toxin,” he says.