One feature of visiting places in the world is indulging in local delicacies. Food is culture, tradition and a representation of a people. Most times people explore and experience the flavours of the country or community. In this case, many who visit or have visited any northern part of the country, especially Borno are sure to have a taste of the state, Fura da nono. A delicacy that northern hosts hosts it is a must-have for every visitor foreign or local.
As the demand for affordable and nutritious food grows amidst the growing economic challenges facing many Nigerians, especially low-income earners, the market for Fura da Nono is booming at Yan Nono market in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
This delicious and beloved delicacy – Fura (millet dough balls) mixed with Nono (fermented cow milk) is not only a satisfying meal but also a source of livelihood for many, including young men, women and even underage children working in the bustling market.
For a first-time visitor, the sheer number of customers moving from one vendor to another can be overwhelming. People eagerly seek out the creamy, white and ash-coloured mixture, known for its taste and nutritional benefits.
On one side of the market, large refrigerators stocked with ice blocks supply young hawkers, who serve as retail traders. These hawkers sell the ice to Fura da Nono vendors, ensuring that the drink remains refreshingly cool for customers.
Children under the age of 10 were seen weaving through buyers, carrying trays of tied sugarpieces for sale – an essential ingredient used to sweeten Fura and Nono, lending a unique flavour to the delicacy.
However, despite the growing interest in buying and selling these traditional treats, our reporter noticed troubling signs of illicit activities creeping into the market.
From a corner of a small shop run by the market’s female leader, this reporter observed the unfolding dynamics of the market – the good, the bad, and the ugly.
By 7am, traders are already up and going and ready for the day. They can be seen opening their shops, washing containers, cleaning the area, and preparing for the arrival of the milk maids from nomadic settlements around Yobe and Borno states. By 9.30am, the milk maids begin to arrive in a fleet of golf cars, each carrying calabashes filled with creamy fresh milk. This brings hope to hundreds of traders – both men and women – who depend on this product for their livelihoods.
Excitedly and with smiles on their faces the retail traders rush to collect the calabashes, helping the milkmaids disembark from the vehicles while negotiating prices. After a while, the deals are settled, and the milkmaids disappared into the bustling and busy crowd of traders and potential buyers.
By noon, the market in full swing as traders get busy with setting up their tents under the scorching sun and begin selling to customers from all walks of life.
While speaking to Weekend Trust the milkmaids noted that this supplying milk was their lifeline not minding the distance they have to cover to supply.
One of the milkmaids, Salame Ado, said she has been in the business for over 15 years and over these years the business has grown into being a family business for her siblings and herself.
She explained that she was introduced into the business by her late elder sister, and they supply the milk weekly, from their Ruga settlement close Ashaka in Gombe state to various neigbouring cities and states.
“I come to this market from Ashaka in Gombe through Fika in Yobe state, once a week. We breed cows there that gives us at least 20 calabash of milk daily.
“All the women in the family are milkmaids, some will go to Gombe and we come to Maiduguri because the market is booms here. We don’t waste much time selling here,. People are always eager and ready to buy. Sometimes our supply is never enough.” she said.
On how much they sell a Calabash to the retailers, she said “We sell a Calabash between N3500 to N5000, depending on its size and quality of theKindirmo (milk) we bring,” she said.
She said noted that, in a day, she makes between N25,000 to N40,000 each time she brings milk to Maiduguri from their settlements in Nafada and Ngalda towns.
Another milk maid, from Tarmuwa, Nana Asma’u, said the market had overstretched their supply, forcing them to scout for the milk in the Jakusko, Gashua and Dapchi axis in Yobe state.
“Before, we used to collect milk from our cows in the morning and evening but things have changed as we no longer have a large herd, and there are very few Ruga settlements in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba and Gombe states that we can rely on. Majority of them have migrated to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon, hence the struggle to source for more milk,” he said.
However, Asma’u said that the Yan Nono market is one of the few places they bring their milk and get the value for it, “There are always willing buyers of unadulterated milk here, they know it’s value and pay good price that’s why we always come from far to sell here,” she said
Asma’u also noted that asides the basins or calabash of fresh milk she supplies to the market, she also supplies a drums of fresh milk to the market based on customers’ requests.
“The retailers would give me orders to make an early morning supply of fresh milk for their customers. They sell a SWAN water bottle at N800 and we gave it to them at N650. I usually supply a drum with a quantity of 120 liters of milk,” she said
Another retailer, Hannatu Ardo, who gets her supply from Jakusko said, “I buy my Nono in 25 liters containers and each time I go there, I buy 10 containers.
“I won’t tell you how much I buy each container, but I sell each 25 litre at N12,000 when I arrive here.” she said
Another Nono seller, Hashiya Usman, who sells her milk in small pieces of calabash said she gets her supply from Mainok and Kasaisa Fulani settlements along Maiduguri – Damaturu highway.
She said the calabash does preserve the actual taste of the milk that’s why she has maintained the practice of using the calabash, “the milk will take time before it gets sour and the flavour will always be there unlike when we use plastic,” she said.
Some of the customers who spoke to Weekend Trust mentioned that they travelled long distances just to enjoy fresh, unadulterated milk before it’s diluted with water or other substances.
One buyer, Happiness Joseph, said that she travelled from the Gomari area of Maiduguri to purchase the delicacy due to its nutritional value.
“Before I discovered Kindirmo (fresh cow milk), I never felt satisfied and full after eating at work. A plate of rice or semovita swallow cost me at least N1,500, and I would still be hungry an hour later. One day, a colleague introduced me to Fura da Nono for N500, and after eating, I didn’t feel hungry all day. Since then, I’ve become a regular customer,” she explained.
