Chef Judith Oluwafunmilola
THE JOLLOF debate war is over, as Nigeria has been declared the country with the best Jollof in West Africa after emerging victorious in a recently held jollof competition headlined by Onga Seasoning in Accra.
The 7th edition of the Onga Jollof Battle – West African edition brought together six countries, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Côte d’Ivoire, to settle the age-old question: Who cooks the best Jollof?
According to the judge, the Nigerian representative ticked all the boxes, hence emerging as the leaders in the competition. After 2 hours 30 minutes of live cook-offs, they excelled in areas such as taste, presentation, creativity and innovation, authenticity, technical skills, use of ingredients, connection to the country’s culinary heritage, and the narrative behind the dish, ingredients, or cooking process was on point.
Nigerian chef, Judith Oluwafunmilola, in an interview after competition stated that, “It feels absolutely incredible to bring the crown home! Jollof is more than food. It’s pride, identity, and culture.”
She received ₵50,000 out of a total cash prize pool of ₵90,000, along with bragging rights as the official Jollof Champion of West Africa.
The event was packed with excitement, featuring live cook-offs with three contestants from each country, jollof tasting zones for guests, and fun games and entertainment that kept the crowd buzzing.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke