A few weeks ago, I took a walk that ended up being longer than usual. It wasn't planned, just happened. Something was just weighing on me that day. I’d cleared my desk, and nothing else was calling for my attention. That’s what pushed me to step out — not for work, but to clear my head and find my way around whatever was sitting heavy on it.
So I hit the road...
What started as a short walk turned into something else entirely. From my office along Azikiwe road, I walked my way through Market road, down to Mosque street. On both sides of the road were fabrics of different colors and designs. Temptation in broad daylight, but I refused to fall for it. However, I couldn't resist that of taking pictures. Not possible. Lol.
Market Road.
Mobile shop. Turned his car into a shop. That's what you get around here. 😂
The hustle is real.
Bend down select (thrift) footwears.
Mosque Street.
First Bank Plc came into sight, I snapped it and continued.
From there, I cut onto Clifford Road to check on a client. I met his absence, no stress. I moved on.
Sanitation officers on duty
Clifford Road led me to the Cosmetics and Industrial chemical raw materials market at School Road, behind Christ the King College (CKC). This stretch is known for perfume oils, soap-making chemicals, pesticides, herbicides and packaging materials.
But that’s not all. There’s another side to it — the recyclables or condemned materials section, as it's called here. Used bottles, cans, plastics, metals, iron — anything people have discarded.
People make real money from trading on these recyclables. Some of these materials are packaged and shipped to companies that need them. Other individuals often come around to buy them for different purposes. The air, a mixture of fragrances, chemicals and sweat filled my nose. I stopped by my oil perfume vendor, said hi, and hit the road again.
I walked the full length of that market until I hit Ngwa Road. At that point, I started wondering if this was a walk or something else entirely. It felt like those endurance treks from my NYSC days - honestly, it was starting to feel like punishment rather than a getaway for whatever was bothering me. I couldn’t make sense of it anymore.
Still, I continued... Lol.
From Ngwá road, I cut into Obohia road by Asa Triangle just after Christ the King Cathedral. That stretch opened up into Asa road, and that’s where I finally stopped — at my friend’s office, just a few blocks away.
That stop at my friend’s office changed the mood of the whole day. I wasn’t planning it, but seeing her surprised and happy made it worth it. We didn’t stay long, just talked for a bit and agreed to make out time to see each other properly later.
After that, I headed back to the office. Whatever was weighing me down after the long walk was gone. I felt better, more relaxed, relieved.
Sometimes, you just need to move and let the rest sort itself.
It was a long walk. Longer than I expected. But that’s the point of the Wednesday walk, right? You don’t plan the moments. You just walk, observe, and also capture them.
This is my contribution to the #wednesdaywalk, an initiative by . You're welcome to join. Have a fabulous day.
Author's Photos
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