By Deborah Bamisaye
Exactly what I was trying to say: Death does not always arrive with sirens. Sometimes, it hides behind leftover soup stains, greasy spoons, and plates that were “washed” in a hurry.
And you expect me to pretend conversations like this are not happening quietly in many kitchens? No oh! You trust me now, don’t you? Then let me tell you an uncomfortable truth that is best captured in the following conversation:
“Welcome back,” the dirty plate laughed from the sink.
The man dropped his office bag and sat at the dining table, exhausted. “I’m starving,” he said.
The spoon smirked quietly. “So are the germs.”
Tiny bacteria stretched themselves across the oily edges of the plate like tenants returning to their apartment: “One more meal,” one germ whispered excitedly. One more chance to enter the bloodstream.”
The cup beside the plate looked terrified: “She didn’t wash us properly again,” it murmured.
The fork sighed deeply: “Humans avoid poison in strangers’ houses, yet ignore the enemies growing comfortably in their own kitchens. (Hmmm!)”
Then the food arrived – steaming hot, delicious, attractive as usual.
The man smiled gratefully.
The germs smiled too.
The Kitchen: The Most Ignored Hospital Ward
Many people fear witches, enemies, poisoned food, or “village people,” but they forget that countless illnesses begin in ordinary kitchens. A plate can shine like a mirror and still carry armies invisible to the human eye. A cup may smell innocent but secretly host bacteria powerful enough to upset the stomach, weaken the immune system, trigger diarrhea, typhoid, food poisoning, or dangerous infections. You see, germs are patient tenants, they love: Poorly washed plates, Dirty dishcloths, Uncovered food, Oily cooking pots, and Cups stored wet.
Some families wash plates in a hurry as though cleanliness is competing in a race. Others believe hot food will “kill everything.” Unfortunately, not every germ dies that easily. Some survive long enough to travel from the plate… into the body and from the body into the hospital.
From Plate to Pain
That stomach ache you ignored.
That repeated diarrhea.
That strange vomiting.
That infection that “came from nowhere may have started their journeys from yesterday’s unwashed spoon. Dirty vessels do not always kill instantly. No! They operate like silent assassins – slowly weakening health one meal at a time.
A greasy plate today; Contaminated hands tomorrow; An infected stomach next week. And before long, medications become regular visitors.
Imagine eating fresh vegetables, expensive fish, healthy fruits, and organic meals, only to serve them in contaminated plates. Haa! It is like bathing and then wearing muddy clothes immediately after.
The body is a precious vessel; What enters it matters and what carries what enters it matters too. Abibeeko? Isn’t it?
Cleanliness Is Not a Burden – It Is Protection
Some people think cleanliness is merely about appearance. No! Cleanliness is a health strategy biko!
A well-washed plate is not just attractive, it is a defensive armor.
A clean kitchen is not luxury ojare! It is prevention.
Proper hygiene is cheaper than treatment. That is the truth, like the igbos will say: Eziokwu!
Many diseases spend years looking for careless kitchens. Will they find one in your home? Don’t answer yet, let’s continue.
Simple Habits That Protect Life
1. Wash plates thoroughly with clean water and soap.
2. Dry vessels properly instead of stacking them wet.
3. Avoid leaving leftovers exposed overnight.
4. Wash hands before touching plates or food.
5. Clean sinks and kitchen surfaces often.
6. Tiny habits, massive protection.
You see! Can you see what I have been trying to say all along? I should be calming down or what did you just say? Okay! Let me say it more lovingly and as gently as I can:
‘Dear reader, your kitchen is either feeding your health or sponsoring sicknesses.
The next time you hold a plate, remember: it can either serve nourishment or secretly transport disease into your body. Please, do not wait until the hospital writes what the kitchen could have prevented. Wash that plate properly; Respect that cup, because sometimes, longevity does not begin in the gym. It sometimes… it begins in the sink. Do not allow an unclean plate to write you a death certificate, no matter how tiny. Can I trust you on this? Of course, I believe I can!’
See you soon!
English