The circulation of fake products in Nigeria has raised much concern because of the havoc it has wreaked so far. In this short essay, I will do justice to The Meaning of Fake Products, Factors that Necessitate the Production of Fake Products, The Effects of Fake Products and The Solution to End the Menace.

1. Meaning of Fake Products

First, I would define what ‘fake’ means and, then, what ‘products’ means.

According to a British digital dictionary, ‘fake’ is defined as something that is ‘‘not real; false and fraudulent. ’’

‘Product,’ on the other hand, is defined as ‘‘ a commodity offered for sale.’’

It, therefore, means that the phrase, ‘fake products,’ means unreal, false or fraudulent products offered for sale.

Products can be for utility purpose or for mere aestheticism. While some products, like food, are meant for human consumption, others are meant for other uses other than human consumption. In this essay, therefore, much emphasis will be laid on food and drugs.

2. Factors that Necessitate the Production and Circulation of Fake Products

i) Inordinate ambition of producers or dealers to make profits: Let us take the business of electronics as an example. Most dealers of these products, in order to make illicit gains, ask the producers to reduce the quality of the products and increase their number instead. The reason behind this is that as such fake products stop functioning, the consumer will be forced to buy another one, thus, increasing sale and profit. But the dealers and producers forget that bad name brings bad market which must definitely, one day, lead to the end of that business.

ii) Consumers’ inclination to buy cheap products: Granted, the economy is not favorable to many citizens of this country, but does that justify sacrificing one’s health at the altar of cheap products? Of course, not! In fact, we shouldn’t play with our health at all! Many people buy drugs over the counter because they feel that medical doctors charge bills that are too exorbitant for them to afford. As a result, they buy cheap drugs over the counter; then, they buy their death tickets.

3. The Effects of Fake Products

The effects of consumption of fake products are disastrous and, sometimes, incurable. Below are some of them:

i) Health complications: Consumption of fake food and drugs leads to health complications that may not be treatable. Hence, it is advisable consumers should look at the products they want to buy before buying them. This is to ensure that what they want to buy is genuine and free from contamination of any sort. National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has helped a lot in this regard. Almost everyday, the Agency, in TV and radio commercials, advise the citizens to scratch silver panels on every genuine product, text the pin number to the NAFDAC number provided. Then, a reply message will be received instantly by the prospective consumer, telling him if the product is fake or genuine.

ii) Violence: Research has shown that most fake drugs contain properties that have the propensity of triggering violence in the body of the consumer. This violence can lead to arson, murder, rape or suicide.

iii) Death: Consumers of fake food and drugs are prone to dying earlier than those who consume healthy food and take drugs on doctor’s prescription.

4. Solutions to End the Menace

Every problem has a solution, the same way everything that has a beginning has an end.

i) Institutionalization of agencies that will combat this crime: So far, Nigeria has agencies that oversee the production of healthy food and drugs and arrest and prosecute offenders who abuse drugs in Nigeria. These agencies are National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control( NAFDAC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA), among others.

However, despite these agencies, fake products are still circulated under their very noses. The dealers and manufacturers of these products bribe the officials of these agencies to have their way.

Until the issue of corruption is death with in Nigeria, this incidence of fake products will continue to abound.

ii) Sensitization of the public on the need to be wary of what they buy: There should be a daily TV and radio programs to educate the general public on the need to be careful whenever they want to buy any product, especially when it has to do with human consumption. Because not everybody watch TVs or listen to radios, every state government should make it mandatory that every nook and cranny of their states must have billboards bearing this message. By so doing, almost everyone walking on the road would be able to see the message.

iii) Inclusion of Consumer Protection course in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions curricular: If you want to groom a healthy nation, start early by catching her citizens young. What do I mean? If Consumer Protection is included in the primary and secondary schools curricular, the knowledge of buying and consuming healthy food must have been learnt very early in life, thus, minimizing the rate of such circulation as a result of most citizens’ naivety.

iv) Stringent measures to curb the menace: Stiff penalties should be put in place against offenders. Life imprisonment should be the penalty for another who peddles drugs illegally and sells fake products, while capital punishment should be meted out to those whose such illegal activities lead to the death of a consumer. This will serve as a deterrent to those who nurture the idea of joining this illegal bandwagon.

Conclusion

It is my firm conviction that if all that I submitted above are put into action, Nigeria will be a better place.

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