In the bustling markets of Lagos, a shocking sight has become an all-too-familiar reality. Groups of married women and mothers, once proud and self-sufficient, are now forced to rummage through discarded remnants of the day’s market activities
Their hands, once gentle and nurturing, now dig through rotting food and filth, driven by the desperation to feed their families.
The downward spiral of these women’s lives was triggered by a combination of devastating factors. For some, it was the sudden loss of their husband’s job, which shattered their financial stability. Others were crippled by illnesses that ravaged their savings, leaving them vulnerable to the whims of fate. Yet, others lost their bread winners to the unexpected — premature death, terminal illnesses, and the like. And for the rest of the populace, the relentless rise in the cost of living proved to be the final push, sending them tumbling over the edge into a desperate struggle for survival.
At first glance, they may be mistaken for lunatics, reveling in the squalor for some twisted thrill. But the truth is far more painful. These women are not scavenging for pleasure; they are fighting for survival. The harsh economic realities have left them with no other choice but to seek solace in the dumps of cast-off fruits and vegetables from the market.
This heart-wrenching scene unfolds under the cover of darkness. Their mission is to scavenge for survival, searching for anything edible amidst the rotting vegetables and trash to feed their starving families. The odour of rotting waste hangs heavy in the air, yet these women press on, undeterred by the overwhelming stench. Rather, their determination is ignited by the gnawing pangs of hunger and the unbearable thought of their children going to bed on empty bellies.
Scavenging in disguise
Some of them at Jakande Gate market, Oke-Afa, Ejigbo, would often meet any intruder’s gaze with a piercing stare, their expressions a clear warning to mind one’s own business. In a city like Lagos, where anonymity reigns and everyone fights for survival, these women have learned to be guarded and secretive.
To further conceal their identities, they would wrap their scarves around their faces, covering themselves up to the neck, rendering them almost unrecognisable as they go about their daily struggles to scavenge for food in trash bags, usually kept on the median for onward collection by Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA.
From Jakande market, to Ikotun, Ijegun, Isolo, Oshodi, down to Igando and the Junction market at Iyana-Iba, the sorry sight of these women is the same. They sort through the trash, their hands moving with practised ease, separating the rotten from the salvageable. They fill their bags with perished peppers, spoilt potatoes, and yams, the spoilt produce carefully selected for its potential to be redeemed.
As the night wears on, these women disappear into the shadows, their bags filled with the discarded produce of a society that seems to have forgotten them. They return to their homes, where they will transform these discarded remnants into meals that will sustain their families.
At Oke-Afa market
During a visit to Oke-Afa market, separated by the canal from the mass burial site, a distressing scene unfolded as a woman in her 60s caught the attention of this reporter. Her weathered face is a topographic map of wrinkles and lines, her eyes sunken into the orbits of her skull. Her frail frame bent over the trash bins of over-ripe, rotting plantains that had changed colour.
Her presence raised so many questions — what had led her to this point? Had she been abandoned by her family? Was she a widow struggling to survive? The sight of her scavenging for food at such an advanced age was a stark reminder of the harsh realities of poverty and the struggles that many elderly women face.
From rotten to crispy
Beneath the surface of this particular market lies a fascinating story of ingenuity and determination. Some women who regularly visit the Oke-Afa Mass Burial bridge market were discovered to have developed a remarkable enterprise, salvaging rotten plantains and transforming them into crispy, peppered snacks, then sell their creations to commuters stuck in traffic, within that vicinity that is prone to traffic.
Beyond the market
Behind the resilience and resourcefulness of some of these women lies a heartbreaking reality. Many of them were not only forced to live on the fringes of society, scavenging for survival in a desperate bid to make ends meet. The harsh truth is that some of them are homeless, with no place to call their own.
At night, they seek shelter in makeshift homes fashioned from waste bins, known locally as “bollers.”
