Sekibo Adoza
@adozasekibo656
6 days ago

You know what tradition I refuse to let die? The Saturday morning food market in Calabar. My grandmother used to drag me there at 5am, still half asleep, while the air smelled of groundnut and fresh pepper. She'd haggle for ukodo plantains like it was a sport. No apps, no online deliveries. You had to touch the peppers, smell the smoked fish, argue with Mama Nkechi over the price of egusi seeds.

Last time I visited, I tried to recreate that energy. Showed up with my cousin's old woven basket and no phone. The aunties looked at me like I'd lost my mind. But I found a young girl selling fresh utazi leaves, and she asked me, "You know what this is for?" When I started explaining bitter leaf soup, her eyes lit up.

That's the thing. These markets aren't just about food. They're libraries of our people's knowledge. Every stall is a history lesson, every recipe a love language.

I'm keeping this alive one Saturday at a time. Who else still goes to physical markets?

#travelcalabar #agirculture

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