In Parakou: So hot was my soup, I forgot my notebook!
By MAURICE ARCHIBONG (+2348056180050),
mauricearchibongtravels@gmail.com
For a chronic ulcer sufferer, sampling
foods, which a travelwriter must do, could sometimes pose a serious challenge.
Across Benin Republic, ginger is a popular ingredient of the locals’ cuisine.
Me! MAURICE ARCHIBONG at Grand Auto Gare, Parakou. All Rights Reserved. |
So, whereas the soup (sauce)
used to lubricate the swallowing of pounded yam (Igname pilée) might not be loaded with pepper (piment),
the ginger content could still make it too hot; for some.
This was my experience eating at a
little roadside restaurant (Marquis) near the Parakou office of
Benin’s Ministry of Culture and Promotion of Indigenous Languages. Wow! Some Beninese
do know how to prepare l'igname pilée, often accompanied with groundnut soup (la sauce arachide).
Interestingly, whereas pounded yam is
seen as somewhat special, even exotic, by some Nigerians, this meal is a
commonality in many parts of Benin. So ordinary is igname pilée that most diners’ stomachs are filled with just
200F (N70) worth. Such is the situation that no average diner could ingest more
than 500F (N175) worth.
With regard to meat (viande),
the price also starts from 200F. The diner has an option of beef or chicken and
the price could rise as much as mille francs (1,000F or the
equivalent of N350), depending on the size.
In any case, I had ordered 200F worth of
pounded yam and beef of the same amount. When the dish arrived, the sight of
the pounded yam left me instantly salivating. Promptly, I washed my hands
preparatory to making the mound of igname
pilée before me disappear.
But, after swallowing the second morsel,
I felt some stings inside my mouth. The irritation came from the ginger used to
spice up the soup. As I continued, the sting got worse, but I was determined to
demolish the stuff. Though I managed to finish the pounded yam, the ginger also
made sure it hit me real hard.
With phlegm running down my nostrils and
my tear-filled eyes now blood-red, eating the meat was merely going to complement
my ordeal. So, I gave up that part of my lunch. Yes, I literaly saw pepper on
that day.
So rattled was I, that I needed to leave
the eatery immediately before others saw an old man crying after a meal. Having
previously suffered similar ordeals in the past in different parts of this
world, I always pay as soon as my food was served in case I needed to rush out
of the restaurant.
Since I had already paid, I rose from
the wooden bench on which I sat and went outside to blow my nose and expel the load
of saliva that now filled my buccal cavity. After that, I mounted an okada
(called Moto in these climes) and left. That I could forget my notebook,
which could be likened to an officer’s service pistol, at the pounded yam joint
as I took flight; might help clue the reader in regarding what I went through!
Fortunately, when I rode back to the
restaurant, the attendants, who were earlier alarmed at my distress now appeared
bemused. “Yes, we found your notebook and kept it for you”, one of the young
women offered in response to my enquiry.
Irritatingly, I had to spend 400F (about
N140) to and fro as okada fare to recover my notebook after a meal that cost the
same amount. But, words cannot describe my relief at recovery of this important
document, which carried many notes that were scribbled as I travelled along.
Surprise, Surprise! Would you believe
that I returned to that same marquis four more times for igname pilée before leaving
Parakou? Such is the attraction of pounded yam in Benin for you! What is more?
I still eat igname pilée across former Dahomey because, reflective of the
hospitable disposition of the average Beninese, many restaurateurs usually
prepare a pot of pepper-free soup. Just ask for sauce sans piment to mix
with your ewedu and voila, even an ulcer sufferer can eat
without tears.
More thrill,
frills of trip to Parakou
Welcome, once again to the northern
Beninese Republic settlement of Parakou, administrative capital of Department
de Borgou. Benin’s Borgou was once part of Borgu in today’s Nigeria,
until international politics led to a border that cut part of the area in
question into two different countries.
In any case, Department de
Borgou could
be likened to what is called State (Lagos, for example) in Nigeria. Benin
Republic comprises 12 such Departments, against Nigeria’s 36; not
counting-in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ville de
Parakou (Parakou City) stands more than six hours’
drive north of Benin’s economic capital, Cotonou; and, I was among scores of
Nigerians that travelled up here for a workshop. At some point, travelling
toward Parakou, I actually wondered, which was likely to interest the reader
more between this settlement’s lore and the roadside blurs.
Interestingly, we had
passed this way before and even went all the way to Malanville, on the
northernmost fringes of Benin from where we crossed into Gaya in Niger
Republic. But, that is not our story for today. Yes, between Cotonou and
Parakou, Benin throws up numerous fascinatings sights.