Joseph admitted that she had become so hooked on the milk that she would feel restless if she missed a day without consuming it.
“I used to drink the milk with Fura, Dambu, or cooked rice to mix things up. Nono has become a part of my daily routine, and everyone in my family knows how much I rely on it,” she added.
Asked if she noticed any changes since she began drinking the milk, she said, “It keeps me healthy and full throughout the day. I’m not hungry as I used to be, and my skin now glows.”
Another buyer, Aisha Abubakar, emphasised that she drinks the cow milk to meet the essential nutrients her body needs, especially during Ramadan.
“If you want natural Fura da Nono, this is the right place to get it. It’s hard to find authentic ones these days. In some parts of the town, sellers use modern yogurt to make Nono. I usually consume this creamy milk during the pre-dawn meal (Sahur) because it’s packed with nutrients. After drinking it, I don’t feel the need to eat anything for the rest of the day. It’s a complete meal,” she said.
Aisha Harira, 64, the leader of the market affectionately known as the ‘Queen of Bulunkutu Yan Nono Market,’ spoke to our correspondent about her 30-year journey selling fresh and fermented milk.
“The market was established by the Fulani when the area was just a bush, and people would travel from the town to buy from us. A decade ago, Governor Kashim Shettima (now Vice President) built the shops you see here. He also offered money to support our business, but I told him we didn’t need money and that kk that we needed were shops. He obliged us, and I will forever be grateful to him, as that act has changed the lives of millions,” she noted.
Harira explained that the market receives its milk supply from Fulani settlements in Borno, Yobe, and migrating Fulani nomads from Sokoto and Zamfara, who pass through on their way to Cameroon.
“These milkmaids supply us from their settlements in Ngenzalma, Auno, Benisheikh, Damaturu, Mainok, and from the Sulubawa nomads migrating to Cameroon from Zamfara and Sokoto states,” she added.
Kashiya and Salame, two milk sellers with over a decade of experience in the milk business, revealed that the demand for milk far exceeds the supply.
“People flock here because we don’t adulterate the milk. Many traders have built a reputation for purity, but some have been caught diluting the milk with water,” said Kashiya.
Salame explained, “Kindirmo (yogurt) comes from cow milk. However, with the current challenges facing the Fulani, many have migrated to Cameroon and other neighbouring countries. The milk supply is not what it used to be, so some traders mix the milk with water and other substances to maximize profits. Real milk is expensive, and not everyone can afford it.”
Maryam Muhammad, a 3-year veteran in the Fura and Nono business, explained that she’s been able to take care of herself and support her family through this business.
“We rely on this business to feed ourselves, buy clothes, and support our elderly parents. It provides jobs for over 50 young girls, young men, and older women. The market is always bustling, with traders working in the morning and evening shifts, making enough sales to meet daily needs,” she said.
Muhammad shared that her daily profit ranges from N1,000 to N2,000, despite also feeding herself from the business.
“My capital is less than N10,000, but I make at least N1,500 profit each day. I give my mother N1,000 for food and save N200 for future use. I hope the government will help secure the market for us. Many of us were pushed into this business because of poverty. If our parents were better off, we wouldn’t have had to come here,” she lamented.
Drug peddlers infiltrate market
In a shocking revelation, traders, buyers, and transporters in the market disclosed that individuals from the Jagwal area (GSM market) are taking advantage of the large crowds to sell illicit drugs and Indian hemp.
One trader, who wished to remain anonymous, shared that the presence of these criminals has become the market’s biggest challenge.
“You’ll see young guys selling drugs and Indian hemp. Sometimes, they fight law enforcement officers, spill our milk, and escape into the crowd. They’ve even engaged in deadly gang fights, resulting in deaths. Three people were killed last year in separate incidents,” she said.
The trader called on the state government to work with security forces to protect those conducting legitimate business in the market.
“Months ago, the government threatened to shut down the market, but later reconsidered, understanding the impact on the thousands of people who depend on it for their livelihood. We were all terrified because over 2,000 young people rely on this market to feed themselves and their families,” she said.
The trader also noted that while the drug peddlers are few, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) is aware of their activities, but their arrests are only temporary.
“We want the government to find a solution to eliminate them from the market. We’re ready to provide all the support needed to make that happen,” she said.
Yakubu Dan Hajia, a golf car driver with over 15 years of experience transporting milkmaids from their settlements, also expressed concern about the negative impact of the drug dealers on the market’s reputation.
“They torment everyone here. They spill milk, scare off customers, while running to escape arrest by NDLEA,” he explained.
He urged the government to provide jobs for the youth and launch an awareness campaign about the dangers of drug use and selling.
“Many of these young people turn to drugs because of poverty and bad influences. I believe most of them would change if the government provided jobs,” he added.
Why people should turn to cow milk – Nutritionist
Samson Danladi, a nutritionist at Ramat Polytechnic Maiduguri, explained that cow milk is now widely consumed in Maiduguri due to its rich protein content and balanced nutritional value.
“Cow milk contains all the necessary amino acids for human growth and reproduction. It also provides the body with the macro and micro nutrients needed for development, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber. It’s rich in iron, zinc, and essential vitamins, making it a nutritious option for many,” he said.
Danladi also emphasised the importance of cow milk as a cheaper source of balanced nutrition in light of the country’s current economic challenges.
“Given the high cost of animal proteins, people should prioritise cow milk as an affordable and nutritious alternative,” he added.
However, he noted that the growing demand for cow milk has led some sellers to adulterate the product.
“People are consuming adulterated milk that lacks the nutritional benefits, leading to foodborne diseases that hav silently claimed lives,” he warned.