The PANAFRICAN Review
Covid-19 and the Return to Life ' s Essentials
Chika Ezeanya-Esiobu
A
Kenyan proverb says that a flea can cause a lion more trouble than a lion can cause a flea . The upheaval caused by Covid-19 is still unfolding . Already , certain jobs not previously considered with much regard , are becoming more prestigious , while certain careers that once went with glamour and pomp have been consigned to the periphery , at best . This period in time calls for careful reflections and soul-searching , and one area that warrants sufficient investment of mental deliberation is what should constitute essential businesses in one ’ s life and community , in a post-lockdown era . This piece attempts to offer some thinking points to readers .
Abraham Maslow ’ s Hierarchy of Needs theorized to the Western world some fundamental principles that had guided the traditional way of life on the continent of Africa since ancient times ; that at the basic foundation of a man ’ s needs are natural necessities for human survival , e . g . air , food , drink , shelter , clothing , warmth , sleep . In that regard , traditional African societies ensured that every member of the community had food – through the availability of ample farmland for cultivation for the largely agrarian societies .
Africa ’ s indigenous food production system is founded on principles that centered on respect for the environment . Waste is alien to that food culture . If the inner part of banana was eaten by humans , goats ate the peels , while the leaves were used in wrapping food and other necessities . The same banana tree provided organic , biodegradable materials for
80