Setting out
We had arrived at Carrefour
Etoile Rouge (Red Star Circle) about 11am, but it was already too late to catch
the last morning bus. So, it was up to us to defer departure till the next
morning or go by what might end up a Night-flight as Nigerians are wont to call night-time road
travel.
Considering that the event
I was billed to attend would open the next morning, leaving the following day
would mean losing out on what transpired on day-one of the two-day programme. So,
grudgingly, I boarded the huge antique bus as there was no option of a smaller vehicle.
Fortunately, owing to the plenitude of passengers, the bus soon had enough
commuters to fill all its seats; which means we were soon going to be on our
way.
Fare, getting there
On the day we set out of
Cotonou, the fare to Parakou was 5,500F (roughly N2,000) in the 50-seater mammy
wagon, which despite its antediluvian look, actually offered what could be
described as smooth enough ride all through. Although I was comfy enough in my
seat, the entire vehicle’s aisle was, however, taken up by all sorts of cargoes
that rose from the floor to the ceiling, almost.
On the positive side, however,
there was nothing like the nuisance called Attachee, countless passengers
loaded on the bus that crowd the aisle of so-called Luxury buses in Nigeria.
Inside many of the rickety contraptions we call Luxury buses, some daring Attachee
determined to make life difficult for full-fare paying passenger often
perch on the arm-rest of the latter’s chair and would remain there no matter
how much you complained.
Nice town, vicious mosquitoes
This is Parakou, where the mosquitoes (Les Moustiqué) are extra vicious.
Considering that, I ended up in hospital after my trip to Parakou, you certainly
don’t want to find out how wicked these blood-suckers are. I had travelled some
eight hours to get here. On hitting town, I had visited a few lodges and had
been discouraged by either the environment or price, until I eventually located
Hébergement Sika, situate on one of the roads surrounding Stade de Parakou (Parakou Stadium).
It was well past 11pm by the time I was shown
into my hotel room. Dog-tired,
I must have dozed off before hitting my bed. However, persistent stings from
mosquitoes interrupted my sleep so much, I was forced to get up and set the
blades of the ceiling fan rolling. But, the vile creatures were not detered.
At
some point, I was left with no choice than to get up and spray the room with a can of insecticide, one of the items I usually travel with.
Consequently, I would lose
about 30-minute sleep, but I didn’t mind; knowing full-well that sometimes,
things have to get worse to get better.
Due to the welcome security situation across
Benin, I felt safe coming out of my room to sit all alone in the lodge’s reception
area around 3am, waiting for the odour of the pesticide to wear out. Eventually,
I returned into the room and did enjoy sound sleep till daybreak. However, the
damage had been done because at dawn, when I woke up, I sensed a bitter taste
in my mouth.
My appetit for food was also gone. I made a
mental note to get some anti-malarial drug, but owing to the crowded nature of
my days, I never got around to doing this. Moreso, I was eating normally again,
apparently courtesy of the mineral supplement caplets I take. So, I had enjoyed
more than a week’s stay in Parakou; only for the malaria to finally hit me
weeks after, while I was in Accra, Ghana!
A day after I entered Parakou, I had gone to
the town’s central motor-park (Grand
Auto Gare) to find out, if there were still salon cars that ply the Cotonou-Parakou
route. There were! And, guess what, the fare was the same 7,000F (less than
N2,500) that obtained here, when we passed this way on 29 December, 2010.
However, we would end up paying double
(N5,000) to avoid having to share the seat next to the driver with a second
passenger. And, we had to do the same on our latest outbound journey. This
practice of carrying six passengers in seats meant for four was evocative of
the situation along Owo-Lokoja, Okene-Lokoja, Ikom-Ogoja et cetera in Nigeria
as well as Sanve Condji-Lome and Lome-Cinkasse routes in Togo.
Shamefully, the muse that engaged my mind as I
pondered on this issue; was: If Nigeria’s Road Safety Corps, Police, National
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) et cetera condon the carrying of
passengers in excess of normal capacity; then where are you coming from to
criticise the practice in Benin and Togo.
The Nigerian scenario is made even more depressing
because fuel prices are cheaper, and fares are always higher! Interestingly,
the somewhat barbarous practice is not tolerated in Ghana, where fuel pump
prices are higher than what obtains in Nigeria. Curiously too, only three
passengers (not four or five as in Nigeria) sit per row in Ghana’s tro-tro (mini-bus).
Yes, we’re still on Parakou. While the fare and
vexious punishment meted to commuters remained immutatus, the condition of the
road network had changed. Unlike the bumpy ride we endured along the once dusty
route, the Cotonou-Parakou road was now cheeringly smooth. Yes, Parakou and
every part of Benin throw up many thrills, but you sometimes have to take the
bitter with the sweet. Oui, C'est ça la vie (yes, such is life).
