Boko Haram cripples Kola nut trade – Merchant

When did you start dealing in kola nuts?I am a kola nut merchant. My parents introduced me to it since I was a child. I have been helping my parents to sell kola nut since childhood and that is what I chose as a source of living since then.What can you tell us about kola […]

When did you start dealing in kola nuts?
I am a kola nut merchant. My parents introduced me to it since I was a child. I have been helping my parents to sell kola nut since childhood and that is what I chose as a source of living since then.
What can you tell us about kola nut?
Kola nut is a fruit. And it is mostly consumed by our people from the Northern part of the country. It is from this part (South-west) that you can get the best of kola nut in Nigeria. There are kola nut farms at Olodo, Owode, Olugbo both in Odeda and Obafemi-Owode local government areas. From the farms, we processed them by drying and sorting and from there we take them in trucks to the markets for sales. And that is why the Hausas do come down here to buy in large quantities to resell to their people. It is a good business and I thank God for what I have been able to make until this Boko Haram crisis started about five years ago.
How has the insurgency affected the business?
Before the Boko Haram problem, transporting kola nut was done without difficulties. In fact, sometimes we travel with them back to their base for days to get our money. But since about five years ago, the story has changed. We travel to near Ilorin with fear and anxiety, and this gradually affected kola trading between us and the Hausas.    
How has the market been?
February is usually the harvesting time. If I transport 20 baskets of kola nuts to the market it will not be enough for the Hausas to buy. But since the Boko Haram issue started, kola nut market has not been moving again. If you go to the market to sell, the Hausas will not come to buy. At a time, I started dashing out kola nut everyday at home.
How many baskets do you sell now on a good day?
If you carry 10 baskets to the market and make the price attractive, you may be lucky to sell. But if the Hausas are around, the market appreciates. But people that come from Ilorin to buy will say you should sell to them on credit. When you sell on credit, they will not come to pay on time and that is affecting us. We have a lot of money hanging outside.
Since we are still within the harvest period, how much do you sell a basket now?
We can sell each basket for N1,000 including transportation cost. The more it dries the better for it and the higher the price. Because of the insurgency that affected kola nut sales in the country, I have to diversify my business. That is what made me to be selling these provisions temporarily now, so that I will not just be sleeping at home every day. If care is not taken, the kola nut trade may go into extinction in Nigeria. Government should please find solution to this Boko Haram issue.
Is there any form of support you require from government that can help you improve on your trade?
Yes, we heard they are borrowing some people money, if we that are selling Kola nut are also assisted with loan, it will be a welcome idea. We urge our governor,  Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, to help us with  constant electricity supply and employment for our children so that we shall have a sense of belonging to the state.