Friday, December 5, 2008

Fake fake things everywhere!

This is not about bad publicity for Nigeria on my blog (Omo(detergent)no fit wash the dirty wey don stain that name already).

It’s about something that really really irks me to no end.
I'm talking about the fact that we Nigerians hate ourselves so much that we DELIBERATELY sell poison in the form of fake products, expired food products, adulterated stuff and all what not. All in the bid to make money!

This morning, I heard on the radio that some fake tin tomato brand in the market has caused the death of a number of people.

Some weeks back, it was some expired children teething medicine which claimed the lives of so many innocent children.

I ask why?!!!

Why is it that some people do not have any form of conscience at all? I mean, you know fully well that a product is hazardous to your consumers yet you still put it into the market just because of money.
Do they not understand the preciousness of life?

Do they not know that they are going to be answerable to God almighty for their deeds at the last day?

It’s crazy and sad that we have such devilish people in our midst.

May God continue to save us from them, Amen.
Talking about fake products in Naija…

I remember last Xmas, a supplier working with my company had given me a gift for Xmas- A carton of Eva bottled juice.

Na so I happy carry my Eva bottled juice go house.

I don dey imagine how I go put the drink for fridge…

How I go take enjoy my chilled Eva juice and Xmas cake,lol!

I even used the drink to do longathroat for my brother, :)

Anyway, fast forward to the day I wanted to enjoy my chilled Eva drink.

First thing I noticed was the cork.

It wasn’t the usual wooden cork. This one was rubber.

I shrugged it off thinking maybe the producers had changed the cork.

So I opened the drink. Annn…aaaa…No popping sound? The thing just open like say na bottle of water I open.

I started suspecting the drink...

But still, I was determined that nothing was coming between me and my chilled Eva drink,lol!

Na so I pour the thing inside glass

No bubbly, no nothing…Aannn…annn!!!

Afraid catch me o but I say na lie! Na me and dis drink today!

So I raised the glass to my mouth.

Kai!!! Chai!!! Ptwaaa!!!

I spat it out

Na Zobo this people carry pour inside bottle abi wetin?

The stuff had a horrid taste.

OMG!!! I was disappointed.

I had to open all the other bottles in the carton and pour away the contents while enduring my brother’s annoying laughter.

“He he he, you no drink your Eva juice again? He he he…”

The thing pain me no be small. Na so person for drink poison say im dey drink juice.

A note of warning to all those buying bottled drinks this Xmas especially Eva Juice.

Don’t buy those ones they sell on the road along Apongbon o! Make sure you buy from the importers/distributors or reputable supermarkets.

Bad people plenty!
Okay still on fake products in this our obodo Nigeria.

Wow! Am really in the mood for gist abi? lol!

This one is directed to my peeps in Lasgidi.

Have you noticed those guys selling Harpic toilet cleaner, Morning fresh liquid wash or Car wash in traffic?

You must have sha. Them plenty everywhere.

Those guys are major crooks o!

All those stuff they sell are big time Fake and adulterated products.

Sometimes you buy Harpic or Morning Fresh and you find that it is just Omo or bar soap dissolved in water.

My younger brother bought one of ‘em Liquid car wash they sell in traffic.

The poor boy emptied almost half of the fake car wash inside bucket of water yet the thing no gree foam.

This is a brand of car wash that usually requires you to use only a capful to one bucket of water o!

When I asked him how much he bought it. He replied “N200”

I laughed. “You see yourself? Something wey dem dey sell for N350 na im you buy for N200. You dey find cheap thing…now you do see am!”

Now, that is one way they trap their unsuspecting customers.

Ridiculously cheap prices!

This is where I blame the people who buy those fake things.

You know the market price of something is a lot higher that what you are been offered by those boys in traffic yet you still go ahead and buy thinking you had gotten a great bargain.

Ha ha ha…
Yes you have indeed gotten a great bargain of ‘Gbanjo’ (Fake) product!
Two days ago, I was in the car with my elder brother heading home and as usual we were stuck in traffic.
One Harpic seller passed by the car holding up his fake Harpic

“Madam, buy Harpic…”
I turned to my brother. “Bros, you know say all this Harpic wey them dey sell for Traffic na Fake?”
“How you take know?”
he asked.
“For one, the price of the small size Harpic in the supermarket is about N280- N300 but these guys can sell for as low as N100. Which kain Harpic be that one? Even the company price no be N100”
He didn’t quite believe me so I said “Oya just watch and see…Hey!” I beckoned to the Harpic guy.
He quickly ran to the car. I wound down the window.
“How much you dey sell your Harpic?”
“Madam, na N280”
“N280 ke! Some thing wey dem dey sell N120??”
“N120? For where? Madam, you know the price na…Na N280 for everywhere even for market. Oya pay N250

“Me I no pay any N250 0! Na N120 I get”
I made to wound up the window and he stopped me.
“Oya na how many you want buy?"
“Na one na! Na only one toilet I get”

“Okay bring money”
“Make I pay N120?”
“Yes, bring money”


He shoved the bottle of Harpic at me.
I thought quickly. This had been too easy. I didn’t want to buy and I had to get myself out of the situation fast. I no want make person pour spit for my face.

