Soya Bean Aka ‘Awara’ Becomes Hotcake in Kano Metropolis

Soya Bean Aka ‘Awara’ Becomes Hotcake in Kano Metropolis

By Hussaini Ibrahim Kafi

Awara,a local delicacy made from Soya bean, is now in hot demand in many parts of Kano metropolis, no thanks to the prevailing hunger situation in the country.

Investigation by our Correspondent revealed that Awara which is fried with groundnut oil or vegetable oil just like Kosai (Akara) or pancake, has become a staple diet among the local populace, second only to rice and beans,or Tuwo which is made from maize, sorghum or rice.

Before now,Awara was largely consumed as a snack in parts of the hugely populated commercial city.

Our findings through some areas including markets, streets and some corridors in the city, shows that people, especially the youths, have turned to Awara because it is cheaper when compared to rice and beans, Tuwo or Jollof rice.

It was gathered that the sum of N200 or N300 can fetch a customer a plate of the delicacy to be eaten for breakfast, lunch or even dinner, depending on the need at the time.

In some eatry joints, the findings further revealed that Awara is fried with eggs or combined with some spices such as pappy, Salad and cucumber, which makes the plate richer.

One of the consumers, saleh musa, told our Correspondent that he buys Awara almost on daily basis as breakfast or lunch,”depending on when he is hungry.

“In the morning in particular,I buy Awara for N200,in place of Kosai(Akara) which I can no longer afford now. But the N200 Awara satisfies me,at least to a certain extent,” the 20-year-old saleh musa said.

Another patronizer, Muktar Audu, says he buys the delicacy for lunch every other day, because he finds it cheaper than rice and beans.

“With my N300,I buy Awara for lunch in the afternoon,as against my usual jollof rice which is beyond my reach now.I find Awara cheaper and satisfying,”Mahir said.

A Seller of the delicacy, Safiya musa, says she is making lucrative business selling Awara to her consumers, raking in about N20,000 per day.

“Before now, i was frying  beans cake aka akara (Kosai), but as the demand for Awara became overwhelming  i had no option than to switch business for more gain and speedy sales and at time when the price of beans became high and unaffordable which now sales at N2,500 per modu, measured.

“But Soya bean costs cheaper, selling at N1,300 per modu measured. I  buy two or three mudus measures of Soya bean from which I make Awara, and i thank Allah i am making good profit from the business,” musa said.

Recall that Governor Abba Yusuf of the state last week raised an alarm over the prevailing hunger situation in the state, describing the trend as disturbing.

The Governor who raised the alarm during a meeting with members of the business community in the state, said he would ask President Bola Tinubu to intervene and address the hunger situation in the state.

“I will personally go and ask President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and check the prevailing hunger situation in Kano State, so as to save our people from starvation,”Yusuf said.

“We know that other parts of the country are experiencing the same thing,but we will make a case for Kano State,being our constituency,” he said.