What would Achebe have seen on the streets of Ibadan when he was a student at the university there? Nigerian women carry themselves with a confidence distinctive to West African women. The two-piece buba (blouse) and wrapper (skirt) ensemble is completed by a head tie skillfully tied atop the head and formed out of yards of matching fabric. This outfit is considered appropriate for daily wear. Women can select their choice of fabric and order the ensemble from local seamstresses working in village and urban markets. Within a couple of days, they can appear in a fresh, new outfit to carry out their work as business women, attorneys, government officials, teachers, and mothers.

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