Road Trip to Vandeikya: Episode 2
In the past, we prepared ourselves days before we proceed to a particular farm. Take for instance, if we go to Mr A’s farm on Monday as a peer group, we proceed to Mr B’s far on Tuesday and continued in that manner until we go round the circle of friends (Himbe). With that number and collaboration, we were able to deliver hectares of farmland for each person day after day.
Food is important in the business of farming so while doing that, we prepared what will be eaten (most times handled by our mothers or wives). The food we eat on the farm was dependent on few things: the time of the year, capacity of the host and the expected numbers of farmers. It could be luam akpu (processed cassava food - fufu)with pocho (local stew) and chicken, it could be luam yo (pounded yam) with vegetable soup and smoked fish, it could be luam nahan (corn/millet/guinea corn flour mixed most times with cassava flour)with nyam toho (bush meat). In between meals we had side attractions like iyogh ki ngbaan (roasted yam) with ngyata (highly peppered groundnut meal ) or boiled/roasted corn with groundnut/pear/coconut etc.
Our days on the farm never knew hunger, land tussles/conflicts, cattle/Fulani Invasions, chemicals called herbicides or fertilizers but bumper harvests, peaceful coexistence, an overall happy community, etc. What we see today is poverty in the land, hunger, death, hatred, no future plans for the next day not to talk of the next year or next generation.
From my junior class in secondary school, I started visiting the village and enjoying the serenity while my parents waited for holidays to end so they can come take me back to school. I had very opportunity to traverse the biggest cities in Nigeria but choose to spend my holidays on the farm. But at the same time, they also expected me to show off my harvests which we all enjoyed as a family. There was always a lot to take home to Makurdi which lasted sometimes a whole season.
If you visit the village today, they ask you “what did you bring?” Before now, you drive a boot-empty car to the village and come back boot-filled, but today, you travel boot-filled to the village and return boot-empty.
Do we have a future my people?
Where do we go from here?