Eat Owerri – the best soups from Imo’s capital city
Ofe Owerri and Ugba soup are two of the tastiest soups from Owerri, the capital city of Imo state and one of the oldest cities in Nigeria’s eastern region. The people of Owerri are Igbo, and the Igbo people are famous for their soups - among other things, of course. If you are visiting Nigeria for the very first time, these soups are enough reason to make a detour on whatever route you have planned out and include Owerri as one of your stops. And if you have lived in Nigeria for some time and still haven't tried out these soups, what have you been waiting for?
RELATED: Book Hotels in Okigwe, Imo State Now
Ofe Owerri
Walk into any eatery or buka in Owerri and order Ofe Owerri, which directly translates to “Owerri Soupâ€, and watch the eyes of the mammy lady light up as she notes your discerning taste and sets out to satisfy that desire. Ofe Owerri is made from simple ingredients consisting of vegetables, fish, goat meat or beef, palm oil and cocoyams. The cook may also spice up the soup with periwinkles or stock fish and other assorted meats according to taste. The vegetables used, traditionally known as ugwu, oha and uziza all possess antioxidant properties making the soup a very healthy meal. Eaten with akpu which is pounded cassava or wheatmeal, it is a heavy meal which is best consumed in the afternoon with a cold bottle of your favourite brew in an open aired area. Many restaurants in Owerri which serve this meal have such open areas where the locals often come to relax, swap stories and enjoy their native soup.
Ofe Ugba
Ofe ugba is another delicious soup popular in Owerri. It is translated in English as “Oil bean soupâ€. Prepared with locally gotten ugba – which is the Igbo word for cooked and sliced oil bean, a popular delicacy among the Igbo people often consumed alone. The soup also contains beef, stock fish, okro, onions and palm oil with potash serving as a thickener. Very many Owerri residents do not go an entire week without eating this meal. The soup has a bright yellow colour and is very tasty. It is served with pounded yam or akpu. You can find ugba soup in many eateries in Owerri.
Owerri has a number of tasty delicacies to offer a visitor or tourist, ensure you partake of them when you visit the city.