What Saturday Feels Like in an African Home
Everyone knows that Saturday in an African home isn’t just another day. It’s a full-blown experience, it is one that smells like freshly mopped floors, sizzling oil, and the distant hum of highlife music or a radio program playing from someone’s radio next door.
Before 8 a.m., the entire house is awake. Not because anyone set an alarm, but because Mama’s voice has already done the job:
“Dele, Have you washed those clothes?”
“Amarachi, Did you sweep under the bed?”
“Chidi, Better finish before the sun comes out o!”
There’s a certain rhythm to it, the sound of laundry splashing in buckets, brooms brushing across tiled floors, the smell of Dettol mixed with lemon-scented disinfectant. The first half of the day belongs to chores. Everyone knows it. No arguments.
Then comes breakfast, the reward for the early morning chores
Hot akara balls crackling from the pan, moi moi unwrapped from its leaf, or maybe pap steaming in a bowl. Sometimes, it’s bread and eggs for the lazy ones. But one thing is sure: breakfast tastes better when you’ve “earned it” with morning chores.
By noon, the house sparkles, the music changes, and the real fun begins. Someone starts ironing aso ebi for an owanbe, another person is looking for their gele or polishing shoes. The smell of perfume and stew slowly replaces soap and detergent. There’s laughter, small gist, and the clinking of jewelry as everyone transforms from house cleaners to weekend stunners.
[Shop your breakfast essentials here before we go ahead]
Lets continue
Everyone knows that even if you’re not attending a party, you’ll still feel the vibe because the entire street is alive. Cars honking, vendors shouting, and music floating from one compound to another. Saturdays carry that magic and a blend of hard work, food, and celebration that feels like home no matter where you are in the world.
And for those abroad, it’s still there but just in smaller doses. Maybe you clean your tiny apartment, fry some akara from MamaJones’ store-bought beans flour, play Chief Ebenezer Obey, and call your family members. It’s not quite the same, but it’s close enough to feel like home.
Because no matter where you are, Saturday in an African home is never just Saturday but it’s a whole mood.
Feeling nostalgic?
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