About 10 minutes drive from Gwagwalada, a University community in the Federal Capital Territory is Chukuku Village, a farming community, where it is taboo to fry Akara.
Akara
Around Nigeria and some other African countries, akara (Bean cake) is a popular street snack and staple food.
Though its origin is said to be from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria, it has found its way to the tables of other West African countries and even beyond.
It is enjoyed in many Nigerian homes either as breakfast or dinner.
Akara, which is made from beans is peeled and blended with pepper and seasoning added, it is then fried and served with garri, custard, pap, oatmeal or bread.
In some communities, crayfish or fish is added with other spices like garlic before frying.
Inspite of its popularity, some communities forbid the frying of Akara.
Culture is the belief, values, norms, tradition and behaviour of a people.
In the world today, there are people living in communities with different beliefs and cultural diversity.
About 10 minutes drive from Gwagwalada, a University community in the Federal Capital Territory is Chukuku Village, a farming community, where it is taboo to fry Akara.
Even with globalisation and modernity that surrounds one of the fastest-growing capital city in Africa, FCT, Chukuku Community, still believes in the ancient myth and tradition of its forebears, which forbids the frying of Akara within the community.
A News Agency of Nigeria research shows that eating Akara was not forbidden in Chukuku, but frying or baking it within the community is a taboo.
The community, mostly inhabited by the traditional Gbagyi people, with a mixture of other tribes such as the Yorubas, Igbos, Hausas, among others, are highly industrious with farming as their major occupation.
The Chief of Chukuku Community, Malam Bikko Usman, said there were no particular or specific reasons why the residents of the community do not fry Akara, but a tradition handed over by their forefathers.
Usman, however, said that Akara could be bought from outside the community and eaten in the community.
“It is the frying that is forbidden not the eating.
“We relocated from one part of the Chukuku village, where we don’t fry Akara to this part, that is why we still don’t allow the frying of Akara.
“I can’t tell the reason it’s forbidden because it’s been like that from the other part we relocated from. It has been from generation to generation.”
The Community Secretary, Sarki Tsugbaza, said the myth was an instruction handed down by the community’s forefathers, adding that it was a tradition to be respected generations to come.
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