Thursday, October 27, 2005

A warm day...reflecting on the democracy of the internet and hungry for home

Today has been quite warm, by which I mean I haven't had to wear a jacket to work. I've carried one though and sure enough as dusk falls, there's a slight nip in the air. In the garden square opposite me two good English policemen, complete with inverted cone helmets are questioning (or chatting) to a group of men who seem to be more interested in the contents of bottles in the plastic bags that they are clutching....

This blog is suddenly exposing me to a whole new world of possibilities....while some people took offence at my asking questions about Nigeria's tragic weekend, I found a foray into some Nigerian chat rooms interesting to say the least. Nigerians from all over the globe were weighing in with their thoughts and feelings and asking questions in a way that would probably never be sanctioned in day to day Nigerian society....

Now I understand better why Owukori of Black Looks is passionate about unleashing the power of the internet in Africa....

Stumbled across a photograph by Jangbalajugbu on the Global Voices Online site of a plate of eba and what looked like egusi soup taken in Ife. Just looking at the smoothly curved yellow mounds of glistening eba and the swirl of palm oil and red pepper stew -with what looked like some sort of orisirisi (?tripe) floating in it- had me drooling over my keyboard....there was something about even the simplicity of the bowls and the plastic tablecloth that triggered a deep nostalgia.... I know what I'm having for dinner tonight....

3 comments:

Pilgrimage to Self said...

I do so enjoy reading your blog. Todays blog transported me back home just reading about your description of that plate of eba. Like you, I know what I'll be having for lunch tomorrow!

Nneka's World said...

Hmm, I am not really an eba fan, but give me poundy anytime with egusi soup with bokoto: roundabout, shaki, cowleg, meat, chicken, stock fish and fresh fish. Ahhhh *sigh drooling, wiping off my chin*
Have a nice day

uknaija said...

Funny thing is, I actually prefer pounded yam and amala myself, but there was just something about that picture with the glistening yellow curves of eba that you know had been made by the mama put wielding her plastic scoop deep into the heart of the steaming pot........by the way, what WERE those scoops originally meant for?