JOS - NIGERIAN CITY OF CHILLS AND OF UNFORTUNATE BLACK AMERICANS; My beautiful trip to the Nigerian Land of hippies and hoppies.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
As I read the above quote all that came rushing to my head like dry cold in harmattan in the Sahara was my beautiful sojourn to a Nigerian city trapped in the middle of her Nothern region. My very first expedition into the north, I have as a kid to Sokoto but I can't remember, all the stories are in the head of my mother, I have no memory of it, so I don't have a story of mine to it and that means I didn't visit at all.
It all started on the 30th of September, I was giving an invite by a cousin to come visit Jos and have a feel of it, especially of its coldness - which I thought was over exaggerated because Nigerians are dramatic and can overblown the littlest of things and also for its coziness and cosmopolitan-ness too.
Although before visitin I just didn't agree Jos could be as cold as it was told by many that have visited, I'm sorry I'm a skeptic but that's what pushed me into learning a lot about my life and the universe. I'm actually a replica of Thomas in the bible, you need prove me more than doubt. I still will not like to be blessed by not seeing facts as they say "Blessed are those who believe without seeing". Such quotes ain't coined for my kind because I believe Assumption, Guess, and hastened conclusion is the mother of fuck ups. So I took my bag and packed my stuffs, armed to the teeth like a guerrilla fighter and was off for Jos. I just didn't take chances I came with a thick sweat shirt and all that transpired is close to detailed.
I took a bus from Maraba in the outskirts of Abuja and headed for Jos. As I embarked on my voyage all that came into my adventurous mind is how much bombs were going off in Jos and how I could be a victim. Then the case of the herdsmen also left terrifying chills on me and I felt we'll encounter an attack but as we moved on, I saw cars moving freely and I felt safe a bit. I disembarked at Maraba-njama and took another cab for NTA taxi park and that's when the true ugliness of Jos came to play. The roads were terrifically ugly, the ugliness can only beat the masqueradish face of Jonah Jang the past governor of the face and for once I felt a new saying should emerge "Show me the face of your governor and I'll predict your state" but then I was already judging the book(state) by its cover(entrance).
I'll spare you the other details of how the people were ready to help me with every little means they can, showing me routes and very quick to say me a welcome like I was in heaven and the angels were eager to have me in. So I took another cab to terminus to meet my cousin who was waiting to pick me up and take me home, the others are just a concise detail of what made me love, hate and weep for Jos and Josites as they'll love to call themselves.
Jos is a beautiful city, A city with a semi-African consciousness because the dress sense disconnects of the African reality and that's pitiable because of the cold(Jos is so cold) but they are so much African in the food. They are hip hop goons, I love their English accent, their American styled life and their hospitality especially the girls who are ready to please your venereal desires.
I really miss Jos, especially the serene and quiet roads of Tundu Wada, Apollo crescent and wase road. All these roads reminds of American quarters in Onireke, Ibadan where I had my elementary education with whites in the most beautiful roads with trees in awesomeness and near perfection. I miss the evening walks with my cousin, the cheap beers and famed lewd entertainment at "rest of mind" area. I miss the good staffs of City Lodge hotel who really took me in on the goodwill of my beautiful cousin Ijeoma Arupuo . I miss the noodles with all them fruits and Spanish omelet with a bottle of chilled coke. The combination is priceless.
I miss the good priest Fr. Bid at the Novetiate seminary. An old man but who never minded we talk about marriage, spirituality, politics, morals and many more, I'll always disagree with authorities, I'm a rebel and he took all that with so much admiration. I miss the three course meal he offered me, it's so priceless but these men dey enjoy shah. I'll love to debate with him again, he's such a welcoming man with a large beautiful soul.
I miss the cheap transportation and seeing stoned niggas - the real unfortunate Americans, who are so high on cheap burukutu, a bowl cost 50naira and that shit knocks them down more than what crack does to a homeless American, I could only weep at the sight of all that. This thing enslave their souls, I can see it in their eyes.
I miss the hoods and sagged pants and the English accented tongue, obviously African Rap was built in Jos, for Jos and by Jos. It's one thing I couldn't take away from them. They're a really proud folk, proud of who they're and what they're so lucky to have but others see as a curse.
I miss that feeling of a bomb going off at every step I took, lol. I really don't want that feeling but I love Jos though, it's a beautiful old city with terrifying chill in the dawn of the day. My next visit I'll hike the sherry hills and picnic at the Wildlife park.
Finally, I don't miss tuwo shinkafi, I can't understand it at all, I guess I'm not cut for new meals. I also do not miss hard dock corn chowder with palsy vegetable - a white cuisine that looks so scary, I'm still trying to wake up from that gory sight. Lol
I will leave you with this kind words from Augustine of Hippo which says, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."
I miss JOS, it's a beautiful city!!!
