Greetings to all of my cherished hive friends! Today, I returned to the city of Onitsha, but this time, instead of going to religious sites like I usually do, I decided to go to the largest and most visited shopping mall in the area. Because I didn't know where the mall was, I left home early. After I got out of the car that took me there, I settled the driver and asked for directions to where I was going. I found the location quickly, but I had to walk a fair distance. The large shopping mall in Onitsha, which goes by the name Shoprite, is owned and operated by South Africa. It is close to All Saints Cathedral Road, which is less busy than the one I came from.
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Additionally, I later discovered that the shopping mall is not too far from an estate. I was initially mesmerized by the size of the Shoprite compound from the outside as I walked straight up along the fence of the building on the road to find the entrance gate. I was able to see inside the compound as I walked because their fence was too low. On the other side, I could see flowering plants very close to the fence. From the outside, I could also see a huge building that seemed to go on forever and a huge parking lot. One really interesting thing is that, unlike other shopping complexes I've visited, neither the outside nor the inside of the complex are dirty. Not even a piece of nylon, water-resistant bubble gum, or candy can be found on the ground.
On the side of the low fence, you can see the shopping mall's flag. After a long walk through the fence, I finally found the gate to the entrance, which was a huge relief. The part of the building with the boldly installed Onitsha mall on its exterior was the first thing I could clearly see. The feeling was great as I entered the compound. Finally, I thought to myself, I'm in this place I've heard so much about. I was overjoyed. In order to get a better look at the things that piqued my interest in the environment, I sometimes purposefully turned around and started walking straight to the mall. One of the cleanest sections I've seen thus far was the parking lot section.
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When I finally reached one of the shopping mall's entrances, I greeted the young woman wearing a security uniform. She also appeared upbeat and greeted me. In most cases, I enjoy letting people who appear to be less well-known in each organization I visit know that they are just as important and are not invisible. After saying hello to her, I continued down the shopping mall's walkway until I came to a group of people seated in the middle of a group of round chairs that looked unbelievable big in the middle of the walkway.
I went and sat down on one of the empty spaces because I had a lot to take in visually and didn't want to let everyone in the mall know that this was my first time there. After a brief period of observation, I discovered a plethora of exquisite foreign and domestic goods as well as their exquisite artwork on display. Although I knew I could do that in other business establishments I've visited, I was initially concerned that I wouldn't be able to take pictures inside, as this might be against their policy.
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I also knew that there are places where taking photographs is prohibited, and I had previously been advised not to do so in one establishment. So I decided to ask one of the security guards. At first, she thought I wanted to take pictures of us both. She laughed and said I wanted to get in trouble, but once I realized what she meant, I better explained, and she told me I could take pictures of myself and the products but I shouldn't do video recording because it is against the rules. I thanked her, left her position of duty, and was pleased to have asked this question.
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I made sure I went all the way around the big shopping mall and visited almost every part of it, with the exception of a few areas that I personally decided not to explore because I thought they were only open to employees and not customers. I didn't want to come across as a spy who was just taking pictures rather than someone who was shopping, or worse, to be misunderstood for taking pictures of people because there were CCTV cameras everywhere. I decided to spend some money on some foreign-looking snacks while I was inside the mall because I remembered I had young children I had left behind at home and would soon meet. It was expensive, but I had to buy it for the kids and some things I would give to my mother and sister.
I saw sections in the mall for video games, barbecuing, movies, wines of all kinds and brands, clothes, fruits, toys, shoes, wedding gowns, flowers, perfumes, chandeliers, various phones and accessories, some pretty perishable foods, soft drinks, snacks, kitchen utensils, various energy drinks, meats, cakes, oil, noodles, flour, electronics, beverages, balloons, and a lot more. Although their well-seasoned chicken is better than most I've tasted, it costs a lot, but it's worth it because customers always appreciate quality goods sold at a good discount, and customers are always right, according to some.
I had a wonderful time today at the Shoprite Onitsha mall, and I returned home even happier than I had come, confident that I would also bring smiles to the faces of those I had left behind at home. We are grateful that you took the time to visit and take in the stunning aesthetics here. Goodnight and see you on the next one.
All images are mine