Tapioca, most popular local cuisine in Enugu – Distributors

The local food called `abacha’, made with cassava flakes or tapioca, has assumed a growing dimension in Enugu State as all classes of residents patronize the meal.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday, residents revealed that many major streets, eateries and popular junctions have one or more joints as well as those that sell it in a mobile cart.

While many people patronize the vendors, some others prefer visiting special joints where they eat it with drinks, fish and meat.

When NAN visited the abacha joints at Uwani, Independence Layout, Obiagu, Abakpa Nike and Gariki areas, they were filled with consumers from different walks of life.

Mrs Bridget Agbo, who owns one of the joints in Uwani, said that she sold a 50-kilogramme bag of the cassava product daily and more than that during weekends.

“I enjoy high patronage in the sale of abacha from people from all walks of life, including civil servants, bankers, politicians and students.

“In fact, some people book me ahead of time and I package for them in take-away packs.

“I equally prepare it for some people during social events like marriages, child dedications, house-warming, thanksgiving and burial ceremonies.

“I have been in this business in the past 10 years and I use the proceeds to assist my husband in the upkeep of our family,’’ she said.

Another seller at the Government Reserved Area (GRA), Mrs Ngozi Obah, said that a plate of the food with fried fish sold for N1,200 while with stockfish, dried bush meat attracted additional N1,000 per plate.

“Abacha is highly consumed by Igbos and it is a food for all season.

“I make a profit of between N30,000 and N35,000 daily. It is a good business and easy to prepare. You can start the business with N10,000, if you want to hawk it.

“As a widow, I train my six children from the business and three of the children are undergraduates.

“Some women do come to learn the trade from me. I have not less than 100 customers that patronise me daily,” she added.

Some consumers, who spoke with NAN, said that the food is good, cheap and readily available anywhere in Enugu.

Some students at the Institute of Management and Technology, Miss Olivia Onah, and Chisom Obi, said they could buy N500 worth and be satisfied.

According to Onah, it becomes costly if you start adding oil bean known as ukpaka and assorted fish and meat.