Aba, one of the most popular cities in eastern Nigeria, is a truly unique place that is home to a lot of interesting individuals, so it is no surprise that you tend to see a lot of weird things happen on a daily basis.
But hey, that’s just one of the things that make the city one of the greatest places to visit in Nigeria, right? From bizarre locals to weird occurrences, Jumia Travel has compiled an epic list of 6 of the weirdest things that seem to be the norm in Aba.
Church service on the street
The locals in Aba are very religious people and a majority of them are Christians. Unfortunately, a large number of people who get the calling to open churches do not have the funds to rent a space and so they find corners on the street to preach and speak to their members. While the arrangement is usually temporary, it usually is a common occurrence around the city.
Litter spots at every junction
It is no secret that Aba is not the cleanest city there is in the eastern part of Nigeria. The major reason why this is so is that locals have litter spots at almost every junction. It is normal for someone in the city to toss their waste on the street as majority of the people rarely discard their dirt the proper way. Rather than pay waste management companies in the city to manage the refuse, they wait and discard them in public places in the dead of the night, that way the government is forced to clear it out during the day.
Eating food from nylon/paper bag
Disposable plastic packs are the normal choice for take away food in most places around Nigeria. However, the locals in Aba tend to have a penchant for nylon bags. Even worse, they do not bother to transfer the content to a plate before consumption; they just suck it through a perforation made on the nylon bag. Do not be surprised or alarmed if you find a local in a bus sucking on a see-through nylon containing a mash of food. Apparently, it is the norm.
“Colour riot” fashion
While Aba is known for being prolific with fashion production, the locals who patronize these fashion items are hardly creative with how they pair or match them. Do not be surprised to find a man dressed in a t-shirt with loud colours such as yellow and purple with a red and yellow polka dot jean. Colour riot fashion seems to be a thing for them and perhaps, it sets them apart.
Domestic animal strolling expressways
It is normal to find domestic animals including chicken, goats, ducks and pets such as dogs and cats strolling down major roads untagged. The good things are that these animals are rarely aggressive and would not attack passers-by, but in the case where a frightened pedestrian hurts any of the animals, it is amazing how quickly the owner will surface and ask for payment or some form of compensation.
Speaking Igbo to everyone
Aba is generally dominated by individuals native to the Igbo tribe of Nigeria and as such, a majority of them speak the language with flair. Most of the locals are not flexible with languages too and can only speak Igbo. As a result, they assume that every single person in the city either hears or speaks the language, as such they therefore address them with the language without first asking if they understand or speak the language as well. Most visitors find this attitude very stressful and annoying and usually have to opt for travel guide while in the city.
Nkem Ndem is a PR Associate at Jumia Travel.
