Before the Advent of the Unknown Gun Men or the Unmen No Men,night life was very well enjoyable-if not anything the night was an elongation of the day.And so staying up into at night was not winnked at.
ABA and even Owerri was a city that looks forward to enjoying night life.Aba and its city center was a place to be.
Only a few spot would pull the crowd Ama Awusa can pull.Ama Awusa derived it's name from the "Originals"-the Hausa community.
Perhaps before the Advent of the modern Fast Food centres in the city now, virtually all manner of food and snacks keep the place busy for patronage.One can never guess right who his/her patrons are! The high and lowly in the society.
People come in this city center for various reasons.Some maybe just to look and observe happenings.But for most,they come and see and conquer.
As the days business are winding up.The traders packing their wares,offices are closed,new tables are being set,trucks and carts are being offloaded of their contents to start their daily or is it night business.
It is either to buy or sell.Women and girls with painting and mascaras at all corners and angles of their places.
Groups of two's and three's are seen here and there.Sparkles of light and twists of smokes reveal corners where people hide.
The Surgeon-General or is it the National Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) advice do not seem to make any meaning to these people,some of who must have started smoking from infancy-male and female alike.
One of the most prominent spots is the tea man's spot.Always very busy.Some visit this spot several rounds in any given night.All brands of tea are sold including various brands of noodles and even jollof rice,fried egg and pap too.
From afar,one could percieve the inviting aroma of these items.Want to see a combination all above,Ama Awusa is the place!.
Mouthwatering Suya on display at Ama Awusa
People say expired beverages and spoilt milk and bread are sold there.Tell it to the patrons who cares less!
Hawkers of egg especially guinea fowl brand,groundnut,oranges,any fruit-name it,they are there.Of the eggs,gamblers does their round with it,and children mill around there for excitement and purchase of broken ones.
Corn roasters and yam roasters display theirs too And now the star of star-Suya.This is most prominent and most patronized spot.Talk on Suya can go on and on so long as the boy/man rascally dressed commands the suyaman for more.
Yam roasters spot
People come,buy and go,yet there are the regulators whose only reason to work and probably live is for Suya.
These Suyaman-chicky devils! masters of this exortic streak beef called Suya.The chicken brand of Suya seem to be the ultimate,reserved for the bigger boys and usually over drinks and mostly in company of the pals.They would pull up from flashy cars and Jeeps with music blaring as if they carry a life band around.The Suyaman would be ever ready to serve the oga(usuallyboys half their ages).
Suya spot
Ama Awusa Suya on display
More Suya
Suya,Suya whoever taught these people how to roast meat adding all sorts of Mai, groundnut and pepper.People say that kolanut is also ground and added too.
Add anything,Suya is suya.We have heard that Suya spot have been founded in far away places as New York and even London.
One is doubtful,if it will succeed as one cannot enjoy Suya on necktie.Moreso,Suya has its audience that cannot be transported to these places.Talk of Abuja,Harare or even Accra,well,it could be possible.
Our grandparents never knew anything about Suya when they said that eating of chicken egg would create in children the urge to steal.It follows then that the Anini's and Onyenusi's of this world most then be products of Suya meat.Anini it was said do not even eat meat.
The Suyaman would "Cham,cham-won" in his mouth through out the night.Perhaps that is a way of advertising their product.Their teeth sharp as razor blade cannot win any contest except for its sharpness.A grandma's rule has it that too much meat can cause a form of illness.Tell it to that Suyaman.
Dog meat it was believed do not make good Suya.They are better in pepper soup.The Policeman Alozie Ogugbuaja would dedicate it to the big boys who are in business of planning serious matters?If you bring a sizeable cow and a average dog for an Ikot-Ekpene man,you cannot guess right what his choice would be.The Piyo or Dò (the y is never pronounced).
All it's parts are nicknamed viz:the trumpet,telephone wire,the loud speaker or horn,oh!! Abasi mbom.Nobody has tried the pepper soup made from "mui mui"(pussy cat) that could be a delicasy,may be.
At some other corners various food are on sale and one can trust they are not in short of patronage.Children walk and play about as in a bazaar.Nobody thinks or talks of sleeping.Card players,yes gamble corners are filled with players and watchers and not a few minutes and not a few times the uninitiated are fleezed of their last Kobo.Yes Ama Awusa produces the sight of humans in their freest mood.
Ama Awusa would never sleep until one observes at corners people rushing their baths to avoid being caught up by rushing twilight.These people some of whom are bus conductors,wheel barrow or truck pushers and park orchins and even 3rd generation of beggars most of whom were born and bread at the same environment would gradually disappear for their daily beats to gather something for the next night.
NEPA or no NEPA,the tilly light of the Suyaman in rows would produce all the lighting's for the whole streets.Table to table everyone,has his.Yes,this is Ama Awusa- the Aba city centre in a typical night.
Thank you for reading my post.I also thank @samuel20 for putting me through.
Cc:@focusnow