The food explorers of Nigeria

‘A man who calls his kinsmen to feast does not do so to save them from starving…We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.’ — Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart

Food is part of speech, life and well-being in Nigeria. Proverbs that reference food to describe facets of life — like the one from Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart — are as varied as the foods that abound in this West African nation. Like the musicians — Davido, Wizkid, Tiwa Savage, Simi, Flavour, Burnaboy, et al — who have breathed a fresh whiff into Afro-beats that is consuming dance floors across Africa, a wave of chefs are giving new meaning to ‘eating Nigerian’. They prepare healthy and nutritious meals using locally grown ingredients and they engage with audiences on social media, at food summits and even at cuisine schools. This October, as governments and international agencies discuss the importance of healthy diets in achieving a world without hunger, we meet four of these food explorers to discuss their love for Nigerian cuisine, how to use local foods for better diets and more.

Ozoz Sokoh: The kitchen butterfly

“I am a Food Explorer. I enjoy researching about food. Nigeria has a wide variety of foods, vegetables and ingredients. I believe that everyone should know all the foods and vegetables in Nigeria — and how to use them to create healthy diets. I explore the benefits of the rich ingredients across various Nigerian cultures.”

“I am a geologist. Until last year, I worked for a major multinational oil corporation in Nigeria — with a very good salary and attractive perks and benefits. But I found I was not fulfilled. My life was empty. So I quit to pursue my passion in food and healthy diets. I learnt how to cook from my father. He cooked with passion. I infuse locally-grown ingredients in my dishes — like my yam and pumpkin pottage with fresh garden eggs, dry fish, sweet corn, ube & African yam beans”.

“My goal is to educate Nigerians about the large diversity of food in the country and raise consciousness about healthy foods. I am also very interested in preserving the green environment through the reduction of food waste. The Nigerian government should initiate agricultural policy changes to improve harvests and reduce post-harvest losses, so the country will not continue to rely on imported foods”.

Chef Stone: The Influencer

I became passionate about food when I had to survive as a student. I was in the UK for 9 years when I realized I had to make money. The only way to make money without spending money on food was to wait tables. As a waiter, you were guaranteed at least one course meal. In the process of waiting tables, I met a chef whose lifestyle I admired. He had a fast car and he was always surrounded by beautiful women.

I said to myself, this is the life I want to live. And this is how I got into cooking. I trained under him and then I decided to move back to Nigeria.

“When I moved back to Nigeria, I realized that Nigerian chefs were undervalued and under-paid. I wanted to change that. So, I started my culinary school. The first of its kind in Nigeria. My goal is to train the best Nigerian chefs who can prepare any type of dish and are not limited to preparing Nigerian meals. But also preparing foods that other nationals can sit, eat, and enjoy.”

While I was growing up, there was a food timetable in my household. Beans was prepared on Mondays and Wednesdays. I hated beans. It was watery and not visually appealing. When I became a chef, I did not want to eliminate an ingredient that other people would enjoy because I did not like it. I felt that limited me as a chef and possibly, could limit the chefs I was teaching. So, I decided to find different ways to prepare beans that I would enjoy, and others would enjoy as well.

Iquo Ukoh: The Dietitian

“I am a nutrition dietitian by training. I retired four years ago as a director from a large multinational food and beverages company after working nearly 30 years. But I am still very passionate about food and healthy eating. My work exposed me to different foods across Nigeria. I often interacted with female food vendors to understand about food and to teach them about healthy food.

I want to tour Nigeria to learn more about Nigerian foods because I know how blessed Nigeria is. I strive to raise the consciousness of Nigerians, especially working moms, about how to cook good, nutritious, inexpensive meals for their families.”

“I approach food from the perspective of a working mom who wants to prepare meals where the ingredients are easily accessible at affordable prices. I know that Nigerian mothers juggle multiple tasks and cooking is one of them. I want Nigerian mothers to be excited about food and understand the nutritional benefits of the meals they prepare for their households. I have a vegetable garden and I encourage all Nigerian working women to do the same.”

“I would like to write a book on Nigerian recipes, new and old, especially lost recipes. I know how much food knowledge we have lost because of time. Time prevents women from engaging in time-consuming food preparations. As a result, a lot of generational food knowledge has been lost. Accessibility to markets, affordability of foods/ingredients, and convenience of preparing the meals are what guide me. As an influencer, I use my social media platforms to educate Nigerians about healthy diets.”

Chef Fregz: The Private Chef

“I am a Private Chef, passionate about food and life. My aunt influenced me to become a chef. I am from Edo State (South-South), but I spent most of my school holidays in Lagos (South West). In Lagos, I became passionate about food because my aunt made an occasion of cooking. The passion she showed while cooking made me even more passionate about food and cooking — and I decided to be a chef.

My mum didn’t want me to be a chef, because cooking in Nigeria is usually reserved for women. She thought I would find it difficult to settle down. But today I am happily married.Although I obtained a degree in HR (human resources), I knew that the formal work environment was not for me. Cooking was my calling. In my cooking, I fuse the traditions of the different regions to produce a rich blend of Nigerian dishes.”

“Nigeria has a large variety of foods and vegetables which can be blended creatively to provide healthy meals. There are traditional ways of cooking many Nigerian dishes — and modern ways as well. My vision is to modernize Nigerian dishes by providing a fusion of traditional and modern tastes in a rich blend of innovative dishes.

An example of my blend of traditional and modern tastes is my ‘deconstructed egusi soup’, prepared with ugba, palm oil, blended dried fish and grilled chicken, served with tuwo shinkafa.”

Interviews and writing by Chi Lael, Nesochi Chiwunba, Kelechi Onyemaobi and George Fominyen. Photography by Neec Nonso