My friend a Lagosian, and just got offered a Telecoms job in Kano and wants to know: What's it like? Is it safe? I hear Kano is the Lagos of the North but with all we hear in the news, what are the prospects for a yuppie like him?

Pls include accommodation costs, are there good joints to hang out? Is he even allowed to hang out?

Thanks

I think you dont have problem staying in Kano. I stayed in kano for more than 3years before leaving for my present location. Accomodation is relatively cheap, you can get good 3brm flat at a very good location (GRA) from 250k -350k per annum.

About hang-outs, there are, but not as many as you find in lagos, abuja etc. But i bet you, you would discovered things that will make you want to continue to stay.

Best of luck in your new location

See pics of Kano as at April 2009

Yeah, but do you have any post-Boko-Haram pictures of Kano?

Kano City was not affected by Boko Haram, most was on the fringes and not in the City parts. Believe me, if therecwas a fracas in Kano City, you would've seen the bloodiest pictures. You know the entire City is under the Hisbah surveillance and they did not sanction a war against the police, instead they were on the side of the Police. I just attended a wedding there last week and everything is pretty much the same. I cant post wedding pictures here 'cos of privacy issues. Its not as bad as you think, but yes, you must party with caution.
More pics -

The truth is that apart from Abuja, I can never live in any of the north states. That is one thing I have in mind.

Oh dear, looking at these pictures makes me miss Kano the more. Poster, it is a lovely place to stay in, there are good hangouts there, you should try the "French cafe" , Lebanon club, Friends cafe, Blings and other hotspots there. Lovely place,

More -

I heard that kano is just like Lagos where different ethnics can stay safely. Let your friend go. Afterall is he not a man?

I honestly feel you should accept the job if the conditions are ok for you.Kano is nice and lovely to place to live.If you are a southern try stay in places like GRA,Sabon Gari (good part),Hadeja road area.There also nice places to hangout too.Cost of living is not as high as lagos though.The only minus can be the weather sha.Its cooler this time of the year though.

Ovie, I used to say that aslo until NYSC took me to Kano and I must confess, it was one of the best things that could happen to me. Let go of your prejudices against the North, visit Kano, you won't regret it.

Kano looks cool and clean, but I wouldnt live there for a billion bucks.

Once beaten, twice shy.

Dont mind all this propagandists

KANO IS BASICALLY OKAY

DONT, well except if ur friend is muslim
a lotta christains and non-muslims get killed down dere,

I did my NYSC in Jigawa and was opportuned to visit Kano on several occasions.Its an ok town to stay in but just make sure you get an accomodation in a good side of the town.Sabon-Gari or the GRA is your best bet.

snazzydawn:

Oh dear, looking at these pictures makes me miss Kano the more. Poster, it is a lovely place to stay in, there are good hangouts there, you should try the "French cafe" , Lebanon club, Friends cafe, Blings and other hotspots there. Lovely place,

I wonder what you'll be saying if they started their trouble when you were there.

nawtiichic, that is not true, I am still alive, I was not killed while I was in Kano, and that was until last month o, I plan to go back there soon to settle. True, they have had thier share of religious squabbles but they are tired of it because it has chased people away so they are trying all they can to stop it, that is why the Boko Haram and the Jos crisis did not affect Kano. Get accomodation in Sabon Gari or in the Nasarrawa area of Kano, those are the places I would recommend, since you are so scared of violence. As a result of my posting, I lived in Bachirawa area in Kano which is like 20 mins to the main town and it is predominantly muslims there, but so far, so good, it was not bad at all. They are really nice and warm people.

Double N:

I did my NYSC in Jigawa and was opportuned to visit Kano on several occasions.Its an ok town to stay in but just make sure you get an accomodation in a good side of the town.Sabon-Gari or the GRA is your best bet.

Mind telling us why someone should take such extreme caution and limited choices if the city is so safe?

Just curious.

nuzo (m)
China
Posts: 2644


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kano looks cool and clean, but I wouldnt live there for a billion bucks.

Once beaten, twice shy.


