Iya Alakara

Iya Alakara (The Beans Cake Seller)

We call her Iya Alakara (Beans cake seller) because her akara is the best, though she sells other fried foods. Akara is a popular delicacy eaten in Nigeria , it is made from grinding beans,  then mixed with various sauce ingredients and then shaped in the form of a ball before being fried in either a hot palm or vegetable oil. It is eaten with variety of other foods like fried yam, pap and even bread for a proper balance diet. Her spot cannot be mistaken, it is strategically located for commuters and passers-by to easily spot.

Walking through my street about three nights ago, I thought hard on my next content for the blog.  Only a hot akara and pap would do at the moment; the thought of cooking would have been  a mission impossible. I have had enough for the day.  So here I was, readily seated right in front of her,  the little smoke emanating from the firewood was not enough to deter me from satisfying  my crave for akara. In no quick means I asked for akamu (pap) and akara.  That was all I asked for but the next scene of events baffled me.

I have known her to be a peaceful and jovial woman, many times I have cracked jokes with her and she would smile so easily, but this night was not to be. A customer came and ordered for N50 worth of fried potato , after that, he ordered for another  N40 worth as the initial one while at it, he nearly busted my earlobes ordering it. Her fries are that delicious you would certainly order for a second round. (Iya Basira things in *Style Plus Crew’s voice*). (lols). What a satisfaction for this weary soul! A little less than a moment, he probably would have fainted for exhaustion. The speed and manner at which he consumed it was baffling.

I watched him eat a N90 worth of fried potatoes without drinking water, not knowing he had it all figured out. After, he gave her N100 with the hope of using the balance of to buy pure water, her friendly face changed to a stern looking one and ready to pounce on anyone with her massive body  at any slight of provocation. She responded:  “there is no change”.  An unavoidable conflict loomed, a communication breakdown has occurred. In her own calculation, she had made a total sale of fried potatoes worth the sum of N100  but the customer insisted he shouted that he wanted a N40 worth for the second round which I bore witness to. Still she won’t accept any of it, she vehemently refused. Apparently, the noise of a small powered generator (I pass my neighbour) at the back of her stand had deafened her from hearing despite the shout from the customer.  

As this conflict ensued with both parties refusing to make a compromise, I knew it was a story waiting to be written. I thought: What a time to be alive! (lols). The frustration and anger on both faces because of a potential loss of N10 said it all. There’s a lot to deduce from this true life incident  or perhaps taking place even somewhere else as I write, if there is anything to go away with for me, there is need for us to be sensitive to other people’s emotion during this recession in the country.

Pls leave your comments below.