Emmanuel Kelechi Ejionye writes from Abuja and he is a Writer, speaker, activist, grassroot leader, photographer, humanitarian and many more. He's also a graduate of Engineering from the prestigious University of Nigeria. He can be reached through
Facebook: Emmanuel Kelechi Ejionye
Twitter: @kaycee_ejionye
Email: emmanuelejionye@gmail.com
Phone: 07036344833
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
As I read the above quote all that came rushing to my head like dry cold in harmattan in the Sahara was my beautiful sojourn to a Nigerian city trapped in the middle of her Nothern region. My very first expedition into the north, I have as a kid to Sokoto but I can't remember, all the stories are in the head of my mother, I have no memory of it, so I don't have a story of mine to it and that means I didn't visit at all.
It all started on the 30th of September, I was giving an invite by a cousin to come visit Jos and have a feel of it, especially of its coldness - which I thought was over exaggerated because Nigerians are dramatic and can overblown the littlest of things and also for its coziness and cosmopolitan-ness too.
Although before visitin I just didn't agree Jos could be as cold as it was told by many that have visited, I'm sorry I'm a skeptic but that's what pushed me into learning a lot about my life and the universe. I'm actually a replica of Thomas in the bible, you need prove me more than doubt. I still will not like to be blessed by not seeing facts as they say "Blessed are those who believe without seeing". Such quotes ain't coined for my kind because I believe Assumption, Guess, and hastened conclusion is the mother of fuck ups. So I took my bag and packed my stuffs, armed to the teeth like a guerrilla fighter and was off for Jos. I just didn't take chances I came with a thick sweat shirt and all that transpired is close to detailed.
I took a bus from Maraba in the outskirts of Abuja and headed for Jos. As I embarked on my voyage all that came into my adventurous mind is how much bombs were going off in Jos and how I could be a victim. Then the case of the herdsmen also left terrifying chills on me and I felt we'll encounter an attack but as we moved on, I saw cars moving freely and I felt safe a bit. I disembarked at Maraba-njama and took another cab for NTA taxi park and that's when the true ugliness of Jos came to play. The roads were terrifically ugly, the ugliness can only beat the masqueradish face of Jonah Jang the past governor of the face and for once I felt a new saying should emerge "Show me the face of your governor and I'll predict your state" but then I was already judging the book(state) by its cover(entrance).
I'll spare you the other details of how the people were ready to help me with every little means they can, showing me routes and very quick to say me a welcome like I was in heaven and the angels were eager to have me in. So I took another cab to terminus to meet my cousin who was waiting to pick me up and take me home, the others are just a concise detail of what made me love, hate and weep for Jos and Josites as they'll love to call themselves.
Jos is a beautiful city, A city with a semi-African consciousness because the dress sense disconnects of the African reality and that's pitiable because of the cold(Jos is so cold) but they are so much African in the food. They are hip hop goons, I love their English accent, their American styled life and their hospitality especially the girls who are ready to please your venereal desires.
I really miss Jos, especially the serene and quiet roads of Tundu Wada, Apollo crescent and wase road. All these roads reminds of American quarters in Onireke, Ibadan where I had my elementary education with whites in the most beautiful roads with trees in awesomeness and near perfection. I miss the evening walks with my cousin, the cheap beers and famed lewd entertainment at "rest of mind" area. I miss the good staffs of City Lodge hotel who really took me in on the goodwill of my beautiful cousin Ijeoma Arupuo . I miss the noodles with all them fruits and Spanish omelet with a bottle of chilled coke. The combination is priceless.
I miss the good priest Fr. Bid at the Novetiate seminary. An old man but who never minded we talk about marriage, spirituality, politics, morals and many more, I'll always disagree with authorities, I'm a rebel and he took all that with so much admiration. I miss the three course meal he offered me, it's so priceless but these men dey enjoy shah. I'll love to debate with him again, he's such a welcoming man with a large beautiful soul.
I miss the cheap transportation and seeing stoned niggas - the real unfortunate Americans, who are so high on cheap burukutu, a bowl cost 50naira and that shit knocks them down more than what crack does to a homeless American, I could only weep at the sight of all that. This thing enslave their souls, I can see it in their eyes.
I miss the hoods and sagged pants and the English accented tongue, obviously African Rap was built in Jos, for Jos and by Jos. It's one thing I couldn't take away from them. They're a really proud folk, proud of who they're and what they're so lucky to have but others see as a curse.
I miss that feeling of a bomb going off at every step I took, lol. I really don't want that feeling but I love Jos though, it's a beautiful old city with terrifying chill in the dawn of the day. My next visit I'll hike the sherry hills and picnic at the Wildlife park.
Finally, I don't miss tuwo shinkafi, I can't understand it at all, I guess I'm not cut for new meals. I also do not miss hard dock corn chowder with palsy vegetable - a white cuisine that looks so scary, I'm still trying to wake up from that gory sight. Lol
I will leave you with this kind words from Augustine of Hippo which says, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page."
I miss JOS, it's a beautiful city!!!
Emmanuel Kelechi Ejionye writes from Abuja and he is a Writer, speaker, activist, grassroot leader, photographer, humanitarian and many more. He's also a graduate of Engineering from the prestigious University of Nigeria. He can be reached through
Facebook: Emmanuel Kelechi Ejionye
Twitter: @kaycee_ejionye
Email: emmanuelejionye@gmail.com
Phone: 07036344833
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