Ever-increasing Poverty: The Need for Food Banks & Pantries In Nigeria

BY BABS AJAYI

Coronavirus came with a wind bag of death and a harvest of hunger and desperation to many nations. It exposed the vulnerability of the people and communities, and showed the tough, rough and tumble situation that exist.  The situation has been particularly shocking in Nigeria. What I have seen in the last three weeks has been troubling and mind-boggling. 

There have been so many videos and audio in social media, thanks largely to WhatsApp, that showed and reported troubling events of food shortages, food fights and rush, endemic poverty, anger, frustration and angst.  The level of poverty and lack in our nation should bother every one of us, particularly those in government considering the poor response of governments at all levels to the coronavirus pandemic, which has left most people who live from hand to mouth and from one daily sale to another vulnerable to hunger and misery.

Poverty is capable of providing a springboard to trigger riots and revolutions. History is replete with revolutions that were pushed by hunger and the lack of bread. The video of men and women, boys and girls rushing to scoop up palm oil from a filthy gutter was just unbearable. Another video of men, women, boys and girls in Abeokuta who struggled to grab small bags of garri was equally saddening. I could not help getting very emotional and very sad, and for hours my wife and I debated what could be done to bring food to the tables of Nigerians who cannot truly afford it, ensuring that the food reach them and there is accountability in the process of providing food. We came to the conclusion that it is time for Nigeria to have food banks and food pantries to support the hungry in a world where the rich account for nearly 95% of the nation’s wealth and resources. 

Soup kitchens will also be a good idea but that may require a lot more resources to manage in our societies though soup kitchens feed nearly 1.5 million seniors living alone in America and Canada – where they get three meals a day. 

Our people starve, suffer and go without meals a lot as evidenced by the recent riots in Sapele. The comments of the men and women who spoke in that particular video from Sapele were disturbing and moving. Our seniors suffer the most from lack of food (hot or cold meals) and we should be doing something about these problems. 

It is our duty as individuals to support and serve our community.  We owe it to ourselves as a responsibility and citizenship duty.  There was also the video of 4 guys who were sent to collect their neighbourhood’s share of coronavirus lockdown food support from government. They were given 3 loaves of bread and 3 bags of rice for a street that has more than 15 buildings! How were they to share these among more than 40 families?  

Before some of us say it will be impossible to run and manage food banks in Nigeria, let me quickly add that any food bank in Nigeria will have to be organized differently from the way they are managed here in the West to prevent greed, abuse and ensure that the food reach as many families as possible.   

Individuals and groups of neighbours often set up food pantries in their communities in Europe and North America.  They would build a box big enough to put a few loaves of bread, 2/3 trays of eggs, a few boxes of cornflakes, oatmeal, sugar, milk, noodles and even some fruits and vegetables.  

For food banks to run well in Nigeria, it will be vital to register users.  Users will be asked to bring a passport photo, provide photocopy of a government ID to be kept in file and show the original, provide two years of tax returns (if available), Bank Verification Number (BVN) if available, and complete a form.  A food bank identify card is then issued.  The card must be brought by the food bank member during every visit so that it can be stamped to confirm the week’s visit and collection of food. Only registered food bank users will be allowed and qualified to receive food weekly from the food bank. A process like this will help to reduce abuses by managers, staff and users of the food bank. 

Food banks also receive food drop offs from citizens and accept cash donations which are used to purchase food and to run the establishments. Manufacturers often always donate food and drinks to food banks as food banks always request for the support of these companies. 

I imagine that Lagos alone will need at least 10 food bank locations at inception and it is possible for a group of well meaning Nigerians and companies to work together to introduce a food bank in areas such as Ajegunle, Somolu, Ipaja, Agege, Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry, Oshodi, Yaba, and Ojota. Every state should have food banks in every local government to provide for the vulnerable and children in particular. 

There was also the video of the Nigerian man living in America who showed off the boxes of groceries dropped at his door for his family by a food bank he had called the day before to request for food. He used the video to challenge the Nigerian government, churches and companies and to demand that they support the masses of our people who are suffering. 

The billionaires who donated more than N30 billion to the Nigerian government may have succeeded in throwing money down the same bottomless pit that has not yielded Nigerians any good road, electricity, water or good governance. 

A billionaire could have put together a small group of honest Nigerians like Femi Falana, Oby Ezekwesili, Odia Ofiemun, and Olisa Agbakoba, along with some dons such as Osundare, the poet of the market place and Femi Osofisan and ask them to manage the funds, decide how it is used and use it to the maximum benefit of the people.  A few food banks could have started from there and food manufacturers encouraged to contribute their products to those food banks.       

Babs Ajayi writes from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada