My mother told me the story of a Woléwolé, a sanitary inspection officer, many years ago…circa 60s. The fear of this man was literally the beginning of wisdom.
His job was simple. To ensure cleanliness of homes, including their water pots, kitchens and bathrooms in order to curtail the epidemic of diseases such as cholera.
The Woléwolé also led a team to the markets to inspect consumables, raw foods, meat, bakeries and abbatoirs.
At first, the job was carried out with utmost dignity and discipline.
Then, the Woléwolé morphed into a “god.” He began to make “demands”
If he was refused, hitherto washed water pots, filled with fresh water suddenly developed tadpoles, gourds of fresh palm wine became infested with flies, fresh bread grew molds in hours.
Nobody knew how he did it. Some rumored that once he touched your wares, he found a complaint. You either have a choice to pay a hefty fine or your goods were seized, no matter your plea or argument. Not all the payments were officially receipted.
The reign of terror of this Woléwolé went for so long until the communities raised a protest that he must be replaced.
Preponderance Of Consumables Without Woléwolé
Today, Woléwolé has evolved into food inspection and consumer protection organisations.
The big question is why so many consumables are pushed into the market without adequate scrutiny and regulations? When will consumers lives be protected?
What is happening to these gatekeepers? Do foods released into the market actually passed all the required tests for approval without “underhanded demands?
Right now, bread is under scrutiny with consumers demanding better standards in the production of this staple meal.
Why should bread be poisonous and why should other processed food be drenched with so much preservatives that prolong their shelf lives but damages vital organs in the human body?
So many life-altering and terminal ailments are linked to food. Our beloved bread is now suspect.
Someone who has a relative working in a big supermarket said anytime inspectors were coming over, they called ahead to warn them, to “prepare the ground” for their visit.
Tell me why products will not reach the shelf once they can “do the needful” and bypass proper process.
In the end, the consumer suffers because we are what we eat.
Our modern Woléwolé should man the gates and not become compromised guards.
A nutritionist and wellness coach was recently arrested because she voiced her concerns about food inspection and regulation of bread.
Though she has since been released, her fight for improved food standards has created more public awareness on safety of bread consumption which is an easy-to-buy and favourite Nigerian staple.
Bread has existed for centuries. However, the standards of this product here needs more scrutiny of consumer protection agencies.
Consumer protection safeguards your right as buyer of goods and services, ensuring fair trade, product safety and transparent business practice. These rights are governed by Federal Competitive and Consumer Protection Act 2018. These acts are enforced by specific regulatory bodies:
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC);
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON);
Federal Competitive and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), the apex body that handles general consumer complaints regarding unfair trade practices and product quality across all sectors.
In terms of product safety, the government utilizes an inter-agency approach, pairing the FCCPC with the specialised regulatory bodies, including NAFDAC and SON.
Together, these agencies conduct routine market surveillance and joint task force operations to intercept, seize, and destroy counterfeit, expired, or substandard goods before they reach the public.
Under Nigerian law, buyers are explicitly guaranteed the right to full price disclosure, clear product labeling, and an implied warranty of quality, meaning businesses are statutorily required to issue refunds, exchanges, or product recalls whenever a safety or quality standard is breached.
However, the apathy and failure of gatekeepers to regulate and protect consumer rights sets up a chain of consequences that would serve everybody round.
Meanwhile, that Woléwolé in my mother’s story died mysteriously. He was said to have developed some metal illness, going about uttering some strange words. His body was said to be in a serious state of decomposition, even before life left him.
What goes round comes round.
