There they go again, pure water-carrying trucks scorched by the sun till the sachets of water they carry feel as hot as can be used for cocoa or tea. They are meticulous, doing their jobs as they deem fit, without realizing that they are committing a crime, a crime against humanity. Daily they poison unsuspecting consumers who believe they are meeting up with the recommendations for water intake prescribed by their doctors, drinking water from sachets or bottles that have been exposed to sunlight and been subject to chemical reactions, poison I would say, based on the subjection of rubber to heat.
Speaking of heat, the microwave oven comes to mind. I remember the first time I used one at my sister’s house, I was much younger and she taught me clearly to use only ‘microwave oven safe’ dishes or plates. How many Nigerians know this? Let me ask- how many Nigerians obey this rule? The microwave oven has now become a life saver which we use without caution; everything can be thrown into it as far as it comes out warm and ready to eat. How many eateries truly obey that rule? Many customers they receive daily stop by to get quick meals which they hurriedly pack into rubber bowls that are not ‘Microwave oven safe’ and throw in. The happy customers pay for their meals and walk off with meals that have again been exposed to the reaction of heat (this time, a more dangerous form of heat) with rubber. Some people even heat pure water packs in the microwave oven for tea.
I want to assume that only a few people know that food is supposed to be covered in microwave ovens to prevent direct contact of the microwaves with the food, because of the number of smiling fellows I see watch their food get thrown uncovered into microwave ovens and retrieved for consumption.
If among the enlightened this is still an issue, I wonder what happens with those who are learning the ropes. What happens then to people who consume bottles of water or beverage drinks daily? How about those who eat the cellophane-wrapped variety of the local delicacy, moi-moi? Is there a variety of fufu or akpu that is not wrapped in cellophane?
I was glad when the authorities spoke up about some of these issues a while back, but we need to enforce these proper practices, we need to enlighten the entire populace and have monitors on ground ensuring compliance, because every life is important and should be preserved, so let us say no to freedom that endangers the human life, that makes cancer a present reality in Nigeria and preserve the generations following from having to pay debts they did not take.