So I turned to my brother and mumbled some words to him. Then turned back to the guy at the window.
“Eh ya…sorry o…my husband talk say im don buy one yesterday…”
I hadn’t completed the sentence before the guy hissed and walked away.

My brother laughed. “So he agreed to sell for N120?”
“Didnt i tell you? ”


So to end this long post.
Lesson: Please be careful what you buy in this Naija cos plenty plenty fake thing full everywhere. It’s even worse when it’s something you are taking in like food or drugs.
So many have lost their lives this way.
Please be careful.

Happy Weekend everyone!

51 comments:

LG said...

1sttttt

princesa said...

@LG, lol!
Now am positive you have taken a room on this blog!

LG said...

lolllll@ ..“Eh ya…sorry o…my husband talk say im don buy one yesterday…”
nne u get luck say na only hiss d bobo hiss :p
@eva-zobo drink, dat one na under apongbon bridge dem dey manufacture am, dem get sealing machine n even dey 'nadfac for d bodi' so if u nor soji' u go fall mugu
as 4 Lg no dullin at all :p


*njoy ur weekend dear'

Joy Akut said...

the whole fakery is such a fuckery...to play with peoples lifes like that just for a few bucks.

i remember once we got a bottle of red wine from a friend for xmas, we opened it for a family friend and after the first glass we kept trying to make him take a sceond, the poor guy kept refusing, when he left i tasted the wine and almost puked....twas such a fake.
he even tried to finish the first glass, i'm sure he was trying to figure out if we wanted to kill him when we kept insisting he takes a second glass.

NaijaBabe said...

Non I'm scared o.
You reckon the supermarkets are safer to buy from...cos this is really scary o

Platinum Diva said...

My dear it is so true, i hop esome that read this will act on the information given not just saying it can not happen to me......

Have a good weekend to....

Anonymous said...

You're lucky the guy only hissed ooo! You know when they sell fake or stolen good they can sell for as low as N1 and it is still a profit so they want to sell at any cost(no pun intended).
Some months ago I was in a Bus at Obalende and decided to buy pegs. I asked the hawker for the price and he told me, for some reason i decided not to buy. Instead of the hawker to jejely go away... the guy stood there reducing the price. At some point he even offered me the pegs at a quarter of the initial price he gave me. So i told him i didnt want to cheat him and he hissed and left.
A few minutes later as the bus was pulling out of Obalende he ran up to the window and started screaming at me "Ashawo! Ashawo! peson don buy the peg Asawo!" I've never been called such a thing in my life... if it wasn't so eerily funny and scary at the same time, i would have laughed. Some of the other passenger on the bus insulted the guy for me sha.....:)

princesa said...

@LG, so you even know the place? i don begin suspect you,lol! No dulling at all!

@FT, lol! Why did he finish the first glass sef?
Those fake drinks can be really embarassing to the Host.

@Platinum Diva, i hope so too.

@psyche,lol!!! Why do those idiots do that? as in call ladies, Ashawo?? It must have been really embarassing for u.

princesa said...

@doll, yea...

QMoney said...

Hahaha,u 4 jus talk say ur husband say him buy N100 yesterday ,make we know how low he will go.
anyway,u never send me mail oh and i never see ur email addy.
I went to park and shop in vi to buy juice for long weekend,i had taken 5-alive and frutta but on my way out,i saw dansa juice was on sales,i dropped evrthin and packed dansa,opened the apple yesternight and it tasted like Poison,it was bitter and what have you.....i just tire

exschoolnerd said...

thanx for this post...heard about the deadly teething mixture..so so sad...


there r certain things one shudnt buy during go-slow...cause u'll just regret it in the end!!

Ms.O said...

wow...the greed that some human beings have is just ridiculos. I will look well well before i buy anything when I come home. or prolly only stick to the big supermarkets..shey those are safe?!?!?..have a great weekend..xoxo

Anonymous said...

Another thing to add to the list of things to change in Nigeria! Seriously that is so uncool!

FineBoy Agbero said...

Indeed, ppl are out to kill u, and me, without care, all in d bid to make money. Wetin concern dem?

