Despite the harsh economic situation in the country, household items are still vital for every family and all classes.
In the past, it was believed that cooking with gas was for wealthy Nigerians and those in the middle class. This assumption was based on the cost of acquiring a cylinder and gas cooker.
On the average, cylinder prices range from between N8,000 to N15,000 while gas cookers sell for between N8,000 and N20,000, depending on the number of burners and other specifications.
The alternative in the kitchen is usually a stove, which comes in various sizes. Usually, the cooking stove is not regarded as an option in the homes of the rich.
It is interesting to note that a gas cooker may save more money for a user than a stove. This is simple to determine. Four litres of kerosene cost around N600 and this can only last for between three and four days in a small family.
However, cooking gas goes for about N2,500 and could last for about six weeks. While one might need at least two stoves in the kitchen to make cooking faster, the gas cooker has two or four burners on which pots of different sizes can be set.
It is important to also note that cooking with gas is faster than using the stove.
A mother of four, Mrs. Cecilia Onuoha, said she recently switched to cooking gas when she found out that she was spending a lot more on kerosene.
According to her, by the time she thought critically about the two means of cooking, she found out that she was actually spending more money through the use of kerosene stoves.
She said, “What I found out after critically examining the issue was that I was even spending more in terms of time and money by sticking to the kerosene stove. I have four growing children – three boys who are in their teenage years – and a girl. The boys eat a lot, and that means that I have to cook a lot.
“I used to think that using a stove was more economical, but I later got to find out that the only huge expense involved is obtaining the gas cooker and then the cylinder, which happens to be a one-time expense. After that every other thing is cheaper.”
Wunmi Richards stays in a mini flat in Ikeja with her three children and her husband. She uses a stove for cooking and complains bitterly about the huge cost of kerosene.
She said, “I buy at least three gallons every week. Sometimes I buy up to four. It is not easy but since I’m not used to cooking gas, I have to cope with using three stoves for our meals. I have two big stoves and one small one.
“I’m aware that we spend more but I cannot change to gas now. I will continue to manage because I’m used to it. My friends have tried to convince me to change but I’m just okay with using stoves, especially because I think they are safer.”
Mrs. Blessing Emmanuel has been married for two years with a child. She stressed that a gas cooker is simply the best for ‘many reasons.
Emmanuel said, “It is very neat because your pots will remain very clean. It is also faster and more economical but not many people know this. I’m very comfortable with gas and I cannot use a stove for anything, not even as an alternative.
“I buy gas just once in two months and I’m just okay with it. It reduces stress in many ways and even though I’m young in marriage, I have been using gas for close to 15 years. It is the best no matter how you look at it.”
A bachelor, Mr. Richards Olarenwaju, wondered why anyone would think of using a stove. He said the disadvantages and stress attached to it outweigh anything in its favour, especially in terms of the cost benefit.
He said, “As a young student, living off-campus, I used a stove. Using it was quite stressful. My kitchen was so black, my pots and kettle looked bad, everything was just disgusting. Even though I liked cooking, it was always a tug-of-war for me to wash-up because of the stress.
“Even my girlfriend at the time almost left me because I was using a stove and she found it difficult washing pots after cooking, especially if she just had a manicure. And so, as soon as I could afford it, I bought a gas cooker and cylinder and things have been easier for me since then.”
As for Ugochukwu Jonah, nothing would ever make her use gas cookers, especially not in the nearest future.
Narrating her experience, she said, “As a child, I watched my uncle get seriously burnt as a result of a cooking gas explosion. He later died from injuries he sustained on his face. That was when I swore I would never make use of cooking gas, no matter how cheap it is.
“I am used to washing all my utensils, and there are a few washing aids these days to make it easier to get rid of the grime on pots. Besides, I ensure that I get my kitchen re-painted regularly, I cannot afford to experience that kind of thing again.”
However, an engineer, Mr. Clement Ekpi, says that with a great amount of carefulness, one may not experience such accidents.
He said, “With utmost care, households can make use of cylinders without experiencing accidents. It actually takes a peculiar set of circumstances for a cooking cylinder to catch fire, example if it is very old or leaking.
“The fact remains that the gas has a stink that would easily let one know if it is leaking, and one should not ignore such a situation. A gas cylinder is usually designed to prevent gas from escaping unless it is tampered with.
“Also, kerosene stoves can be dangerous if not well cared for, so everything really depends on the handling.”
A Lagos -based petrol dealer, Alhaji Mudashiru Alabi, said, “I sell gas in my filling station and I also sell kerosene. We sell kerosene more because many people use stoves. Before one sells gas, we must have sold drums of kerosene. The truth is both are good but it mainly depends on the individual handling any of them.
“Gas cookers are more sensitive and should not be handled by a careless person. A stove is more rugged for home use and easy for all to adapt to. My advice is that every individual should stick to the one that is more suitable to use.”