ABOUT MY CITY:ABA-THE ENYIMBA CITY||11-06-2021
ABA CITY
A visitor from Owerri through the Enugu-Portharcourt express approaching Aba city may not easily appreciate the beauty of this city that is christened the ENYIMBA CITY(People's Elephant City).Not with the sharp "Z" bend that signifies the alertness of it's inhabitants spread into 5 Local Government Areas.The elephant looked clumsy by it's size but it's enormous strength cannot be underestimated by any land or sea animal.The heartbeat of Igboman cannot be anything less than the elephant.
The ENYIMBA(people's elephant)
Aba south:One of the 5 LGA's in Aba
As if by an unseen hand this city is split into two by it's major Roads-The Aba/Owerri Road to Asa Road unto the Portharcourt Road.This careful split must have been because the major occupation of its builders:the Bende or the Ogbo were on measuring and cutting of fabrics.Yes the Kalu's,the Onwuka's and others must have served as apprentices on clothe related business-recall the Obioma tailors.
Now the Igboman who also controls the stock fish trade had ventured into the other trades including manufacturing.Reputed to be the most travelled tribe in the world has distanced his Lebanese(Kura) counterparts in controlling and manipulating his hosts economy.Go to any or all West Africa and even European cities ,the third trader must be of this tribe.
His origin must have been from a one-room-business tagged Kalu International.No wonder why everyone here wants to make it and become a millionaire .Yes,the truck pushers,hawkers,and petty traders ,why not!..They have watched their tribesmen rose the same way.
Rotary park,Aba
He is industrous,prudent and thrifty.The Ogboman is reputed to help his brother hence it is said that for every bale of stockfish or secondhand clothing sold in Aba that every male in Abriba-young or old has a share.
Once one Ogboman on a business trip went to a restaurant in Lagos.The waiters brought him a MENU to choose his course.He asked for garri with agbono soup.For meat, he took a steady glance at the soup of the neighbour next table ,went and dipped his hand in the man's soup and showed the waiter his choice of meat and dropped back the meat to the constenation of everyone.
The man demanded the reason for the curious act,he replied:"Atabum atabum?kelanu ejim me sample" (Did I eat out of it?I only used it as a sample).He believes in sampling.
By evening,the same man did not want to make the same mistake at dinner and so demanded to be served exactly what was served his colleagues.It turned to be salad with half cooked and non-cooked items.When he tasted his and observing others enjoying their meal,in disappointment wispered to one "ewutu nke gi ewutu"? ("Were yours cooked at all"?).
This narrative is about Aba city and its rich heritage including the Ogbo's that control the business in Aba ENYIMBA city.
Cc:@focusnow
@steemalive
@mesonia
Thank you for reading my post.!!