Just whisper the word “Jollof” in West Africa and you could easily start a fiery feud of passion. That’s because determining which West African nation makes Jollof rice best is an ongoing matter of local pride and contention. Despite its ubiquity across the region, few foods have caused as much of a stir as Jollof rice.
Every West African country has at least one variation of Jollof rice and it both divides and unites the region. With its seductive aroma, deep red colour, and spicy flavour, Jollof rice is the undisputed queen of West African kitchens. It’s our beloved culinary treasure and a dish from our very heart and soul.
To put this cooking feud of pride to test, on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at the Rooftop Lounge of Boardroom Apartment, Lekki, Lagos, two leading West African countries- Nigeria and Ghana- were engaged in ‘’Jollof War’’ to determine which one of them cooked the best jollof rice.
The atmosphere was charged as guests from both Nigeria and Ghana including top management staff of VFD Group, Vbank and its subsidiaries, celebrities, etc. were present to cheer the contestants and witnessed a fiery feud of passion between the two leading West African countries.
The maiden event sponsored by VBank, Nigeria’s foremost digital bank and Banking App of the Year 2020, also brought together chefs and entrepreneurs in the food business to showcase their culinary skills and seek ways to grow their business.
Chef Hilda Effiong Bassey represented Nigeria while Chef Seyram Leslie Kumordzie represented Ghana respectively.
In the end, three judges out of a four-man panel of judges adjudged and crowned Chef Hilda Effiong Bassey of Team Nigeria winner. The delectable Hilda Effiong Bassey won the grand prize of $5,000 USD while Chef Seyram Leslie Kumordzie got N500,000 as consolation.
There is no doubt, her victory has shown that Nigeria Jollof rice is the undisputed queen of West African kitchens.
Speaking during a press parley earlier, Senior Product Manager, VBank, Ebere Ahaotu noted that the competition will afford everyone the opportunity to appreciate food or cooking as an art and to understand how different cultures prepared different types of foods, which in turn helps to build empathy for people in general.
‘’As you know, Vbank has consistently supported small businesses through a series of activities throughout the year, especially through our Grow with V webinar series and the current V series that we have for SMEs.
‘’In addition to our belief that this kind of competition allows us to appreciate cooking as an art form and for further appreciation of different cultures, we see it more as a way of impacting SMEs in the food business in Nigeria which is a major part of social and economic development.
‘’As an innovative brand, we are keen on economic empowerment, and it is our desire to see businesses go beyond profit-making to embed societal and environmental interests which would deliver long-term growth. ‘’
Apart from providing access to finance, VBank powered by VFD Microfinance Bank has been supporting entrepreneurs in the Small-Medium Scale Enterprise (SMEs) with its Grow With V series, a monthly webinar session that brings subject experts in different knowledge areas into the same virtual room with young individuals, professionals, and SMEs.
In the past, it has featured Noble Igwe, Mai Atafo, and popular Instagram store owner, Maureen Edwin. In this second half of the year, VBank is partnering with individuals and businesses to help grow their finances via a Personal Finance series which has kicked off with financial literacy expert, Tosin Olaseinde.