I am strongly agree with you. I see myself in that part of the country. Anything can happen anyday on that parts of the country. Thank God abuja is in the central and that is only part of the country in north I have visited. I love the south and I will always be a southner. I am not ready to run for my life at any time.

@Snazzy
Why have thou forgotten me?

BEWARE OF BOKO HARAM, AND ITS LIKES
, HEARD HAUSA GALS ARE GOOD IN,

i presently just got posted to kano. Its a funny place to leave though verrryyyy boring with a lot of hypocrytes, very few hang out joints though nothing to write home about, sabon Gari is just a large beer parlour, with hawkers to view. Also the indigenes dont know much but very arrogant, okada ryders own the dirty streets and dont follow traffic rules. You would have to wear caftan to be respected where ever you go.
If u dont mind work and going home and at the right price then you would be ok but never expect to see cool clubs or nice bars only form of hangout joint is the numerous lebanese food joints, lol, If you  can work in Kano and travel every weekend then you would be fine. Northern region ? i personally recommend Kaduna or Abuja,

It's up to him to go but just know that nothern riots are like you've never seen before.
I happened to be in Kaduna during the 'oso Abiola' and it was craaaaaaazyyy!! Central market emptied and ppl were slaughtered along ahmadu bello and ali akilu.

It looks like there was nothing like 'friend' during the riot in kaduna north then and Kano was worse then (though we fought back and they stopped the attacks,ppl had already died)

Don't risk ur life because of money. An Hausa man is only friendly when there is peace. If trouble starts, u re on ur own. They betray a lot. Ever since i got posted to the north, have being sleeping with both eyes opened. These people can destroy 50 years investment in a day.

Don't risk your life because of money. An Hausa man is only friendly when there is peace. If trouble starts, u re on your own. They betray a lot. Ever since i got posted to the north, have been sleeping with both eyes opened. These people can destroy 50 years investment in a day.

Pray there is no religious riot throughout your stay.

no mind them, tell your friend to go to kano and take the job. kano is a wondeefful place and i can assure you, once he gets used to the city, he wont wanna come back. and this is coming from someone that have lived in Lagos, warri, benin, abeokuta, kano, kaduna, abuja, jos, maiduguri, yobe. and i will tell you i was not surprised yobe & maiduguri were the nerve center of boko haram. these are were you find the fanatics in the north. kano, kaduna and jos guyz dey flex well.

dont be scare go, even i , till date i am looking for a job in kaduna, thats like the sweetest town i have been, once i get the opprotunity, i go pack my bag from lag run go there.

More -

@poster's friend

Guy

I live in lagos myself, got posted to kano in 2007 for youth service,got a job afterwards and stayed back.

Kano is a wonderful place and u get to enjoy ur life based on ur pocket, from the normal shark joints scatterd around sabon-gari to good hangout spots like french cafe,lebanon's club,mingles(revitalised),FAAN staff club e.t.c  to hotels around, Tahir,Niimah,Royal Tropicana to a lot of 1daful eateries.


Though not like lagos were u can live and shark anywhere, it's kinda regulated here.You can stay in Noman's land, Badawa New layout,Hadeija road,Nassarawa GRA e.t.c

Life is a little normal here and people act sane, no bus rush, no mad traffic and lot more


Just come around we need more correct guys to love-vendor up the environ

Most of the people bad mouthing kano have probably never been to the north(abuja is not in the north) every place has its good side nd bad side was it not in lagos that OPC was killing hausa nd igbo people? Most nigerian cities are basically safe just choose the right part of town to live in dont expect to be safe during crisis if you live in a ghetto. Just tell your friend to give it a try if he doesnt like the place he can always leave

Most of the people bad mouthing kano have probably never been to the north(abuja is not in the north) every place has its good side nd bad side was it not in lagos that OPC was killing hausa nd igbo people? Most nigerian cities are basically safe just choose the right part of town to live in dont expect to be safe during crisis if you live in a ghetto. Just tell your friend to give it a try if he doesnt like the place he can always leave