I've read a few hometown posts and all of them focused on only one hometown (which I want to believe is their father's hometown). Well, I have my father's hometown where I mainly come from and I've got a few stories to tell about that place but I got my mother's hometown to tell stories about too. Thanks to my dad's work that took him away years back, I got the chance to live in his hometown with my grandmother and cousins.
My life at dad's hometown wasn't as expected but I simply can't forget how things were done over there, so unique from what I had heard as stories from my dad and others who claimed they came from the place. Did you ask where my dad is from? My main hometown?
I am from the UK somewhere in Delta state, where the major people of the tribe, Urhobo dwell in. I know you'll be wondering what I mean by UK, it's just the short we use to refer to our hometown called "Uwheru Kingdom"
Every hometown have their similarities, so I've noticed from reading others entries so I chose not to go into our food, dressing or even their way of life except this one aspect I believe my hometown tops number one for.
Production of native groundnut
Yes, there are many hometowns that produce groundnut but have you tried the one from UK? I can bet that it will definitely be the first of a kind you've tasted ever and there's almost no one who taste that groundnut that doesn't like to have more (except of course, those allergic to groundnut because of pimples lol)
When I first visited my dad's hometown, it was the season of planting the groundnuts and grandmum had a large farm of just groundnut. It was not fun to plant but I honestly can't forget those times we walked far distance to go harvest them for eating and sales. I didn't complain about the distance like I did when we were planting, that's the extent of how much I enjoy eating the groundnut.
A shocker... It's more enjoyable when you eat it raw 😂 (or maybe it's just me)
There are other unique things about my dad's hometown but yes, the one kind groundnut from my hometown makes me more proud that I'm from there. No need to wonder, until you see how many other tribes and even other parts of Urhobo are queuing to buy and eat our groundnut 🙂
I could count the number of times I visited my dad's hometown but that isn't the case for my mum's hometown... I have a valid reason for this, my dad's mum is dead 🥲
So I have only my mum's mum who is my own grandmum now and that makes me frequent my second hometown OK (Orogun Kingdom 😅) Another Urhobo land with unique stories about it, some are really good fairytales but I am very sure those giving the story have proof they couldn't show when they told me about them.
No need going in details how amazing the people at my mum's hometown are compassionate, hardworking and full of life at night, I'm just going to share one unique thing I can never forget about this land even if I never visit there again.
They have a reptile that lives among them
I don't mean snake or crocodile though, it's an animal they call Iguana I'm choosing not to share a picture of it from free sites as they don't really look like the ones I've seen when I visit my hometown. But you can go check them out to know what to expect hehe.
I heard the traditionalists worship these animals because it was passed down from generations that they once saved the land by providing their backs to cross a huge river. Because of this, the people of the land are forbidden to harm or kill these animals anywhere they are seen. You needed to see how freaked out I was when I first saw it in our kitchen 😂
I've even seen some people sleep in the same house with them, they say it brings Goodluck. I simply couldn't get used to it like that, it was too hideous looking and the tongue they bring out is scary too lol. But then, it is what I find most unique about my hometown so I'm sharing it with you.
Image was designed with Canva