This delicacy made of millet and yoghurt, has suddenly become quite expensive, scarce, or in some places, the meal is now a shadow of its former self, lacking its rich white colour and appeal. The sudden rise in cattle theft in the last three years may explain what is happening to fura da nono, and a similar fate must be visiting the meal in other West African states where rustling has reared its ugly head, driven by an organised and well armed syndicate. Ardo Ahmed Suleiman, Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Kaduna state, adds that 1 million cows were grabbed by rustlers last year in the state. Hassan Kuraye, Chairman, MACBAN, Katsina State also presents a figure of 1 million stolen cows for the same period in Katsina State. 10,000 cows were stolen in Nasarawa State in the last year, says Mohammed Hussaini, Chairman, MACBAN, Nasarawa State. In Zamfara, Kogi, Niger, and Adamawa states, and many other locations, there is a growing pattern of cattle theft. A weak economy soon emerges around the nomad, and because he has no other skill or training, life becomes very difficult for him.
If there are no cows, there will be no milk, and milk is key to the making of Yoghurt. There is an organic bond between the meal which is prepared by the women, and the cow, which is largely taken to pasture by the men. Without the cow, the milkmaids profession and her entire economy will be in jeopardy and the meal itself could very well be making an exit. Then the name of the meal may vanish if rustling continues. In one Ruga (settlement of the nomadic Fulani) which this reporter visited in September in the Gwagwalada area of the FCT, he was presented with a bowl of ‘Kamu’ (hot, liquid Guinea corn meal) as breakfast. This is unusual for a dwelling of the nomadic Fulani, where a visitor normally receives a calabash of white, creamy yoghurt. This meal confirms the presence of cows.That the Guinea corn meal was presented to the guest, shows that something ugly must be happening to the local population of cows, as well as aspects of the culinary system among the nomads.
However, the picture from Cross River State on the same matter differs somewhat from the one above. It had been mentioned that the reason why the nomads were not in Ogoja on the morning of the visit, was because there was a naming ceremony at nearby Yala.Little Aisha had been born a week earlier,and was to be so named that morning. So, we went to Yala to catch up with them. There was a lot of fura da nono for the guests, as well as tuwon shinkafa (mashed rice meal) and fried cow meat. It was a festival of delicacies which the nomads alone have mastered. Men formed circles in the open and heartily ate of the well cooked meal. The vegetation formed an inspiring background to the gathering, and smoke rose from the kitchen area where many women moved about spiritedly. A little rain fell, which made us enter the hut, where the interviews continued. We drank more of the creamy fura da nono, making it an afternoon that won’t be forgotten in a hurry. Of course, the level of rustling occuring in the south is not as intense as in the North, and so the quality and availability of the meal differs. A fairly similar situation presented itself in Enugu at the home of Sarkin Fulani Saidu Baso, who says that fura da nono is not scarce in Enugu, owing to the abundance of cows in the area. A calabash of nono was presented at Iseyin in Oyo State, in the course of doing interviews at a very large settlement where there were countless cows. The presentation of ‘kamu’ to a visitor, is an exception rather than the norm at settlements of the nomadic Fulani.
The concept of the milk maid itself may vanish, or it may be redefined in the coming years. Her attire has shifted greatly from what it was in the 70s, and it wasn’t long before something happened to the meal itself.In the 70s milkmaids wore a woven cotton cloth, but today the milkmaid wears lace, and tries to keep up with various fashions which she sees when she ventures into towns and cities, bringing milk. She looks at other women and copies what she sees around her. She wears colourful, flowery scarves as well. Dr. Nafissatu D. Mohammed, former Executive Secretary, National Commission for Nomadic Education said: “In the past what did she wear to come to the market? The typical picture of the milk maid is a woman wearing this woven short blouse, which is very colourful, and the accompanying wrapper, and the calabash. Do you see that now? You see them dressed in lace.” One respondent mentions that the fact that the maids attire has changed, will affect her inner purity, which means that this will affect her role as a woman. The milkmaid is caught in a transformation that has been going on for decades.
Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi of the CDC comments on the current shortage of milk, and on the change that has befallen the nomads “The effect of cattle rustling has reduced the population of cattle across Nigeria. As a result there is shortage of milk and oil from the cow. Fura da nono is scarce and a bit expensive in parts of the north.It is even difficult to come by.” The quality of the milk is another big issue. “People try to improve the quality of the milk,by using powdered milk. The actual fresh milk is hard to find, and this is because of cattle rustling. If you want natural fura da nono using natural milk, it will be difficult for you to get this. Some of the women are using modern yoghurt to prepare the nono.”
