The strange delicacy of Pankshin
By JOSSY IDAM (jidam14@yahoo.com)
Saturday, January 26, 2008

•Barbecued dogs for sale Photo: Sun News Publishing

Living index

Barbequed in an open fire and spiced with hot chili pepper and onion, dog meat is a delicacy in Pankshin. And the meat is quite in demand. At the town’s central market, about 20 sellers of the delicacy operate a cartel. To avoid a glut, they made a rule that no seller should slaughter more than two dogs a day. So, all in all, about 40 dogs are eaten daily.

Boom business
Tapgun Monday sells a chunk of the meat for N100. He has been in the business for two years. He told Saturday Sun he gets regular supply of big live dogs from a neighbouring town, Dawaki .

Jacob Lawal, 25, says he buys a whole dog for between N3,500 to N4,500. He buys up to six and before the supply is sold out, he scouts around for a fresh consignment. He claims to be one of the oldest in the business. He claims to have spent more than 15 years buying, slaughtering, roasting and selling dogs.

Groomed by his old father, Bunsho, 17, runs the business with him. Bunsho does the killing , roasting or cooking, grilling and selling. His father, according to him, is a better bargainer. He is the one who goes out looking for fresh supply of dogs. The peak period for the business is evening. When offices close and farmers return home, the place comes alive with people buying chunky pieces of dog meat. A keen observer would be surprised to see several barbecued or roasted dogs disappear gradually in the mouth of earger eaters.

Medicinal property and aphrodisiac
Some eaters claim dog meat is medicinal. Danjuma 21, told Saturday Sun that regular consumption of the meat wards off malaria and typhoid. “When people say their body dey pain them, I tell them to eat dog meat. Malaria, typhoid go finish when you eat am,” he said.
Bulus eats it for a different reason. He believes it enhances his sexual virility. Said he: “For me, I eat–am because it dey make my manhood stronger. Just like dog in action, I perform well,” he said with an impish grin on his face.

His girlfriend, Mary who accompanied him to the joint dismissed Bulus claim. She says he buys the meat because its cheap and affordable. “For any amount, you can get meat to chew. Na him make Bulus de buy–am”, she said laughing.

Watering hole
As though by rule, nearly every eater of the delicacy gravitates to a nearby local bar where a heady homemade brew-Brukutu is sold. Served and sold in cut calabashes, William Dimka and his wife, Maria sell a portion for N10 only. Maria says it’s a lot of hard work preparing it “ E no easy for me-o. I go market, buy millet, buy firewood, boil and prepare and sell. Na real hard work,” she laments.
But her husband, William is consoled by the fact that his family needs are met through the proceeds.
“Na from here we dey manage. We pay school fees and feed. We dey manage,” he said.
The brew is quite in demand. In a day, the couple sell about 100 liters.