How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)

How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)

The mysterious deaths caused by ogogoro consumption in Rivers state make the top headlines of Nigerian dailies but few know the process involved in making the local gin.

Ogogoro is called  Sapele water, Kparaga, kai-kai, Sun gbalaja, Egun inu igo meaning The Masquerade in the Bottle and much more in different local languages.

A CNN reporter, Christian Purefoy, went to a distilling factory on the outskirts of Lagos and captured live pictures of the process of producing local gin.

The process of making ogogoro is simple and illegal says Purefoy. The reporter met with a young lad named Gabriel who described the process of making the local gin.

The main ingredient is the palm sap which he has to climb a palm tree to get. A bucket is then filled with palm sap and drowned fruit flies.

After extracting the sap, Gabriel replaces the full bucket with an empty one and climbs down the tree.

How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)
Christain Purefoy at the distillery

The extracted sap is first mixed with sugar and left to ferment for seven days in sealed blue barrels.

How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)

Gabriel then places rusted oil drums over a hot fire and the fermented alcohol poured in.

How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)
How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)
How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)

The next stage is to allow the alcohol evaporate and then allow to condense by passing it down small pipes through a vat of cold water then it drips out into a bucket where it is now refined as ogogoro or kai kai.

How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)
How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)
How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)
How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)

Purefoy says Gabriel and his friends tell him that he can make up to 400 liters of gin a day. He says it from here that market women come with their kegs and drums to buy so they can sell to others.

How Ogogoro Is Produced In Nigeria (PHOTOS)

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has banned the consumption of ogogoro.

The FG was forced to ban the local gin after reports surfaced of the deaths of quite a number of people after consuming the alcoholic drink.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Khadijah Thabit avatar

Khadijah Thabit (Copyeditor) Khadijah Thabit is an editor with over 3 years of experience editing and managing contents such as articles, blogs, newsletters and social leads. She has a BA in English and Literary Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. Khadijah joined Legit.ng in September 2020 as a copyeditor and proofreader for the Human Interest, Current Affairs, Business, Sports and PR desks. As a grammar police, she develops her skills by reading novels and dictionaries. Email: khadeeejathabit@gmail.com