When you talk about Okrika in Nigeria, what immediately comes to mind are cheap secondhand clothes. The reason for this is that Okrika is the sobriquet for used clothes. Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency is not referring to this. We are talking about Okrika in Rivers State, South-South, Nigeria.

Okrika is a local government located on a very small Island south of Port Harcourt. It sits on the north of the Bonny River and on Okrika Island. The riverine town can be reached by vessel. According to the 2006 census, the population of Okrika is 222,026.

People, language and culture

Okrika is one of the major towns that makes up the Ijaw clan. Although they have been eclipsed by Port Harcourt and Ikwerre (for political reasons), they have contributed so much not only to the growth of Rivers. The Kirike is the main dialect of Okrika people while Igbo spoken by a few others.

Occupation

Long before oil was discovered in Okrika, fishing and agriculture were the major occupations of the people. However, since the discovery of crude oil; farming and fishing have taken the backseat. Hence, refined petroleum products are Okrika’s most significant exports. Regardless, the town still has a solid local trade in fish, oil palm produce, locally processed salt, cassava, plantains, and yams.

Cuisine

Some of the foods you will be served at Okrika includes onunu (ripe plantain mashed with yam and palm oil and eaten with peppery fresh fish sauce), and buru fulo (fresh fish pepper soup cooked with yam at the same time).

Hotels to book

There are inexpensive and affordable hotels in Okrika and environs including Conris Place, Chisam Suites, Berenice Hotels Limited and Paloma Hotels.

Source: http://www.opinions.ng/destination-port-city-okrika/

cc: Lalasticlala, Mynd44

What you call onunu is also known as opopo.