Saturday, July 4, 2009

Yam market


I was in Akure, Ondo state where I grew up, recently and had the opportunity of experiencing the vibe of the market place. Oja Oba, the king's market is the biggest shopping place in town and it was where I took this photo of women haggling over yam tubers. Pounded yam is a delicacy in many Nigerian homes.

If you're interested in archaelogy, the entry on Akure on Wikipedia should interest you. It says "Rock engravings dating back to the Mesolithic period, have been discovered on the outskirts of Akure, as has the oldest Homo Sapiens fossil to have been found in West Africa thus far, dating back to around 11,000 years ago."

I can tell you that the people are very warm and I was allowed to take photos freely unlike what happens most times in a big city like Lagos.

8 comments:

Hilda said...

Make that sweet potato or purple yam and it can be anywhere in the Philippines too :)

I love their colorful clothes!

ninja said...

Hm, that's intriguing. You mean you have problems taking photos in your own town?

Unknown said...

@Hilda
Yes, you know we have sweet potatoes, purple yam, water yam even coco yam!
@Koala
Taking pictures in Lagos can be a bit tricky because many people can be sceptical about where their pictures end up but it's easier in the smaller cities.

ninja said...

Good to know if I travel there one day.

Anonymous said...

I don't know why, but this picture is so exciting! :)

Ann said...

African markets are so vibrant.

PJ Taylor said...

Nice picture, and great blog. Keep up the good work.

Leif Hagen said...

Wonderful Yam market photo! I love their beautiful dresses. At a Rotary International convention in England recently, I saw many beautifully dressed Nigerians! Come visit my blog: EAGAN daily photo