Awka.
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Overview

Awka (Ọka) is the capital city of Anambra State, South East Nigeria. It is an important administrative and educational centre, with a significant student population due to institutions such as Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The city has experienced steady population growth in the 2020s.

Understand

Awka is one of the oldest settlements in Igboland, established at the centre of the Nri civilisation, which produced the earliest documented bronze works in Sub-Saharan Africa, around 800 AD, and was the cradle of Igbo civilisation.

The city was declared capital of Anambra State in 1991 when the state was created. It hosts two primary universities, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (owned by the Federal government) and Paul University (run by the Anglican church).

The town lies at about 40 km east of the Niger from Onitsha and shares boundaries with Nibo, Amawbia, Isiagu, Okpuno and Amansea. It stretches from about km 40 North of Onitsha/Enugu road to about km 50 towards the South on the same road and as one travels along the Onitsha/Enugu road, one observes Amansea town and the village of Umuokpu which is a part of Awka. A distance about 20 km mark the beginning and the end of the area from Achalla to Nise starting at the boundary with Agulu in Aniocha local government area, the town stretches over a distance of about 26 km.

The city is about 200 km (125 miles) by road directly north of Port Harcourt. A network of roads connects Awka with Onitsha, Enugu, and Ihiala. Awka is located midway between two major cities in Northern Igboland such as Onitsha and Enugu state.

Awka, like most towns in Nigeria, is in the rain forest region with two seasonal climatic conditions: the rainy season and the dry season with short spell of harmattan. The dry/Harmattan season start from December to April while the rainy season starts from May to November.. The land is quite fertile and agricultural products like cassava, yam, grains, fruits and vegetables are harvested for local consumption.

Get in

By plane Visitors wishing to access Awka by air have to make use of the nearest airport to Awka which is Chinua Achebe International Cargo Airport situated at Umueri in Ayamelu Local Government area of Anambra State (IATA: ABB, ICAO: DNAS). The airport handles domestic services connecting the city to Nigeria's major metropolitan centres. The distance from Chinua Achebe International Cargo Airport to Awka is 28.5 km which is 36 minutes by road.

By bus Many transport companies offer daily services from almost all major cities and states around the country as well as international destinations in West Africa into Awka. Some of the transport companies in Awka are:

Get around

Like most cities in Nigeria, transportation in Awka is based primarily on motorcycle, tricycle, bus, taxis or private car.

See

Ogbunike caves. The Ogbunike caves are a system of many caves linked together by small, tunnels and passages. It consists of a massive structure with a big open chamber of about 5 m high, 10 m wide and 30 m long at the entrance. There are ten tunnels at the main chamber leading in different directions. Within the tunnels are big chambers and other tunnels of varying lengths, some of which are interconnected. The caves are occupied by a large colony of bats of various sizes. There are streams and body of water at various places. A stream flows out from one of the tunnels into a rapid flowing river (River Nkissa). At the meeting point of the river and the stream one can feel the warm water from the caves and the cold river water. Beside this portion of the river is a tableland of about 5 x 5 m squarec used as a relaxation spot by visitors to the caves. The caves' immediate environment, which is up to about 200-m radius, is a thick tropical rainforest type of vegetation. The site has sufficient boundaries (20 hectares) to protect its values from the direct effects of human encroachment.

Professor Kenneth Dike State Central E-Library. A library that provides educational books, materials, computer-based training, online courses, academic journals, research databases and open encyclopedias for the public.

Do

The people of Awka perform many festivals annually. The period of each festival is determined by counting the appearance of the moon so that each native month has its own festivals. Festivals in Awka involve diverse cultural activities which portray the glamour of the city’s indigenous way of life. These festivals are a unifying force which binds the people of Awka together. These festivals are occasions for merriment and seasoned with a purpose attached to different aspects of a city’s life. It is usually a period of rest from strenuous daily activities, giving people quality leisure time to consume all the entertaining cultural aesthetics of the event. Through ages, Awka traditional festivals with their associated cultural display have sustained cultural uniformity amongst Awka people and neighbouring towns.

The Uzo-iyi Festival comes up annually and it is a show of the rich cultural festival of the Igbo with the unique attributes of the people of Umuoji. This age long festival was aimed at appreciating God for the bumper harvest of the previous year as well as soliciting for his blessing as another farming season sets in. During the festival, the masquerades mainly consist of animal masquerades drawn from the twenty three villages that made up Awka. This festival always drew multitudes of people from different states and Awka at large. Ika Agba Festival is one of the top cultural festivals in Nigeria. It is usually being celebrated between May and June every year in Awka. During this festiva, indigenes of Awka visit Umokpu village in a long walk. Umuokpu, is one of the 33 villages that made up Awka. Imo Awka Festival is the most popular and most important festival in Awka. This festival marks the beginning of the planting season. It generally occurs around May and lasts for 28 days. It is a masquerade festival during which the youth with their colourful masquerades roam the streets exhibiting youthful exuberance. On the other hand, the aged sit by, recalling their feast in their youthful days on such occasions. The grand finale is the day all the participants, young and old and the masquerades converge at the Nkwo Imo Awka shrine where the high priest performs some rituals and prays that God gives them favourable weather during the farming season. He also prays for the good health of every Awka man and woman during the year. Otite Festival is popularly known as the Onwa Asa Festival. It marks the end of the year and it is a festival that expects that every Awka man abroad must come home. It involves feasting and highlights that every capable man kills a fowl or a goat for his father. kwu Na Ije Festival is an ancient festival marking the end and the beginning of the blacksmithing year. During the festival, the blacksmiths thanked God for guiding them through the year in foreign lands and begged Him to help them in their business during the New Year.