These makeshift shelters,located on the contiguous Isolo refuse dump, serve as a stark reminder of the precarious existence these women lead. Before dawn breaks, they emerge from their humble abodes, ready to face another day of searching for discarded plantain and other fruits, their struggle for survival a never-ending cycle.
Another scenario
But the struggle for survival doesn’t end here. Some of these women also beg for alms during the day, some with babies strapped to their backs. They frequent busy bus stops like Ladipo and PWD on the Agege Motor Road, pleading for spare change from passersby and motorists. After a long day of begging, they trek to Arena market, where they scavenge for food to feed their families.
There’s another category of food scavengers — women who visit major markets like Arena, Ketu, and Mile 12, as well as Katangua, Ikotun, Iyana Iba, Idi-Oro, and others, as early as possible. Armed with bags, they stand by and watch out for any produce that is about to be thrown away. They rush to catch it before it hits the floor, often competing with other scavengers for the spoils.
Unfortunately, perishable tomatoes commonly called esa, however, are a rare find, as most retailers sell them to end-users, leaving these women to scrounge for other available produce.
Our plight
One of the women who shared her story with Vanguard, after initial hesitation and a N2,000 incentive, revealed a life of quiet desperation. With no steady income, Linda as she simply introduced herself, said she joined the ranks of nocturnal foragers, scouring markets for scraps to survive last year.
Her eyes, once bright with hope, now dimly reflected the desperation that had become her reality. Linda declined to disclose her place of residence or state of origin, but her emotional tone conveyed the depth of her struggles.
“My husband lost his job 18 months ago,” she narrated. “I had no choice but to join other women in searching for food. I visit Idi-Oro and Mushin markets, seeking remnants to feed my family. Previously, I carried loads for people, but when prices rose, they refused to increase their payments. What I earned was no longer enough to cook for my three children,” she said.
Linda’s husband, a former commercial motorcyclist, according to her, lost his livelihood when the service was banned. With no support system, she said she felt compelled to take matters into her own hands, abandoning shame and pride to ensure her family’s survival.
Hunt for fish
“I never thought I’d be doing this,” another woman, Matha Ogidi whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling of trash. “But what choice do I have? My children need to eat.”
Continuing, she said: “ I’ve been struggling to make ends meet for eight months now. My husband’s accident has left him bedridden, and we’ve had to move from one uncompleted building to another before finally settling into a makeshift ‘boller’ house where we’ve built a small shanty.
Despite the challenges, I’ve been fortunate that my children rarely fall ill, thanks to my diligence in washing everything thoroughly before cooking. Sometimes, shop owners discard expired products, which we carefully prepare and eat.”
She, however, lamented that fish heads, which was her family’s primary source of protein, had become a rare find. Since eggs are unaffordable, she said: “we’ve relied on fish heads discarded by customers who don’t want them. However, our luck has run out, as fish sellers have now started selling these cast-off heads, making them even more difficult to obtain.”
Another challenge, according to her, is the scarcity and rising cost of cow bones. “They used to sell for N50, then N200, but now they cost between N1,000 and N1,500, depending on the amount of flesh on them. It’s a struggle to make do with what little we have,” she lamented.
The gleaming towers and bustling streets that symbolize the prosperity of Lagos seem a world away, as these women struggle to survive, their dignity worn down by the relentless grind of poverty and desperation.
The expressions on their faces reflect the despair that has become their reality, as they wait in quiet desperation for a glimmer of good fortune or a lifeline in the form of a government policy that might finally change the course of their lives for the better.
Implications
On the implication of this, health experts say children eating scavenged foods from trash bins are exposed to severe health risks including cancer, lead poisoning, acute malnutrition, and anemia among others.
They warned that the family and the country will be most affected in the long run.
In a chat with the President of the Paediatric Association of Nigeria, Prof. Ekanem Ekure, who described the situation as “a national emergency” expressed deep concern over the immediate and long-term consequences for children and their families.
