The snake joint of Lagos
By JOSSY IDAM and JOSFYN UBA
Saturday
June 10, 2006
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Photos: SUN NEWS PUBLISHING |
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Just say the word “Snake” and watch how a bunch
of people around you would recoil and run for safety.
The mind readily conjures the image of a scaly, creeping,
crawling, squirming poisonous creature.
But not to everyone. The words “snake pepper soup”
or “snake source” sends a pleasant signal to some
Lagosians who have cultivated the strange taste for it.
Strange delicacy
The word “snake” rather pricks their ears delightfully
and send their lips smacking. With joy in their eyes, they
easily reel out the potents of snake meat. You see, the meat
no get fat. It contains plenty of protein, it cures malaria
and it’s good for man”, Wale, a regular eater
says.
Tucked away in Gowon Estate Oke-Afa, Lagos, a joint dishing
out snake meat has sprang up. At NEPA Bus stop, in front of
one of the storey buildings, Mrs. Iyabo Abolarin has a trailer
and a lean-to where the delicacy is sold every day.
But some of her five children are always there. In a day,
about five long snakes of various types – python, cobra,
puffadar-are consumed. Mrs. Iyabo’s dilemma in giving
the place a name is based on the fact that the joint also
sells snail, cow tail, fried meat, and, of course, drinks.
No name yet
The joint opens as early in the morning. The 45-year-old widow
may not be seen around but some of her five children are always
In a day, about give long snake are consumed. Mrs. Iyabo’s
dilemma in giving the place a name is based on the fact that
the joint also sell snail, cow tail, fried meat, and of course,
drinks.
Steady supply
She told Saturday Sun she gets a steady supply of snakes to
cater for her teeming patrons. Every nine days, she goes to
Badagry, where she has regular snake hunters and trappers.
On every trip, she buys about 20 snakes.
According to her, the hunters kill the snakes, cut off their
heads, remove their poisonous glands, scales, and smoke them
a bit before selling. They also help her cut them into chunks.
But sometimes, the Kwara-State-born enterpreneur further cuts
them to her desired size.
The reason, she said: “You can’t compare long
and slim snakes. Some big, some small. I know as I go fit
sell-am to make small money on top”, she said in pidgin.
Even after being cooked, sourced and grilled, Saturday Sun
found out that snake skin still remain visible. Some look
like the colourful pattern in George wrapper or kente cloth.
Inviting aroma
Three years ago when Mrs. Iyabo added snake meat to her then
small drinks retailership business, her children almost deserted
her out of fear. Her 21-year-old daughter, Olamide recalls
: “We were scared. We said snake in this house? And
ran away. But after some days, we got used to it”.
Now reading Accounting at Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo
State, she not only prepares snake meat but eats it with relish.
“I think it’s the most delicious meat in the world’,
she says. As she said, the inviting, mouth-watering aroma
of the meat lured her to taste it, and from there, she began
to enjoy it.
The same thing happened to Saturday Sun reporters. Curiousity
and the aroma led them to savour the different snake meat
dishes served in the joint. The meat is tender and taste somewhat
like fish.
A regular of the place, Jimoh Adebayo, 54, says he began eating
snake as a child at Ilarogun, Kwara State. “My father
used to kill it in the farm. That’s when I discovered
that snake meat is good”. Another patron, Adeoye Adenuga
says he comes around for the delicacy every weekend.
Mixed bag
Not everyone who come around there likes snake meat. Bisi,
a young woman who was seen eating cow tail pepper soup, cringed
when Saturday Sun asked her why she wasn’t eating snake
. “ You want to kill me?” She asked with digust
written all over her face.
Anniversary
Tuesday, June 20th marks the third anniversary of the place
and Mrs. Abolarin says she would declare a snake meat party
for her esteemed customers.
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