Buy

First Market, Ifite. A produce market.

Awka like most Nigerian cities is defined by large rudimentary informal markets where everything from basic food produce to clothes, cosmetics and household items are being sold. The largest market in Awka is Eke Awka Main Market named after one of the four market days in Igboland. This market is on Nnamdi Azikiwe Avenue Awka. It houses an estimated 5,000 lock-up shops and stalls all tightly packed into less than 35,000 m² of space and has become infamous for causing tremendous traffic chaos with a medley of shoppers, buses, wheel barrows all jostling for the limited amount of space available.

It is a central market at the heart of Awka Town. It is a centre of different activities ranging from food items to hair care products, fabric, pipes, upholstery, kitchen utensils among many others.

The second largest market in Awka is Nkwo Amaenyi located further down on the busy Zik Avenue business district artery. It is far smaller than Eke Awka with less than 100 market stalls in an area estimated at around 3,000 m². Food items and other items are being sold in this market.

Supermarkets In addition to older informal markets in Awka, there are several beautiful supermarkets that have sprung up around the City to cater to customers seeking modern shopping conveniences. These supermarkets offer a wide range of products ranging from food items to provisions, beauty care items, furniture, wines, drinks, hotel stock, frozen foods, biscuits, perfumes, toiletries among many other things.

Intercity Supermarket. It is a very big shopping mall comprising of supermarket section and furniture collections, they offer sales of household items, office furniture, schools and hospital furniture.

Ebony Classics Supermarket. a super store in Awka for sales of cosmetics and beauty care products.

K.C. Rose Exclusive Supermarket. A supermarket center in Awka for sales of wines, foreign bags of rice and beverages.

MRS Supermarket. It is a convenient superstore for shopping wide range of everyday needs such as provisions, frozen foods, grocery, and beauty care products.

Signet Supermarket. It is a convenient shopping store that offers sales of everyday needs such as provisions, beauty care items, personal care, wines, and drinks.

Joycee Supermarket. It provides shopping services on frozen foods, wines, beverages, baby foods, biscuits, chocolates, cosmetics, perfumes, toiletries, households, food seasoning, cooking oil, gift items and toys.

Rapet Supermarket. It is a convenient shopping store that offers sales of everyday needs such as provisions, beauty care items, personal care, wines, and drinks.

Radopin Supermarket. Offers same-day delivery

Roban Stores. It's one of the best shopping mall in awka where you can get your basic needs, from food, clothes and others.

Stanel Mart. Stanel Mart located in Stanel World which is along Enugu/Onitsha Expressway is a one stop shopping mart where organic farm produce could be bought.

Eat

There are one stop restaurants at Awka available for visitors and travellers to stop by and have a sumptuous meal. Prominent among these restaurants include:

Five Star Food and Restaurant. Dine in. Take away. African dishes. Continental dishes. Assorted meat. Assorted fish pastry. Cake. Bread. Ice cream. Drinks. Natural juice. Shawarma. Food tray services and No contact Delivery.

Okwitex Restaurant and Kitchen. Dine in, take away, delivery.

Supreme Taste Fries And Restaurant. This spot offers dine-in, take away and delivery services.

Diamond pizza. Dine in, take away. Chicken Shawarma. Snacks. pizza. Food. Drinks and delivery services.

Fro Resto. Western food. Dine in, take away, delivery.

Fastchow Africana & Continental. Located within Stanel Group, Enugu/Onitsha Expressway, it offers African and continental dishes.

Stanel Bakery. Supplies fresh bread and pastry to walk-in customers and also delivers within Awka and it's environs.

Drink

There are nice joints and bars in Awka where visitors can go and enjoy themselves.

Ofiaku Bar. The bar offers dine-in, take-away as well as delivery services.

Nwoke Udi Palm Wine Bar. Has outdoor seating · Serves great cocktails · Has live music

Ibiza. Has outdoor seating · Serves great cocktails · Has live music

Sleep

Marble Arch Hotels Limited. A well-known hotel with about 100 elegant and warmly furnished rooms, well spacious and serene environment, swimming pool.

De GeoGold Hotel & Suites. The hotel has a warmly furnished rooms, well spacious and serene environment, swimming pool.

Cosmila Suites & Hotels. They provide all the comfort, convenience and efficiency to the discerning traveler.

Finotel Classique Hotel. They provide finest rooms with excellent service and royal treat to clients, it also has restaurants and bars facilities for travelers.

Grove Park Hotels & Suites. They provide comfortable accommodation and the best hospitality of its kind in a serene atmosphere.

Pearl Suites. The hotel is a serene destination for that perfect rest and an eventful stay in the capital city of Awka, Anambra State.

Bon Hotel Smith City Awka. Off the A232 road, this unpretentious hotel is 9 km from Awka Wonderland, an amusement park, and 18 km from Ogbunike Cave. It's 28 km from the Igboukwu Museum. The understated rooms and suites offer TVs, air conditioning and balconies. Some have sitting areas. Amenities consist of 2 bars, a restaurant and a conference hall, plus meeting space, an exercise room and an outdoor pool. Breakfast, parking and Wi-Fi are available.

Wintess Garden Hotel and Suites Ifite. The hotel is located in a serene environment with easy access from the main road. It has an outdoor swimming pool, children pool, free WiFi in public places, 24-hour fitness centre, 24-hour business center and meeting room. The restaurant in the hotel serves daily complimentary continental breakfast. It also has Deluxe, Executive and Presidential rooms with 24-hour room service.