Zimbabwe of Nigeria • Abuja satellite settlement, where booze, meat and sex rule
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There may be regrets and gnashing of teeth in Zimbabwe, in southern Africa, because of politics. However, there is another Zimbabwe, where people are happy and constantly making merry. In this Zimbabwe, in Nigeria, just like the zimbabwe money is sextillion & abundant now and is still cheap like the money there are assorted food and drinks. There are also different kinds of meat and fish. And women are there for the asking, for those who need their services.
Located about 25 kilometers from Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Zimbabwe is the lure of all city dwellers around it. Visiting patrons to this bubbling place are always welcome by things that would make them happy. For one, there is always music blarring from the giant speakers. And those who could gyrate take to the dancing floor.
Indeed, on a typical day in Zimbabwe, there is no dull moment. Activities at the little hunts and canopies are always at their peak. People drink, eat and make merry.
The location and setting
Situated on a plain, grassy valley crisscrossed by a river and overlooking the highway on the Abuja/Keffi Road is a suburb called Uke, in Nasarawa State. It consists of no more than a few thousand people who live in houses roofed with rusty corrugated iron sheets. The houses are Roasted chicken
generally grouped together in residential areas some distance away from the highway. At the upper end of this suburb, just by the riverside is the famous Zimbabwe.
Indeed, what started as a local foodstuff market in a place called upper Uke, in 1980, has now metamorphosed into a full-blown market, with such magnetic forces that pulls the small and big in the society to its fold. According to Alhaji Jibril Abubakar, who holds the traditional title of “Garkwa Uke” (Defence Minister), “it started as a small market in a place called upper Uke and when the then District Head of Uke, Alhaji Abdullahi Hassan visited the area, he noticed the existence of the market and decided to upgrade it to a full-fledged market.
“From then, the market began to attract people from Keffi and Masaka. Originally, people used to come and buy foodstuff, like yam, pepper and tomatoes at a very cheap price of 10 kobo. That was how it started.”
The erudite defence minister, who is an illustrious son of Uke, told Saturday Sun that the market was relocated from its original place, in 1986, to its present position following the overbearing presence of palm wine tapers and local brew (burukutu), who flooded the market with their products. The reason for the relocation, at the instance of the district head, was to maintain its original status as a foodstuff market.
“The palm wine tapers started bringing their product and other local drinks to sell. This was against the original purpose of the founders of the market. The presence of these drinks at the market started attracting large crowd of people, who travelled far and near to buy fresh and original palm wine.”
In 1997, according Abubakar, the district head of Uke summoned a meeting of elders on how to upgrade the infrastructure of the market for the purpose of generating revenue. It was then agreed that shops be erected at the market and let out to interested people. “This is how the market has become a big one today.”
The name Zimbabwe
Narrating the historical background of the market, Abubakar said: “The name (Zimbabwe) was given by a local musician. Its original name was “Upper Uke Market. Zimbabwe was given by a local musician and it was generally accepted and since then it is called by the name.”
In Nasarawa, Abuja and other neighbouring states, the name Zimbabwe rings a bell. It is a bubbling place. Indeed, Zimbabwe is so popular that any girl that has not been taken there by her lover would not be happy.
Life at “Zimbabwe” is exhilarating. Its atmosphere is alive with adventurous spirit and resourceful people. Although it lacked the eye-pocking state-of- the-art edifices of the cities, it is a kind of heaven. Its serene and calm atmosphere is not only magnetic but also infectious.
The environment is in a cocoon of marina trees that provides a cozy atmosphere needed to rewind after a hectic day.
Investigations revealed that the main centre of attraction at Zimbabwe is the fresh palm wine that is cheaply available in large supply. Aside from palm wine there are other side attractions, including fresh fish, chicken and fish barbecue, fish pepper soup and others.
According to Abubakar, “anything you want, you can get it at Zimbabwe at a relatively cheap price. For instance, you don’t need to go to fast food joints for fresh fish and chickens. That is why people come from Abuja and other places to this place. A keg of palm wine is N100 in Zimbabwe, as against the N500 in Abuja, while a full litre of the product is between N300 and N400, as against the Abuja price of N1, 500.”
