Victorine Bikoe, restaurant food vendor on the run
By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
A woman identified as Victorine Bikoe is wanted after being discovered urinating in food she sold to customers in the Mvog Ada neighbourhood of the Yaoundé V subdivision.
In a video that went viral on social media, the woman is seen urinating in a pot of food known as “Okok” before stirring it. Okok is a traditional dish of the Beti people in the Centre Region of Cameroon.
It is unclear who recorded the video, but residents of Yaoundé suggest it may have been intended for a friend and was accidentally posted online. Many claim the video was released after the woman’s phone was stolen.
However, some indicated that during the destruction of the shop by an angry mob, a hidden carton of bottles containing urine was discovered.
This shocking incident has sparked widespread anger and disbelief among residents, especially at the location where the woman’s restaurant was demolished. Both the woman and her accomplice, who also operated a food stall, are currently missing. The food joint, which opened last year, had quickly become popular.
As authorities initiate an investigation into the incident, many locals suspect that the woman may have been swayed by traditional superstitions and black magic in a bid to attract more customers.
While authorities have not yet made an official statement regarding the incident, it has reignited discussions about food safety and the necessity for stricter health regulations in local eateries.
Speaking shortly after the restaurant was destroyed, one local resident said, “She thought that nobody would know, but God has shown what she was doing.”
“She had customers coming from far and near. Everyone in this quarter ate at her restaurant, even me, but I can’t hold myself knowing I was eating someone’s urine,” the resident added.
This is not the first instance of unhygienic cooking practices in major cities across the country. A few months ago, a video of a woman removing her pants and dipping them into a pot of soup went viral.
In addition, a walk through these areas where food is prepared and sold reveals the unhygienic conditions surrounding food production. But as the population says, “Only God is taking care of us.”
“We should try to cook our food because we don’t know who is cooking what or how it is prepared. Prevention is better than cure,” Marceline said.