Jalingo in the Heat: Drumming Through Taraba's Wild Side
the moment i rolled into jalingo, taraba state, i could feel the humidity wrap around me like a sweaty scarf. temp's sitting at 25.89°c but feels like 26.73°c-basically, it's that sticky heat that makes you question every clothing choice. humidity's at 84%, so yeah, bring extra shirts if you're planning to wander around with your drum kit like i did.
i'm a touring session drummer, so my first stop was the local music scene. word on the street (literally, i overheard this at a roadside suya spot) is that the best live gigs happen at the weekend markets near the central mosque. someone told me that the drum circles there are legendary-like, "you'll lose track of time" legendary. i didn't believe it until i got caught up in one and suddenly it was 2am and i was still playing.
if you get bored, yola and maiduguri are just a short drive away-though honestly, jalingo's got enough chaos to keep you busy. the roads are a mess, the power flickers like it's playing hide-and-seek, but the people? pure gold. i met a guy who swore the best jollof in town is at a place called "mama's pot" on hamidu belli way. no website, no signboard, just follow your nose and the sound of sizzling onions.
here's the thing about jalingo: it's not polished, it's not "vibrant" (ugh, hate that word), it's just real. the kind of place where you haggle for water, sweat through your shirt by noon, and end up drumming with strangers until the sun goes down. if you're into that kind of messy, beautiful chaos, you'll fit right in.
oh, and before i forget-check this out:
i just checked and it's still that humid heat there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.
if you're hunting for more local tips, check out TripAdvisor's Jalingo guide or ask around at the central market-locals know best. and seriously, don't skip the suya. just trust me on that one.
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