Me, I'm very careful of fake tins o. Imagine dat "chemist" on my street boastin dat one policeman for barracks makes Dettol and sells to him at 50bucks. And me i go buy Dettol from am again? Lailai.

If i want anytin dat could be faked, i "travel" all the way to Shoprite, Park N Shop or a reputable supermarket. At least for those places, na d makers gangan go supply. Abi? I dont buy stuff in traffic. Lailai. Except bottled water. Not even gala.

I dont even drink pure water anymore. Stopped several months ago when a friend told me they make pure water in his house from "fresh" tap water inside "baff." Na only one life i get o. Puleeeassse!

And by d way, shoe get size o, and my own agbero get levels!!! I no go kill myself bcos of one yeye product or bcos of prize. Ppl who buy stuff in traffic only have demselves to blame... and besides, they are supportin "fakery" and street tradin.

Nuff said jo!!!

Monni said...

it's really sad. i just heared this story tonite.

like okosun sang..... which way Nigeria? which way to go? i love my fatherland, i want to know. which way nigeria is heading to"

Rita said...

The one that pained me was in wedding. They served the drinks for toast. And then when they said we should drink to the toast, as soon as everyone put the drink in their mouth, they spat out! Very embarrassing.

God will help us.

My dear, how was that your vacation? I have been missing in action.

Afrobabe said...

LMOa....just coming from LG's blog and hearing about killer teeth thingy...na wa oh.....

I cant stop laughing at the longer throat and preparation u made with the eva juice jare...I can just picture my brothers and I in that situation...it is well though..

Missed ya loads babes!!!

Emeka Amakeze said...

I tire for all these people wey no get conscience wey dey make all those fake fake things when dem know say e fit kill. Na God go judge dem.

Emeka Amakeze said...

I tire for all these people wey no get conscience wey dey make all those fake fake things when dem know say e fit kill. Na God go judge dem.

Emeka Amakeze said...

I tire for all these people wey no get conscience wey dey make all those fake fake things when dem know say e fit kill. Na God go judge dem.

La Reine said...

Tis too sad, and God will judge, punish even. Its meant for the rest of us to be wise.

dat 1 okrika babe said...

God will help us in naija, anything to make a buck.

deola said...

lovely post and a responsible one.

well done

Geebee said...

Nigeria is one strange country and I keep wondering why everything works in the opposite direction over here. The teething powder story was heart-wrenching. Imagine the innocent children that died. It hurts. May God not only save us from such evil people. May He PUNISH them a hundred times over for their evil deeds. I'm inspired to do something about Nigeria in my next post and say things I've observed lately as well.

Naija Idol said...

heard about the teething powder thingy too. its really sad.as in wat is naija turning into????

The Activist said...

Am speechless

wellsbaba said...

princesa mi,im back on blogville o! I don miss u die! LOL spread d word o

Anya Posh said...

LOL!!!! Hahahaha/// I liked how you escaped that one with the Harpic seller. And it's really sad this counterfeit thing. I feel sorry for the innocent victims & their loved ones. Kai...Naija! I thought NAFDAC was doing something serious us mehn!

Miss Definitely Maybe said...

If its too good to be true it normally is LMAO at the fake harpic.

Azuka said...

Is the Eva water thing still 'paining' you? :-)

princesa said...

@Qmoney,lol! You no like me at all. E be like sya u want make teh guy help me design my face abi?lol!
You no see the email? Sent it already. Chei! So even big supermarkets like Park&Shop cannot be trusted.But u sef like cheapee things o!lol!
@exschool, u are welcome dear. Go-slow market don dey fear me o!
@Ms.O, its really ridiculous and wicked. Please shine ur eyes well well o. The Big supermarkets sef, i no sure again after reading what Qmoney had to say.
@temite, yea...so uncool!
@FBA, OMG!We suppose call police for dat Chemist o make e go sure us im 'source'. my brother, even buying bottled water in traffic is not safe o! I hear some of theose things are also bottled in their houses and sealed back.
@wemi, its really sad.i dont know where we are headed but its obviously not the promised land.We don miss road tey tey!
@rita, yes o! You have been MIA for too long. My Vac went well, thanks. OMG@the wedding reception embarrassment.@
@afrobabe, lol! Just read LG's post too, that girl na serious were,lol!that Eve juice thing pain me well well, imagine throwing away everything, One whole carton! Missed ya too.
@emeka, my brother, me sef follow you tire o!
@la reine, yea we all need to wise up! When them no see customer again, them go stop by force!
@okrika girl, anything to make a buck o...na the poverty level for this country dey make some people forget their conscience.
@deola, thanks.
@gbengasile, if only God were man,he for don show those peeps pepper since but he is ever merciful, giving them a long rope to repent. Do that post, will love to read it.
@naija idol, naija is getting worse day by day for sure.

princesa said...

