Les bouis-bouis : Inevitable appeals of night owls

Their markets usually come alive at night. They storm the cobbled streets or certain crossroads of Cotonou and other cities of Benin. They, they are the good ladies selling food. Their common point, fast and cheap food.

If some start by exposing their displays between dogs and wolves, others point straight out, a bit later, around 10 p.m.. Their targets ; night workers such as dockers and zémidjans. A Xwlacodji, not far from the lighthouse of the Autonomous Port of Cotonou, it moves around a food vendor. Rice, corn dough or télibo (yam chip) steaming accompanied by all kinds of local soups are served to customers. They can rinse the slab with lemon or pineapple juice. A tour of Saint Rita, non loin de Ciné Okpè Oluwa, customers line up to buy food. Henry is a loyal follower of late-night fast food outlets. " Me, I work nights until 5 a.m. or even 6 a.m.. After driving all night, the stomach rings hollow and as I cannot go home because when I get home it will be difficult for me to go out so eating out becomes a necessity. The good ladies help us a lot, the zemidjans. It's like a second home that I adopted, "he says..

From Akpakpa et Agla passing through Jonquet, night owls know the good spots, ces bons coins. There is something for every taste. Motorcycle taxi drivers and handlers are not the only ones who frequent these corners. Their customers are also people who come from their homes with bags or bowls. "I'm tired of preparing but hunger knows no fatigue. I will do how ? So once in a while, like today, I use this saleswoman to get out of it » advances with a slight smile, Dame Giselle, thirties. Achille, computer scientist, lives alone rented. For him, good ladies are essential “You know how we work, those of us who are in programming and IT in general. We often have our head in the computer. For the little time I have if I have to start preparing food just for myself, I will not be able to. That is why, I prefer to eat quickly and well done outside. More, the food is always hot even at 02 hours of the morning for the corner that I frequent in any case” delivers the young bachelor between two bites of chicken fries accompanied by well flavored rice.

For this other young man met elsewhere in a less chic corner, it's a matter of wallet "I don't have enough money to cook myself every evening so I manage with the èba saleswoman (Piron in language) » Agossou report, apprentice mason. Like him, there are many of these bohemian low-income earners who resort to the good ladies who sell food at night. If some can pay up to 2.500 FCFA to treat yourself to a dish of rice or fries, others only need 300 f you 500 francs are enough for them to fill their stomachs.

Arnaud ACAKPO (Coll)