Okigwe
Okigwe is city in Imo State in South East Nigeria. It is the third largest city, after Owerri and Orlu, in Imo state. Okigwe is on the Port Harcourt-Enugu-Maiduguri rail line.
Understand
Most of the population of Okigwe is made up of immigrant workers from other states. Okigwe city was the primary host site of the old Imo State University (now Abia State University).
Okigwe's soil is predominantly partly red clay and black or dark brown. The major crops grown in the district on its hilly farmlands are palm trees (palm oil and palm wine), cassava, and vegetables.
Get in
By plane
Travelers who wish to come into Okigwe by air have to make use of the closest airport to Okigwe which is Sam Mbakwe Cargo International Airport (Owerri Airport), located in Ngokpala Imo State, which is fifty minutes' to one hour's drive from Okigwe. Airlines that service Sam Mbakwe Cargo International Airport are Overland Airways and Arik Air. There are airport taxi and buses readily available to transport people from the Airport to Okigwe.
By bus
Travelers that want to come to Okigwe by bus should feel free because there are so many reliable bus transport companies that come to Okigwe from other cities and states. The average cost of travelling to Okigwe by bus from the South-South and South-East is ₦1,000 while the average cost of travelling to Okigwe from the other parts of Nigeria is ₦5,000. Reliable transport companies such as Imo Transort Company (ITC), Abia line, God is Good Motors, Peace Mass Transit, the Young Shall Grow among many others transport companies are readily available to convey people from different parts of the country to Okigwe.
Imo Transport Corporation (ITC), Plot 16-28, MCC Uratta Road, Owerri, ☏ +234 803 702 7462. Daily 6AM-7PM. Imo State Transport Company is a transportation service center that offers staff bus shuttle, and local tours within and outside Imo State. ₦900-10,000.
Get around
Transportation in Okigwe is different from what you might see in most major cities in Nigeria. Okigwe doesn’t have a very smooth and good road network but there has been great improvement in that area in the past one year. Visitors that enter into Okigwe by road through any of the transport companies should take a ride around the city through the popular Okigwe junction. This can be a little stressful as the only means of transportation within the city is via the commercial bus, tricycle popularly known as keke or motorbike. Most transport enters and leaves the city of Okigwe through Park.
See
- 1 Okigwe Township Stadium, Urban I.
Do
Ikeji festival is one of the most significant festivals in Okigwe, Imo State, with Ikeji literally meaning strength or power of the yam. Ikeji festival is a thanksgiving and merriment festival that is being celebrated annually in September and is a festival done in thanksgiving to the gods for a good harvest.
Buy
In okigwe, there are local markets and supermarkets where visitors can go and purchase everything they need.
Markets
- 1 Eke Okigwe Market, Eke Okigwe Road (along the road that leads to Afikpo and Uturu). Daily 7AM – 6PM. A very big market where can buy food stuff, farm produce, groceries, kitchen utensils, household wares, beauty products and lots more. Formally, Eke Okigwe market was a weekly market that occurs every Eke day in Igbo calendar but as the population and expansion of Okigwe increased, the market becomes a daily market. The market is easily accessible and it is open to the general public.
Supermarkets
- 2 Joebest Wine Shop, Shop No. 3, Citadel Empowerment Church (By the right, long Okigwe-Abaomege Road, Before, Okigwe Roundabout), ☏ +234 803 362 0834. Daily 7AM-7PM. It sells wine, beers, malts, soft drinks, beverages and other items in wholesale and retail. ₦2,000.
Eat
Okigwe has beautiful restaurants that satisfy tourists with delicious dishes at a pocket friendly rate.
- 1 6 To 6 Restaurant. Daily 6AM-6PM. It has local and continental mouthwatering dishes.
- 2 Sucre'z Place, ☏ +234 708 528 7090. M-Sa 8AM-8PM. ₦600.
- 3 Foodiest, ☏ +234 810 262 2628. Daily 8AM-10:30PM. Foodiest deals on local and continental cuisines.
- 4 Kastle Food Zone, RCG2+F63, 441103, Okigwe, ☏ +234 813 899 7012. 8AM-10PM. They offer solid and fast food meals like jollof rice, white rice and stew, porridge yam, beans and potatoes, coconut rice, African rice, egusi, Asun, Nkwobi, goat meat, nsala, ọkazi, vegetables soup, ofe okporoko, ìsi ewu, and many more Igbo meals. They have dine in and take away packs for customers.
