JOLLOF FACE OFF
The maiden edition of the ‘Jollof Faceoff’ competition recently took place on at The Rooftop by Ohuru HSE, Boardroom Apartments, in Lekki, and it was certainly one for the history books. According to Noble Igwe, the event coordinator,Jollof Faceoff seeks to celebrate the love Nigerians and Ghanaians have for Jollof Rice..
Without a doubt, Jollof Rice has become one of the most popular dishes in West Africa. The fierce rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria on who makes the better Jollof Rice has gone on for so long, with so much intensity, that it has garnered international recognition. Some say neither country should even lay claim to being the Jollof superstars because the dish originated from Senegal. The sister countries of Ghana and Nigeria however seem unfazed about the true origins of the dish, as they have owned it and given it its now iconic status.
This first of its kind competition, streamed Live on Youtube, was sponsored by VFD Microfinance Bank (VBank), Ohuru by HSE, AfriPay, Maggi and Cellar Central and featured two phenomenal cooks, one representing each country, who battled it out to determine whose Jollof reigns supreme. There was a blind tasting of their Jollof dishes by a panel of judges, Don Jazzy and Sisi Yemmie of Nigeria and Joyce Agu and Gilbert Aggrey of Ghana, and scores were awarded across several parameters like plating, taste & texture of the Jollof itself as well as taste of the accompanying protein and sides. After the judging was done and the scores collated, Hilda Effiong Bassey representing Nigeria emerged winner and walked away