Khadijah Ardido, National Secretary, MACBAN, Womens Wing, speaks on the economy of the female nomad, saying: “The woman depends on 60% of the cow for milk, fat, and butter. They also feed on it. She sells the butter and brings back the money to the house. This allows her some measure of independence and she is able to buy a few things to assist with the children. But today, she is slowly losing grip of this economy.” She describes rustling as “a huge blow to the female nomads.”
Dr. Mohammed comments on the slow erosion of fura da nono from the diet, and how this has weakened the economy of female nomads, saying: “The women have now resorted to buying peak powdered milk, and doing the same thing to produce yoghurt. So, the kind of nono we used to get has become scarce in many places.In fact, because of insecurity, its not safe for them to trek those long distances they used to walk from their homesteads.”
She asks the critical question: “How many tins of milk will she buy before she can get that texture, that flavour of yoghurt that she used to make. You will find that the standard will drop.She may just buy one tin, and it will be diluted. Thus, many things would change in the economic system of the nomadic Fulani, as a result of cattle rustling and related security issues.” Dr. Muhammad Ali Gana of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said: “Fura da nono is certainly threatened. If the animals are not there, the possibility of getting meat, milk, butter, the hides and skin, won’t exist.”
Baba Othman Ngelzarma, National Secretary General MACBAN says “If you see an average Fulani woman, she relies on the cattle for her livelihood. In every town you go to, you will see them carrying the calabash, selling fura da nono. They live by this small means.” But today, the calabash, which once bore yoghurt, is becoming empty. Saleh Momale, Acting Executive Director, The Pastoral Resolve, commenting on the impact of rustling, states “The net result will be inadequacy of livestock products particularly milk and butter at the household level,in the affected rural communities and the neighbouring towns.”
The Milk Collection Centre, Paiko-Kore, Gwagwalada is a good place to measure the availability of milk in the area. Mohammed Abubakar, Desk Officer, Dairy, explained: “When we started here 5 women will bring 30/40 litres of milk each day. Now, the same women will bring 3 litres.” Fatima Musa, one of the women present at the collection centre, said: “Fura da nono may become scarce if there’s no milk, and there’s no milk today, especially since many nomads have migrated elsewhere.” Hadiza Mohammed added: “Since there was a conflict here in Paiko-Kore between the Fulani and the farmers, many nomads migrated, and so there are no cows to milk. No wonder, fura da nono is becoming rare. It will vanish one day if the trend continues.”
Ramatu Abubakar sheds light on the problem, saying: “Cows are no longer available in the area, as it was in the past. This is because of occasional conflicts and cattle rustling. Now, the nomads are scared of rearing cows, and prefer to sell their animals. The absence of cows is affecting the popular fura da nono in terms of its availability and quality.” Habiba Ibrahim and Rabi Tanimu, two milk sellers, present a picture of the situation better. “kindirmo (Yoghurt) is obtained from the milk of the cow,and without the milk there is no kindirmo.There is no milk now, compared with the past. So, kindirmo is certainly threatened.”
Idris Yerima comments on the non availability of milk, saying: “The milk the children used to drink every morning is no longer there, since the cows were stolen.” He said that he had to buy milk from his neighbours, just for the children’s sake, and agrees that fura da nono is already becoming quite scarce. Hasiya Yerima also speaks about her experience with the milk trade in Gwagwalada, saying: “I have been selling milk since the regime of General Babangida. But now, I think there’s a drop in the availability of milk and yoghurt. I have to look up to my husband for money, but previously, I earned money from the sale of fura. I am not used to asking my husband for money. But sometimes when I ask, my husband does not even have money to give me.” On the impact of the scarcity of milk on children, she added: “The children are used to milk, and they are not fond of the guinea corn meal which we are forced to serve them. They prefer milk which is not available.”
On the same matter, Shafiu Umar opines that “the children are used to drinking milk from the cows, now, there is no milk.” Isyaku Abdullahi, a herder in Birnin Gwari comments on the loss of cows, saying: “If this phenomenon continues, nono will vanish in this part of the country, and it has already started to disappear. Those who don’t have cows, depend on the Fulani who have cows for milk.The Fulani children need the milk, because they are not used to other foods. Now, we are feeling cold, because we don’t have hot fresh milk from our cows.”
Many parents have turned to the Guinea corn meal for breakfast, and the children in many settlements have been protesting against the new meal. The large scale migrations by nomads to neighbouring countries, such as Chad, Cameroon, Togo and Niger Republic, will have an impact on the quantity of milk available in the country, and even its quality. In many parts of the north, milkmaids buy bottled yoghurt which they now utilise when preparing the fura da nono meal for their customers. The fura, which is derived from millet, is still as good as it was, but the Yoghurt which helps to bring the meal to life, which defines a culinary experience that is essentially pastoral, is now different in many places. These are not the best of times for Nigeria’s many milkmaids, whose link with the milk trade has earned them a level of financial freedom over the years.
