The Ghana Jollof and Nigerian Jollof Battle Is Back Again

If World War 3 is going to take place, it will be in the African continent between Nigeria and Ghana.

The world has nothing to fear, though, because it’s going to be a bloodless battle, and it’s going to be over who reigns supreme in the ownership of the best made Jollof rice.

As Senegalese chef Pierre Thiam, who owns Teranga restaurant in New York City, puts it, “I wish all wars were fought like the Jollof war. No killings! No blood.

“I also believe that there will never be a winner. Everyone thinks that their mother makes the best. I enjoy both the Nigerian and the Ghanaian and even the Sierra Leonean Jollof dishes, but in my humble opinion, nothing compares to the original one: Senegal Jollof.”

But no Nigerian or Ghanaian will admit that the Senegalese own is the best. After all, each side strongly believes there is only one winner in the battle of who makes the best Jollof, and neither side will admit to being number 2.

This battle is being reignited in the original Showmax series titled ‘Ghana Jollof’. However, it should not be mistaken for a literal food battle; rather a concoction of relatable stories spiced around the lives of some Nigerians and Ghanaians crisscrossing from Lagos to Accra.

The first mention of Jollof in the series was towards the end of episode 1 when two Nigerians, Jasper and Romanus, agreed to go to Ghana and “jollof”. Although this can best be interpreted as meaning going to Ghana to go and have fun, not many Nigerian viewers will agree that for understandable reasons.

If we are being symbolic, perhaps there is not much difference between Ghana and Nigerian Jollof based on the similarities between the two places and how they behave but again, neither of the two will agree as this will indicate the battle has ended in a draw.

In Ghana Jollof, however, there is a lot of intertwining between the Nigerian society and its Ghanaian counterpart in how people move from Accra to Lagos and vice versa. They are even able to seamlessly fit into the culture as though they have always lived there.

Despite this connection, either side will still always lay claim to supremacy. Like when Ghanaian Kweku tells his Nigerian friends, Jasper and Romanus, to be careful of how they drive on the street of Accra and not drive as though they are in Lagos.

They counter him saying anyone who knows how to drive in Lagos can go anywhere in the world. Similarly, when Effia meets Romanus for the second time after their first meeting in a nightclub, she recognises his Nigerianness due to his smooth talking. He responds by saying they represent anywhere they are.

The Nigerians however are open to trying Ghanaian food, especially the Ghana Jollof. Then there is also Effia introducing Romanus to varieties of Ghanaian food, making sure to point out that they have their own, which is different from the Nigerian own.

In all, Ghana Jollof has reignited the supremacy battle between Nigeria and Ghana over who makes the best Jollof rice and through humour and drama, the show offers a tantalising series worth all the hype.