From firewood to gas cooker

By Bisi Olominu
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In the cave world, when God created man in his own image and presently, the issue of what to eat and how to prepare food has been an issue. From the Garden of Eden when man went against the will of God and he was ejected and now, man has been providing for himself and his household.

The early man moved from being provided for by God and started providing for himself, gathering dry leaves and using two stones knocked together as matches.

Firewood and later chacoal took over as many households saw this as an improvement on the dry leaves. For many years, firewood was the in thing  and up till today some households still embrace this as their source of energy for preparing  their foods.

At big events in towns, villages and cities, firewood is still being used to cook and do daily cookings, and so far there’s forest in the country, firewood will still be  used.

After firewood, charcoal came into being. This is still being used for daily cookings, even some are using it as warmer in their houses. We should not forget stoves of various sizes and shapes using kerosene. Today kerosene has become expensive, a bottle of kerosene selling at N100  not sufficient to  cook beans for a small family.

Couple with this is the craziness of obtaining kerosene at the fuel stations. The rowdiness and struggle have made many to run away from using stoves.

Gas is the in thing today as many have embraced gas usage. Inventors too have invented gas of various sizes that many Nigerians could afford. The present gas is not the foreign ones with four or three nozzles and expensive, but a single nozzle, easy to manipulate by users.

Speaking on the new vogue, Mrs. Sola Ayeni, a confectionary seller at Ayedun Quarters, Akure said that the era of firewood is gne for ever and she has embraced usiong gas because it is saver, fast, although expensive but has stopped her problem of blowing air to the wood or charcoal that she was using before.

Her words:”What is in vogue today at every home is the use of gas and it is much more better than kerosene, firewood and charcoal all together. It does not dirty your pots and very fast in cooking foods and other cores at home. Even the smell coming out of my confectionery is inviting unlike the past when my customers complained of my products having  odour. I am producing more with gas now and it is good for my business.”

To Bayo Lawal, a bachelor living at Aule, Akure said that he has never used firewood in his life but his parents had and still using it because of their age.  He reminisced the hardship of using firewood, describing the experience as bitter. Noting that gas is economical, good innovation and very fast.

His words: ” As a young man I enjoy cooking with gas, it makes my cooking fast and does not make my pots dirty. I will suggest that people should embrace this new innovation for the world is evolving and people should evolve too.”

Speaking with The Hope, Miss Gbemisola Ojo, a student said that gas though expensive but better than using firewood. She added that gas somehow dangerous but better than the suffering and pains people go through when using firewood. Gbemisola  added that she is used to gas right early in life, so using it in university has not been so difficult for her.

” My parents bought the little one for me when I resumed for school and it has been of great help to me. Though living off campus but gas makes my food fast and does not make my pots dirty. I am not use to firewood but my grandma is still using it to cook her food despite buying stoves for her. She prefers her firewood to anything else.”

Mrs Funmi Oni, a food seller in Akure while speaking with The Hope said that she has changed from firewood to gas for gas is economical, fast and does not constitute nuisance to the eyes like firewood.

According to her, gas has improved her business and her catering job has improved too. She said that the delay associated with using firewood for her clients has gone with the introduction of gas.

“ Gas is effective,efficient and does not produce odour in food like firewood. I think gas is an innovation that has come to stay for long. Though very deadly when licking or open too long without lightening it. But when you understand this and you are very careful, I prefer gas to firewood “.