Ekure said that scavenged foods are often contaminated with harmful pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and moulds.
She explained: “When food is scavenged, it is often exposed to contaminants. Food-borne illnesses like diarrhoea and gastroenteritis are immediate risks. Additionally, moulds can cause respiratory issues and allergic reactions, while parasites in the food can lead to worm infestations.
“Like allergic reactions, they could have respiratory issues and then there are also germs related to parasites that can also be infected with that food. So, those children can end up with worm infestations like roundworms, and different types of worms that they can be infected with.
She warned of even more severe risks such as chemical poisoning from cleaning agents, pesticides, or leaked battery acid often found in trash.
Ekure highlighted how exposure to such toxins could result in lead poisoning and long-term health issues like cancer due to chemicals released from heated plastics in discarded food containers.
“Apart from these germs, people throw all manner of things in the trash. Cleaning chemicals, pesticides and what have you. Anything can be thrown inside the trash. So, all those things can get into the food. They are all harmful and can lead to them poisoning with toxic substances.
“People throw batteries that are bad and old, into trash. You know if a battery leaks liquid, the liquid can get mixed up with this food. So, you can end up with things like lead poisoning there. Then sometimes plastic.
“Some of these foods are left over maybe in some plastic container and thrown away. By the time the sun comes and is heating the plastic, we are all hearing of the chemicals in plastic that can be injurious to health, causing all manner of diseases including cancer.”
On nutritional impact, she said beyond contamination, scavenged foods are nutritionally inadequate, which poses serious risks to a child’s growth and development.
Ekure said: “Children have a limited window for brain and body development. Poor nutrition during this critical period leads to iron deficiency, anaemia, developmental delays, and poor academic performance. These effects can last a lifetime.
Continuing she said: “But in addition to the food being inadequate, is that whatever is being given is lacking in nutrition, nutrients, minerals, vitamins, all those things are things children need for growth and development.
You know that for children, their own thing is now, not tomorrow. They only have a limited time to grow and develop. Their brain has a limited time to grow and develop.
So, if we miss that time in their childhood of giving them adequate nutrition that will enable appropriate growth and development, then we’ve lost it.
“We are talking of a common deficiency globally, iron deficiency. So, if you are not eating balanced nutrition, one of the things you could be deficient in is iron. What does it do? The children become pale and anemic. They are very weak and tired. It affects brain development.
They don’t do well in school. There is a delay in their development. So, you see long-term effects.
“We are looking at short-term effects, which are things that can happen now when you eat this food. Then we are talking of long-term effects that are going to happen with these children because this is what is happening at a crucial stage of their lives when things are developing in their bodies. And they have to live with that problem all the days of their lives.
“A child can choke from something that got mixed up with the food that the mother did not see.
And choking can lead to death. It can pose a significant danger to the child. So, chronic exposure to this kind of thing going on for a long time will affect that child’s immune system.
Once the child’s immune system is affected, it makes that child to be more vulnerable to infections. So, more infections are coming.
The professor further stressed the psychological and social toll on the children, adding: “Children eating from trash bins experience shame, stigma, and mental stress, which can lead to long-term psychological trauma and social isolation.”
Stating that these factors compound the physical harm, creating a cycle of health and social problems, she explained: “These children are seeing what is happening. They are seeing that they are getting food that is being scavenged. It causes psychological stress, feelings of shame and inferiority. Their friends in school or somewhere else, are not eating from the dustbin.
It does something to their psyche. And those are all mental injuries that build up over time. And you begin to see all those effects in people as they grow up.
That psychological stress has now produced somebody that can be a problem for him or herself and for other people in society. The stigma can create some kind of social isolation, if other people have an idea that this is what is happening, it even affects their social interaction with other people. It affects their self-esteem. So this is a problem that runs around every aspect of the body.”
Ekure urged the government to treat child nutrition as an emergency and implement immediate measures to combat food insecurity.