Accommodation
The
weather was cool and the air crisp when we hit Parakou. Harmattan was in the
air. So low was the ambient temperature that I found it unnecessary to switch
on the ceiling-fan in Room 104 at Hébergement Sika; after checking in.
My
comparatively large room, roughly 12-feet by 12-feet, inside a bungalow, where
I counted at least five other similar facilities the following day; had a bed,
desk/chair, wardrobe, fan, TV, and bathroom/toilet en suite.
Yet,
it cost a paltry 6,500F (roughly N2,200) per night to sleep here. Moreover, the
immediate and surrounding environments were spick and span and water flowed
from the shower. Also, the frequency of blackout was not as bad as the
situation in some neighbouring countries. This must explain why tourists find
Benin Republic a welcome destination!
Aside from Hébergement Sika, where I put up, Parakou boasts numerous other hotels and lodges.
These include Hotel de Ville, Hotel Alafia and Hotel la Colombe et cetera.
Located in the Banikanni neighbourhood of Parakou, Hotel Alafia is a four-floor
affair.
The room tariff varied from
8,000F (less than N3,000) to 25,000F (over N8,000). In between, there were
categories that cost 11,000F (less than N4,000) and 15,000F (N5,000). If you
don’t have the stamina to climb all the way to the last floor, then you should
be prepared to cough out more than 8,000F since rooms for that amount are on
that floor.
We ended up moving on and looking
elsewhere because of fear of the enervating climb to the last floor of Hotel
Alafia, where the 8,000F rooms are. However, an advantage offered by Hotel
Alafia is proximity to Parakou’s Grand Marché and City Centre (Centre de Ville).
Moreover, the tourist in need of
roadside eateries and cafétariat would further love Hotel Alafia, whose
surroundings throw up open-air teashop (mai-shayi), kunu (a sort of ogi/akamu/eko or pap) vendor and kose (akara or fried bean-balls) seller et cetera.
Parakou Sites
Parakou
throws up a public sculpture in the centre of each of its many roundabouts (Carrefour).
Among Parakou’s roundabouts is Carrefour Hubert Manga, in honour of a former
President of Benin Republic, who probably hailed from these parts.
This
Benisese town’s other attractions include Musee de Plein Air (an open-air
museum) on Tchatchou road. For the tourist in search of enlightenment amid
entertainment, Parakou’s open-air repository, which boasts a very large ground,
where numerous craft-shops, bars and eateries abound; is highly recommended.
Additionally,
Parakou is home
of a sprawling emporium, where used clothings (Friperie) are sold.
It is called Marché Kobo-kobo and
stands near the local Cimataire
Militaire Francais (French Military Cemetery). Furthermore, this settlement also boasts
a decades-old public university (Université de Parakou) as well as over 15 private
universities, according to Mr. Sariki Chabi Bouni Adamou, Secretary (Secretaire)
of Nigeria’s Hausa/Fulani Community.
The
tourist may want to visit Internationale Arzeke de Parakou (International
Market Parakou), which stands near Carrefour de la Colombe. The city’s Grand
Auto Gare (principal motorpark) is located between the international market
and the roundabout called Carrefour de la Colombe.
Barely
200m from Carrefour de la Colombe, the sightseer is likely to behold Carrefour
de la Municipalité
(Municipality Circle). Carrefour de la Municipalité is also called Carrefour
de Trois Banques because three major banks’ regional headquarters
surround this roundabout in whose centre a tower stands.
Epilogue
Although it wasn’t my first, this latest trip to Parakou further
opened my eye. But, first of all, let me add that the programme, organised by
the Association of Nigerian Women in Benin (ANWIB) that prompted this trip, enabled
me to enjoy some glimpses of two very important public servants in Benin.
It was during that sojourn, made possible by Mrs. Cecilia
Gbemisola Obisakin, wife of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s envoy, Amb.
Lawrence Obisakin; that we saw for the first time, Benin Republic’s Minister of Family and Social Affairs, Physically
Challenged and Old People, Mrs. Marie Laurence Sranon Sossou.
Similarly, we got also images of the Mayor of
Parakou, Hon. Soule Alagbe, who, it is worth pointing out; is Dean of the Corps
of Mayors in the neighbouring country. In other words, Hon. Soule Alagbe is
“the Mayor of all mayors”, and like Madame
Ministre, Mrs. Marie Laurence Sranon Sossou, this mayor contributed to
making the programme a resounding success.