May 23, 2026
By Juliet Umeh
At Ajah bus stop in Lagos island, the smoke from Mrs. Nkiruka Ekeh’s charcoal grill rises slowly into the heavy afternoon air, curling above rows of half-roasted corn.
She turns each cob carefully, as if willing it not to burn, not to waste. A young man stops, glances, and asks for the price. “N700,” she replies.
He hesitates, shakes his head, and walks away. Ekeh watches him go, then sighs. In a friendly chat with Vanguard, she said: “Before, I would have sold everything before evening. Now, people look, ask, and leave. She lifted one cob, inspecting it. “Now, a proper, healthy corn is from N500 now. If it is less than that, it is either too small or not good,” she added.