Security
Security in Zimbabwe is tight and manned by vigilance group selected from the host community. Abubakar boasted that there has not been any reported incident of theft at the market.
“There is no security threat here. There is a local security outfit, Yanbanga, put in place by the community to provide security at the market and so far, there has not been any case of theft or burglary in this market. The community supplies them with all their operational needs. Every month, they meet with the elders of the community to brief them on security matters and to update their operational methods.
“The market closes at 10pm everyday. Anything after that, no body is allowed access into the premises except shop owners who must identify themselves. In fact, there is no recorded incident of theft or car snatching here,” he said.
High accident rate
In every good thing in life, there is also a side effect and so it is with the Uke community. What the market has offered them with the right hand, in terms of social and economic gain; it takes back with death occasioned by road accidents.
“The only problem we have on ground here is the high rate of accidents, which has claimed so many lives. People get knocked down while trying to cross the road to the other side of the market. You know after drinking some bottles of alcohol, some people would just jump into the road in their unsteady conditions and sometimes oncoming vehicles knock them down. The community has lost many of its sons to road accidents. In fact, we are now thinking of relocating the market or pushing farther away the highway.”
Effects on the youths
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The presence of exotic cars and their influential owners in the market is a tonic of encouragement to youths of the area, according to the Garkwan Uke.
“The sight of these flashy cars has, more than anything, encouraged our youths to work harder in their human endeavours. Although the marvel of the presence of these rich men acts as an encouragement to them we advice them to work towards having theirs rather than going into uncanny means of acquiring wealth,” he said.
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Will a week-long, sex strike among Kenyan women forestall bloodshed in the East African country?
Following Liberia's example, Kenya's Women's Development Organization has called for women to go on sex strike in protest of government unrest, hoping to forestall the bloodshed that wracked the country after last year's elections. Recently bickering has threatened the fragile coalition that formed only after 1,000 people were killed in power struggles. A statement, quoted by the AP, declares, "The women of this country will not ... allow its political leadership to lead it back onto a slippery journey to ... violence and absolute chaos." They hope the week-long strike will result in talks between warring factions.
Says WDO's chairwoman, "We have looked at all issues which can bring people to talk and we have seen that sex is the answer...It does not know tribe, it does not have a (political) party and it happens in the lowest households." Adds Patricia Nyaundi, executive director of the Federation of Women Lawyers (Fida), to VOA, "Great decisions are made during pillow talk, so we are asking the two ladies at that intimate moment to ask their husbands: 'Darling can you do something for Kenya?'" Eleven women's groups are participating in the strike, which adds up to several thousand women. The group says they are paying prostitutes to strike, too. The movement got a boost when the Prime Minister's wife, Ida Odinga, joined the strike yesterday, saying, according to UPI, "If some women have decided, we have all decided."
Not shockingly, in a country in which polygamy is still legal, the strike's meeting with resistance. According to the BBC, "Our correspondent says some would argue that Kenyan men cannot even abstain for two days. Kenyan legislator David Musila told VOA,
It is a shame. It is a shame that these women can make such a statement. First of all, in my view, it is un-African, and these are some of the things in Africa we don't talk openly about, sex in front of children, and so on. And therefore, I think they are misguided and in any case, who is going to supervise and see that the boycott is implemented? It is just rubbish."
The morality argument is not limited to men; says the vice chairwoman of Maendeleo ya Wanawake, Rahab Muiu "As the largest women's organization in the country, we strongly believe in family values and cannot be associated with such foul utterances which can only break families,"
We imagine plenty of feminists could find the strike problematic for very different reasons. What's one thing in Lysistrata is quite another in 2009 - but then, so is polygamy and disenfranchisement. As Anna put it to me, "If it works, well, that's good. But it makes me sad for mankind - with an emphasis on man."
