Caroline in Nigeria

Shopping in Ilorin

Jane kindly made us a meal on Wednesday and Sue brought us food on Thursday but now we have to become independent which means shopping for food. We were directed to the “fruit shop” at the end of our “road” (more of a dirt track than a road). Shop is basically a hut with a stall outside. Our first venture was quite successful and we returned with tomatoes, satsumas, bananas and a paket of biscuits. Our next trip was to the supermarket. This was not so good as we thought it was another hut shop which we entered and succeeded in scaring the children in there. The youngest was terrified and not helped by the mother threatening to let the igbo (white person)   carry him away! We bought some biscuits and were directed to a building next door which was the supermarket and as the child was by now in hysterics made a quick exit. There was more choice in this shop and we bought quite a few items but when I asked if he had any bread the owner said no. On my way out I saw a stack of sliced bread! So I marched back in and said “This is bread!” “No,”he said. “It is bread”. Anyhow I bought it-it was made from cassava flour and tastes quite sweet but is okay. Emboldened by our shopping prowess the next day we went to another hut shop-where there were no children-and I asked for cereals. The owner didn’t understand so I explained it was something you ate for breakfast. She went into the dim interior of the shop and emerged with what I first thought was  a tin of squirty cream but which on closer inspection proved to be a can of insecticide!

Today we found Martrite where we were more successful and able to buy cups, bowls and other items for our house. Laden with shopping we hailed a taxi who suggested 200 naira as the fair. Eventually he agreed on 100 but when we tried to leave the taxi said it was further than we had told him and wanted 150. We told him no way and he said “Igbo you pay” but  gave up and left quite amicably!

At the office there is coffee and biscuits and there is a lovely man who will go out and buy “moy moy” for you-this is sort of spicy chick pea paste and very delicious so I do have a back up!