@standtall, i understand.
@wells, welcome back dude. where u go before?
@Anyaposh, NAFDAC is trying but they still have a lot of work to do.
@MissDM, i agree with you.
@azuka, Eva water??? Dude you sure you raed the post well?? I talked about Eve Bottled Juice.
Yes e still dey pain me,lol!

Jaguda said...

peeps dont care at all. thats how they sold My pickin and in the process almost 40 kids died. no conscience having monsters.

Yewande Atanda said...

am sure if there is fake human being, it will be sold in Alaba or Aba market. there is need to educate people on these fake stuffs. it doesnt worth it.

Buttercup said...

i've been trying to coomment aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllll daaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

this situation is really scary..just what if fakes are also being sold in supermarkets?? its the grace of God protecting us, really..

lol @ ur stories!

Aphrodite said...

This fake things wey full Naija also upsets me.
One doesnt know what to tyrust anymore.

So sad about the kids.

Ur Eva Juice experience,lol...

O'Dee said...

Very important advice, esp during this festive season.

May God continue to save us from those who sell fake things, Amen.

poeticallytinted said...

My dear Princesa oh. Sorry I've been a sporadic blogger lately. In fact a sporadic person...

anyway, I am here now.

Lemme tell you a funny story: this woman in my office has a sister who is a pharmacist in a big hospital in Onitsha. One day the doctor wrote a prescription for this big boy who took it straight to the pharmacist's counter. As soon as the pharmacist handed him the pills. The guys lowered his voice and nicely begged her not to give him that one. When she insisted, he told her, he doesn't want that one oh, afterall na im dey bring am come naija!

I remember as a kid, having a really bad asthma attack and nearly dying because the tablets i took were fake and my parents were too afraid to give me another dose so they won't overdose me.

By the time they rushed me to the hospital the doctor practically told them they'd given me a piece of chalk the first time.

Since then, i have marveled at people who would go these lengths just to make a few bucks.

God will punish them all of them!

Woomie O! said...

Lol @ Yewande's comment on fake human beings...That explains alot o! lol.
It all boils down to greed o jere.

I'm glad you finally came back!!!!


I don update o!

Thirty + said...

Naija na wa o

Straight from the heart said...

God help us all! Just pray for wisdom to discern fake from real.

Jinta said...

in november, i bought an Arsenal football on 3rd mainland bridge for my arsenal-mad son. i got to london before i realised it was 'Arsena' that was written on it

Toluwa said...

Only God can help that already tarnished name...Nigeria! Maybe they need to change the country's name. U know say somtimes, name dey worry person...lol!

Unknown said...

eya.sorry bout the juice.i feel ur pain.a whole carton fah! i remember once my dad bought bottled water on the express.As he opened it,e be like say they put water from pit latrine.The rim con brown(tufiaka).Till today,he tells us never to buy water on the road.The other day,i wanted to buy a drink.i con remember this ur post.if you see how i take scrutinize the drink,thankfully,it was genuine with correct seal.Only God keeps us in this adulterated naija.

NoLimit said...

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Original Mgbeke said...

LMAOOOOOOO. Princesa this post was too funny, I cracked up at your zobo for eva. Odikwa risky o!
Naija shaaaa...*smh*, really sad stuff selling all these harmful products all in the name of making money. Na only God go protect us for that country.

LG said...

asan'pete kilon sele????
abi u don go zimbabwe again :)

*merry kiss'mas*

princesa said...

@jaguda, no conscience at all
@Yewande,lol! Yea there is need for proper education.
@Buttercup,lol! You finally commented:)
@Aphrodite, its sad.
@oluwadee, Amen.
@poetically, thanks for sharing. Stop being Sporadic o!
@woomie, i go reach ur side soon.
@30+, yes o!
@Debbie, abi o. Some of these fakes are so real sha...
@Jinta,lol! Paint an L on it now:)
@Just Toluwa, abi o...maybe we should change the name. To what now?
@shally, those express water dey fear me sef. Many of them are bottled in those boy's houses.
@nolimit, okay dear.
@original mgbeke,glad u made u laugh.
@LG,lmao! Crazy girl. Zimbabwe of all places! Merry christmas darling.

Unknown said...

amazing!
thank God your brother was with you. next time when he has agreed just say N50.
lol

Unknown said...

amazing!
thank God your brother was with you. next time when he has agreed just say N50.
lol

tolla said...

na wa for naija o!!!we shud just pray that the Good Lord help us -key word-'BE-CAREFUL'