She urged communities to organise relief efforts to assist families in dire need.
“It is unacceptable for children in a nation not at war to eat from trash bins. This crisis demands immediate action from all levels of government, society, and private organisations. Our children deserve better.”
Corroborating her views, a nutritionist at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC), Dr Obinna Ogbonna who linked the issue to food insecurity and economic hardship said the health implications are grave as it could lead to severe malnutrition risks to the members of the family especially the vulnerable groups like pregnant women, the under-five children and the aged.
“In a tough economic situation like the nation is going through, it’s very likely that families will be forced against their will to scavenge from waste bins or patronize spoilt or rotten or decaying foods to feed their families.”
He said such indulgence could lead to avoidable infections like cholera, typhoid infections, gastroenteritis, some forms of cancer, and other complications.”
He said naturally when there is malnutrition, the body’s immune system is weakened and compromised, exposing the person to opportunistic infections. “Then infections on their own exacerbate malnutrition.”
He expressed worry that such a situation will increase morbidity and mortality rates as a result of these hardship-coping traits.
Ogbonna called for social corporate responsibility to create employment opportunities, ensure food safety, and stabilize food prices.
He suggested the need to open food silos, protect farmers, and, if possible, enact price controls on staple foods to ensure affordability.
Scavenging strips people of human dignity — Sociologists
Also looking at the social implication of the issue, sociologists said scavenging or begging for food strips people of human dignity.
The sociologists, Professor Bisi Ajala of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State and Associate Professor Samuel Oluranti of the Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, opined that scavenging for food is not part of the African culture and has become pronounced because of serious economic hardship in the land.
They therefore, called on the government to put in place various social safety nets to reduce poverty in the land.
Ajala said: “The consequences are in the health, social and even political areas. Food that people scavenge for are leftovers that may have been exposed to the elements of weather. The food items may have gone bad. It could have been feasted on by flies and other disease vectors.
“From the social angle, it is demeaning and erodes the status of those who engage in it. The biggest implication is on the larger society. Development is measured with regards to the well-being of the citizens and when you talk about the well-being of the people, food is an essential component. If you don’t eat well, you may not be healthy and when you are not healthy, how can you be useful to the society?
“If the citizens are not feeding well, then it means the society has zero development. Food is basic. If the citizens are now limited to scavenging to survive, then the society is gone. Also, what that shows is that the production level in the society is also low. Production cannot be in high level and people won’t have what to eat.
“If a large portion of the society is now left to scavenge to survive, then, what type of leaders would they produce? There will be no opportunity to produce good leaders. People would have been turned to beggars and any token thrown at them would seem like a lifeline.”
In his opinion, Oluranti blamed abject poverty in the land for the menace.
“Poverty has led people into doing this. That is the main cause of the ugly practice. It is not African. People don’t like to beg for food. Food that they don’t know who prepared and for what purposes. I have seen that a number of times.
“It is a ridiculous thing. Those who engage in it are looked down upon. Begging is not part of our culture and people have their ego they want to protect and which they want others to respect. It exposes people to ridicule and can negatively affect the reputation of a family. If for instance, the person who goes out to scavenge or beg is seen by somebody who knows her, it would become a matter of gossip here and there.
“When you take a child along to do that, you are teaching him or her how to beg, how to be dependent on others. In that way, the ugly trend would continue. We know some people who do that and you can see that their children somehow inherit such abnormal practice from them. A child that is taken along to beg for food is also exposed to ridicule and his esteem taken down to the lowest level.
“There should be a way to take care of the poor. Social policies must be put in place to alleviate the poverty people face. The sharing of palliatives in public places is not the solution. That is why we had those terrible incidents in Ibadan, Abuja and Okija. Social safety nets must be put in place.
“It is also unfortunate that the extended family bond has broken down in our society. In those days, people who were better off were helping others to train and take care of their children but now, that is no longer the situation.” (Vanguard)