- Chinonso Restaurant, Delivery Bende Street, 470103, Okigwe, ☏ +234 703 837 0613. 8AM-10PM. They offer solid and fast food meals like jollof rice, white rice and stew, porridge yam, beans and potatoes, coconut rice, African rice, egusi, Asun,Nkwobi,goat meat, nsala, ọkazi, vegetables soup, ofe okporoko, ìsi ewu, and many more Igbo meals. They have dine in and take away packs for customers and also they do delivery service.
- Urubest Restaurant, Okigwe-Enugu Road, ☏ +234 803 368 9182. 8AM-5PM Monday to Friday. Their meals include jollof rice,yellow rice, fried coconut rice, white rice and plantain, spaghetti, boiled yam, egg dish, beans and bread; their meals are pocket friendly.
Service options:Dine in take away. ₦200. - Onyi Restaurant, 03, Umuokwara. They offer solid and fast food meals like jollof rice, white rice and stew, porridge yam, beans and potatoes, coconut rice, African rice, egusi, Asun,Nkwobi,goat meat, nsala, ọkazi, vegetables soup, ofe okporoko, ìsi ewu, and many more Igbo meals. They have dine in and take away packs for customers.
- Maddox Cafeteria, 53, Okigwe. 8AM-10PM. They offer Pounded Yam, amala, jollof rice fried rice, potatoes chips, egg rolls, barbecue sauce, chicken barbecue, doughnut, chocolate cake, catfish barbecue, Shawarma, bushmeat soup, point and kill, small chops,continental dishes like spaghetti salad, chicken and cheese, salad,chicken salad, fried fish and chips, pizza, coconut rice, jollof rice, meat and fried, plantain omelettes, and dessert. Their meals are pocket friendly. Their service includes dine in, take away packs and delivery service.
- Mary K Restaurant And Bar, Shop 19,Mopo Base, Okigwe-Enugu, ☏ +234 806 834 5972. 9AM-5PM. They offer solid and fast food meals like jollof rice, white rice and stew, porridge yam, beans and potatoes, coconut rice, African rice, egusi, Asun, Nkwobi, goat meat, nsala, ọkazi, vegetables soup, ofe okporoko, ìsi ewu, and many more Igbo meals. They have dine in and take away packs for customers.
Drink
- 1 De Arena Okigwe, Owerri Road, adjacent First Bank, Okigwe (from Owerri Road enter a motorbike and drop beside First Bank), ☏ +234 703 684 8827. Daily 8AM-11PM. Deals on beers, wines, hot drinks, pepper soup, ugba and nkobi. ₦500.
- 2 Rookies Bar, Rev. Manii Street, ☏ +234 806 338 0998. Daily 24 hours. Assorted drinks and ugba.
- 3 Maddox Cafeteria, Okigwe. Daily 8AM-10PM.
Sleep
- 1 Laommies Suites, No. 25 Ogbonnaya street, Umuchime, Okigwe, Okigwe, Imo, ☏ +234 802 286 8230. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. A nice swimming pool, an on-site restaurant, outdoor lounge, gym, rooftop terrace, air conditioned rooms, free Wi-Fi access, flat screen TV, mini bar, tea & coffee making facilities and lots more.
- 2 Monobis Hotels Ltd, Off New Umuchima layout, ☏ +234 809 114 0108. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: noon. Restaurant, bar/lounge, laundry services, 24-hr electricity, adequate security, breakfast, airport transportation, adequate parking space. ₦7,000 per night.
Stay safe
Okigwe is a relatively peaceful place that guarantees a swashbuckling stay for tourists and visitors. Visitors moving around in Okigwe should endeavour to sanitize their hands and wear nose masks to avoid being infected with COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. The region has also reportedly been under siege by the army and constant attacks by "unknown gunmen". It is advisable to be careful and not to stay out late.
Connect
The networks in certain parts of Okigwe can be very erratic most times, more especially when it rains or there is a change in weather. On certain days you cannot make a phone call at all or you will not be able to recharge your phone for most of the day, and this makes business very difficult most times. However, this situation is occasional and that is all the more reason why it is advisable to make sure you come with at least two phones or a phone that has a dual SIM port if you want to stay for a long term in Okigwe.