The rise and fall of ”Gobe”: From student saviour to middle class food
There was a time Gobe was the official food of “I have no money, but I must eat.”
You walked to the woman selling by the roadside with GH¢7 and somehow came back with beans, plantain, gari and oil.
Full.
You could even borrow GH¢2 and say, “I will bring it tomorrow” she would trust you.
Gobe was humble.
Gobe understood us.
It was the food you ate when salary had not dropped, and your MoMo balance is screaming for help.
Gobe did not ask questions.
Gobe was there! dependable! reliable.
Now?
You go to the same woman with GH¢20 and she looks at you like you came to price land.
“Beans is GH¢15.”
“Plantain?” “GH¢10.”
“Gari?” “GH¢5.”
You start doing mathematics you did not plan to do that afternoon.
That is GH¢30 before the oil even enters the conversation.
People, what happened? This is ”gobe ooo”,
GOBE!
The food we used to eat because we were broke is now contributing to why we are broke.
BEANS HAS DEVELOPED AMBITIONS
Beans used to be the dependable one.
Cheap. Filling. Always available.
Now beans has joined the ”levels don change” bandwagon.
You can spend GH¢15–20 just getting the beans portion, before adding plantain, gari, egg or anything else.
Plantain too has joined the conversation.
The woman gives you three small slices and you look at the plate wondering whether the remaining plantain is being kept for future use.
THEN WE MADE GOBE FASHIONABLE
Maybe we are partly responsible.
We took Gobe from the roadside and put it on Instagram.
We added avocado.
Egg.
Sausage.
Chicken.
Extra plantain.
Then somebody served it in a nice bowl, took a picture and called it “deviled beans with cassava flakes.” Guess what? that is our own Gobe.
Next thing, corporate workers were eating Gobe for lunch.
People were doing Gobe reviews.
TikTok discovered Gobe.
And once TikTok discovers something, you already know there is trouble.
We gentrified beans.
A meal that was once the emergency plan became a lifestyle choice.
And apparently the vendors noticed.
THE IRONY IS THAT JOLLOF IS SOMETIMES CHEAPER
This is where things become disrespectful.
You can walk into some joints and get jollof with chicken for around GH¢35.
Meanwhile, Gobe with plantain and two eggs can take you towards GH¢40 or more.
Do you understand the economics here?
The food of the broke is now competing with an internationally recognised food.
The bachelor meal has become a budget item.
The student meal now requires financial planning.
The food that carried people through university, National Service and their first miserable salary in Accra now needs a small loan. Mercy Lord!
STUDENTS HAVE STARTED COOKING AGAIN
Honestly, this may be the biggest sign that things have changed.
Students who would normally buy Gobe after lectures are now buying raw beans and cooking at home.
If you have time, gas and patience, apparently the cheaper option is to become your own master chef.
BUT WE WILL STILL EAT IT
Because Gobe is bigger than the price.
It is memory.
It is university days. Special mention to Ayeduase gate ”gobe”. Let us learn to give honour to those due.
It is the end of the month.
It is “I do not have money, but at least I can eat something filling.”
It is the food that said, “don’t worry I got you”.
So yes, Gobe may now cost GH¢35, GH¢40 or even approach GH¢50 depending on where you buy it.
But we will still eat it.
Some foods do not disappear when they become expensive.
They just make you complain while eating them.
If you see someone sitting quietly with a plate of Gobe, plenty gari and plantain, do not look at them and say, “Ei, you are broke.”
Show some respect.
That person may have just spent GH¢50 on survival.
Last week, I bought Gobe for GH¢35 at Christian village junction.
The plantain was four slices.
I did not complain.
I did not argue.
I did not ask for a refund.
I simply looked at the plate, accepted my fate and ate like the lady that I am.
what else could I do? Some things must be left at the roadside before we start paying dearly for the costly decisions.
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