By Joy Joseph Oyiza and Tongret Nanle Dajim
Due to the current economic hardship in the country, some students of the University of Jos have become entrepreneurs by engaging in mobile food vending, and these students can be seen all over the Naraguta campus.
Mobile food vending is the business of selling prepared, packaged, or unprepared foods ranging from burns, alias “puff-puff,” popcorn, egg rolls, stick meat, and local salad.
UniJos Echo sampled the opinions of students on this growing trend.
Comfort Moarak, a final-year student of sociology who is into mobile food vending, noted that the disadvantage of the practice is that you are limited by space. “You only have a limited amount of space to prepare and serve food, so you have to be very efficient with your menu. Additionally, because you are mobile, you cannot build up the same kind of loyal customer base that a traditional restaurant has”.
Chika Ifeji, a 200-level student of special education and rehabilitation, states that she prefers to eat in a restaurant rather than patronise the mobile food vendors. Her reason was that she feels very comfortable and safe eating in the restaurant because the environment is mostly clean and serene, unlike the mobile food vendors, who are mostly seen in overpopulated spaces and untidy environments.
Princess Bala, a 300-level student of law, said that she prefers to patronise her fellow coursemates engaged in mobile food vending due to the proximity instead of going out to buy food and drinks outside the class. She also added that the prices are “cheaper, more affordable, and more satisfying”.
UniJos Echo consulted the professional opinion of a food technologist, and according to Mrs. Blessing Abimiku of the Department of Home Economics, Faculty of Education, eating from mobile food vendors can expose one to airborne disease and other harmful insects like flies that perch on the food. She added that students should not be scared of eating at the restaurant for fear of the price tag, as it is affordable. She also stated that nutritionists should always carry out the duty of checking mobile food vendors, just as they do with restaurant owners, in order to ensure that stale and improperly prepared food and drinks are not sold to students. Finally, she called on all students and staff to always look out and check closely, whether patronising a mobile food vendor or a restaurant, to ensure that the environment is clean and that the meal or drink that is served is properly prepared or cooked, and to ensure that you get value for your money.
Also from the Department of Home Economics, another food technologist, Mr. Victor Matawal, said that students need to beware and be careful of the food they consume from mobile food vendors. He said students do not know the “food handling” of what they buy. “For instance, a meat pie is supposed to be served hot because it contains meat, and when you serve it cold, the microorganisms will increase”. He recommended environmental health officers check what students eat from mobile food vendors.
Photos by Joy Joseph Oyiza