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If you love real talent, you would love . She acts with extra grace. All you need do is watch her in The Rivals and Sweet Tomorrow, then you are hooked. She recently signed up with the Ope Banwo-led Stingomania to manage her affairs. This 31 year-old French graduate who has been married for 10 years spoke with SAMUEL OLATUNJI on what has kept her marriage and Nollywood.Why did you have to marry so early?I wonder! I just met the right person. You know what it is when you meet someone and you know that this is the man. It’s not that he was my first boyfriend; I just knew that he is the man. Again, I fell in love with the way he loved me. His love was overwhelming and when he proposed, I just said yes. He proposed to me after two weeks actually. I surprised myself by saying yes.Are you sure you did not rush into this?No, I did not rush into it. It’s been almost 10 years now and we have three beautiful children. I think the love is even getting stronger.You have three children and you look this stunning. How do you keep in shape?It’s hard work. I do a bit of dieting and fitness on the side. I know a lot about keeping fit.What kind of exercise do you do and what kind food do you eat?Six weeks after my last child in England, I used to leave my baby and go for one-hour power walk. I would be out there whether it was raining or snowing and in the evening I would go to the gym. And I would not touch cake even if my life depended on it. Even till now I don’t take sugary thing.Why all these hard work?My husband likes me like this.Your husband looks so gentle one would wonder if he is capable of handling you, or I’m I being deceived?No, you are not deceived, but he is also very strong. He knows when to accept something and when not to accept. Generally, he believes in what I do and he knows this is what makes me happy, so he would rather have a happy wife than an unhappy one. This is my life; I’m not going to do anything else.Weren’t you scared that marriage would slow you down?Talent has a lot to do with how you rise. I got into the industry when I was 17 or 18. I didn’t have to sleep with anybody to get there. I did three lead roles in one year. The films are Destined to die, Not my Will, and Campus Tail by Hilda Dokunbo. Since I wasn’t sleeping with them before, I don’t have to start now.How was it like on the set of Figurine by Kunle Afolayan?It was great. It is very different from what I’ve ever done. I’ve never seen the kind of equipment we used. The story is very different; it wasn’t your normal regular Nollywood story. We shot for a month and we all became like one family. We also had lots of cool locations.How was it like leaving your husband behind in Lagos for one month?My husband had to come once and spent about four days with me.When you spend a long time with people outside of your home, do you get to feel something emotional with them?There is no actor in Nollywood that is as tight as my husband. Why would I be tripping for a fellow actor? This is a job, you have to do what you have to do and go. I have friends among them. But that is as far as it goes. I don’t even think about it. Really, no one looks better than my husband.What’s been the most challenging role you’ve played?I think it is Sweet Tomorrow. I had to be in wheel chair. I fell so many times and I had bruises all over me. It wasn’t funny at all.Why is it taking you so long a time to breakthrough despite the fact that lots of people are saying you are so talented?I think everyone has his or her time. But a lot of my movies have not been released. So, you should watch out.How was life at UNIBEN and why didn’t you study Theatre Art?Funny enough, I’ve been acting since I was three. I’ve always loved entertainment and showbiz. I don’t think I have to study Theatre Art to be in the industry. There are so many people who did not study art in school, but they are great actors. I believe I have the talent, which was enough for me.Since global meltdown affected Nollywood, did it affect you?No, Nollywood is not the only thing I do. And for crying out loud, I have a husband that works.What does your husband do?He is an optometrist. That is different from optician. It is an optometrist who checks your eyes and determines whether you need to wear glasses or not.Is that why you are wearing contact lens?I have eye problem.Let’s talk about your deal with Stingomania. Don’t you think you are signing away your freedom?I think this would work because I’m not driven by money. If my management company is taking 20 per cent, I still have 80 per cent. I think that is a lot. The management company is getting me deals and things I couldn’t do on my own. If for instance I’m supposed to do two movies a year, I would probably be doing six with my management company. So, I’m making more money because of them. Stingomania will do a lot of things for me and will get me deals even outside of acting. And as per the freedom issue, the company doesn’t close a deal for you without discussing with you first. If