The headline is not meant to be fighting words. But a call for a celebration because Jollof Fest is coming to a city near you. It’s a day fest where you can stuff your face with the world-famous dish hailing from West Africa.
“Jollof rice is a one-pot rice dish native to many countries in West Africa,” a statement reads on the website. “Some consider it the predecessor to the Cajun dish Jambalaya.”
Even though we did say that Jollof Fest isn’t meant to be fighting words, those representing Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone will have to bring their A-Game. There can only be one winner, according to organizers. DC & LA will host the festival in June; in July in Oakland and Atlanta; August will be a stopover in Minneapolis, Chicago, and North Carolina, ending in September in Houston.
“I got tired of the sort of war of words around who made the best Jollof rice,” fest founder Ishmael Osekre tells Travel Noire. “I thought why don’t we just settle this thing? Why don’t we bring everyone together in a very neutral atmosphere for a blind tasting to settle the debate.”