A growing wave of frustration is sweeping across Lagos markets as residents raise alarm over the increasing prevalence of inner discolouration in yams, widely referred to as “chocolate yam,” leaving buyers dealing with unexpected financial losses and spoilt meals.
Consumers across several major districts in the state have reported that the defect remains entirely hidden until the tuber is purchased, brought home, and sliced open.
They expressed their concerns on Sunday to newsmen after the discovery, following purchase of the goods from traders across different markets.
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A resident of the Festac town area, Divine-Favour Johnson, described her ordeal after budgeting carefully to purchase the staple food item, only to be met with discoloured flesh inside.
“You don’t understand the pain that comes with chocolate yam. Consumers suffer financial losses and lose their appetite,” Johnson said.
“Imagine buying yam with your own money after saving for it, then you cut it open and discover it is chocolate inside, like a spoilt yam.”
She urged sellers to curb the heavy reliance on chemical preservatives and advised buyers to prioritize fresh farm arrivals.
Sharing a similar experience, Samuel Arowojolu, a diesel operator in Oshodi, noted that encountering discoloured tubers has become a frequent hazard for Lagos shoppers.
“If you go to a market, out of five different sellers you try, you might get two whose yams will bring out discolouration,” Arowojolu explained, pointing out that testing the tubers at the point of sale is impossible.
While attributing the issue to excessive fertilizer application and forced growth techniques by growers, Arowojolu noted that he continues to consume the discoloured portions without having recorded any adverse health effects so far.
Market surveys across key trade hubs in Ikotun, Oshodi, and Oyingbo revealed varying views from traders on the origin and safety of the crop.
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A yam supplier with 15 years of experience trading at Okerube Bus Stop in Ikotun, Aminat Omotolani, explained that non-dealers often mistake crop varieties for actual spoilage.
Omotolani, who sources tubers from Abuja, Oyo, Kwara, Edo, and Ilorin, noted that the discoloured variety sells at a significantly lower price compared to premium white yams like the popular “Efuru.”
“The coloured yam tastes different from other varieties, but based on my understanding, it is not harmful to the body,” Omotolani said, adding that its affordability makes it an attractive option for budget-conscious households.
However, established traders at the Oyingbo market insist on avoiding the stock altogether. Iya Islamiat, a veteran trader with 25 years in the business at Ilogbo Mosque, Oyingbo, stated that she exclusively deals in white yam sourced directly from Ado-Ekiti and Kwara, where prices range between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000 depending on size.
She noted that the discoloured tubers are mostly hawked across street corridors by itinerant traders capitalizing on lower wholesale costs.
As food prices continue to weigh heavily on household budgets, Lagosians are calling on agricultural authorities and market associations to step in, clarify the safety of the produce, and address preservation practices along the supply chain.