I say I don’t want it, that’s it.So, the marketers will have to speak with your management company now, don’t you think that will get them pissed off?They won’t get pissed off because I’m a humble person. I think the way you present issue to people will determine how they react to it.What is your fan book all about?It is a place where my fans can interact with me directly. It is omoniobolifanbook.com. They can ask me any question on anything and I answer.What has kept your marriage going for 10 years?We just have to keep it fresh all the time and we keep the sex hot. I was ready for marriage and I told myself that once I get married I would stay married.How easy is it to break into Nollywood?It’s not easy, let me not lie about that. Some people are there and don’t want anybody to come up there, I don’t want to mention names. But if you have the talent and persistence, you will get there.Who is the most interesting actor you’ve worked with?I would say Ramsey Nouah because he is fun to work with. He is lively and always looking for what will make people happy.How old are you?I was 31 in April.Are you still going to make more kids?No. I’m done.At 31 you are done with kids, you seem to be doing everything early?I got married at 21 really. Honestly I didn’t think I would be married at 21. I just met the right person. Why wait again if I’ve met the right person? He would probably date me for a couple of years, get frustrated and move on to another person. And then I would have missed the right person. He wanted marriage and I wanted it too. Marriage has matured me. I’ve always been matured. I grew up before my time. His being with a good man has also helped me.Does he complain about your romantic roles?No. There was a scene in Figurine where I had to kiss someone. Everybody is talking about the picture on facebook. But what most people don’t know was that he was actually there when we were shooting the love scene in Osun.Why kiss somebody on set when you could fake it?It’s a job. There is nothing to it. There were about 20 people there, so you can’t really be moved emotionally. It is a job.What should your fans expect from you?They should expect the best. I’ll always give them the best, That is why I don’t do every movie that comes across my way, I chose my script. That is why I can confidently say that if you find me in a movie, it is really good.courtesy odili network
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Posted by 9jabook.com on April 20, 2009 at 11:43am
Two corps members serving in Lagos are now guests of the police after they were caught having sex in the open at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Secretariat in Surulere on Thursday.
While their colleagues were busy struggling to get posted to areas where they would do their primary assignment, the two suspects preferred to engage in sexual exercise at a corner around the secretariat in the afternoon from where they attracted the attention of the NYSC authorities.
Saturday Independent learnt on Friday night that the police were immediately invited to pick them up after the male Corps member, who hails form Benue State, studied Psychology and graduated from the Kogi State University in Ayimgba, told the NYSC authorities that he had the right to have sex anywhere with his female lover.
Sources said he told the NYSC authorities that there was no law in the country that indicated where lovers should have sexual intercourse.
Although the female Corps member, a former student of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, who hails from Imo State, was said to have appeared remorseful, this newspaper learnt that her boyfriend told the NYSC Camp Commandant that he could not hold the sexual urge after not seeing his partner in a long while.
Although our correspondent could not confirm how long they have been in the relationship and whether they have got a place for their primary assignment, sources said the NYSC authorities in Lagos are poised to set example with them, hence the police invitation.
Contacted on Friday, the police promised to get back to our reporter, which they were yet to do till press time.
Meanwhile, a Magistrate's Court in Osogbo on Friday sentenced 13 persons comprising 11 women and two men to a two-year jail term each for prostitution.
They are Ebony Osale (29), Sandra Monchi (32), Bola Oni (21), Mercy Obiriki (29), Titilayo Olalere (24) and Blessing Ayo (21).
Others are Joy Saji (24), Opeyemi Abioye (25), Linder Akpan (29), Happy Osaji (29) and Peace Uba (25).
The males among them are Olaoluwa Gbuyibo (27) and Oseni Jelili (24).
Police Prosecutor, Taiwo Adegoke, had earlier told the court that on April 11 the convicts paraded themselves for immoral purposes at Morak Hotel, Osogbo.
They all pleaded guilty to the charge and Magistrate Adebayo Ajala gave them an option of N500 fine each.
He, however, rejected their plea that the economic meltdown pushed them into prostitution and advised them to engage themselves in profitable businesses.
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