Nigerian Jollof is known worldwide as one of the best dishes to ever exist. However, has anyone ever thought about how it came to be? We (at Fusion) caught up with Jollof (Smoky and Freshly Cooked) and it gave us all the deets about its birth and rise to fame.
It all started long ago, as far back as the 14th Century, before Nigerians and Ghanaians waged war on Twitter over my love and even before the name Africa was ever conjured. My story starts right in the heart of the grassy plains of “Senegambia.” An area which has come to be occupied by present-day Senegal, Gambia and Mauritania.
The entire region was ruled by the Wolof Empire. The Wolof were known for growing grains – rice, corn, barley and millet. When the first set of Portuguese traders arrived by the Senegal River, they traded tomatoes for rice with the locals. This planted the seed for what you now know as my incredible self, Jollof.
Amazingly, my existence happened as an accident — a truly divine moment if you ask me. Pendu Mbaye*, a cook near the river, ran out of barley and went on to throw in rice with tomatoes and other spices and came out with a dish which was named Thieboudienne (what you call Senegalese Jollof and whom I call my father)
The food was so good that it became a staple. My father was replicated everywhere along the banks of the Senegal river like he was the best thing since sliced bread (he was), until a rich trader who goes by the name of Wakur Wakur*, was due to travel to the coastal regions of Nigeria via Burkina Faso and Cotonou.
He took a maid, Buki*, with him to travel across the region. She cooked his food and catered to all his needs.
When they reached the place you now call Nigeria, Wakur Wakur met with his customers and invited them to a feast of Thieboudienne and wild game (aka bushmeat).
His guests tasted the food, ate it all and asked for another plate. Some of them were so intrigued by the taste of it that they asked him to share the secret. What made it taste so good?
In case you don’t realise, they meant me — what made me taste so good?
Unfortunately, like most men in the 15th century, Wakur didn’t know anything about the kitchen or what made the dish what it was. That was when he introduced them to Buki.
Every evening, the men would come with their wives before the cooking started. Their wives would join Buki, learning in the kitchen, while they discussed the white men over local alcohol.
It didn’t take any time before the women understood and perfected the recipe.
From the ashes of their firewood and the heat of their clay pots, I rose, named after the people who discovered my father with a tweak of one of the Nigerian tongues, Jollof.
However, rice was expensive as it only came from the Northern part of the country, so I was only made during festivities, based on VIP. Over time, with the rise of Christianity, that translated to Sundays. That’s why you all love Sunday Jollof.
As I grew in popularity, my taste kept getting better. The Nigerians perfected me. They stripped my father of whatever taste limitations he had and made me their own.
I became more than rice cooked in a tomato base. I became a celebrity. There was butter, there were different types of pepper. There was ginger. I became a movement.
The country accepted me as a national dish, no matter where or how I was made and as with any populist movement, copycats were born. Fortunately, I am grateful, I choose to call them my siblings.
- Concoction Jollof – Made for/by struggling masses and students who can barely afford fresh tomatoes and use tomato paste and whatever spices they can lay their hands on.
- Sunday Jollof – The most regular of joes. An unfortunate victim of see finish and overfamiliarity. We were made for kings and emperors, meant to be craved after, not eaten every week.
- Party/Smoky Jollof – This is me. The elite sibling and the reigning king of the jollof movement. A trailblazer made with a bit of smoke and firewood to give me a certain hmmmph.
- Asun/Suya Jollof – The face of successful innovation. Armed with a full artillery of goat/cow meat, this sibling has obviously come to stay. I have accepted, but will not forfeit my crown.
- Ghanaian Jollof – A proper nuisance and scam, made with everything but the good stuff and keeps struggling for recognition that might never come.
I have brought every sibling together, and we have agreed to exist in peace and unity because no matter the kind of jollof you are, Nigerians will still eat you.
You can clearly see the smiles of adults and kids alike when I am set in front of them, accompanied by tasty chicken or beef. I mean, who can blame them? It’s not easy to taste this good. I totally understand and that’s why I am their national food. They will go to war for me and they will win, because Nigerian jollof is supreme.
If you really enjoyed this small piece of history and you want more of this, join the Food and Drinks community on Fusion to get delicious food stories, find other food lovers like yourself and win multiple food-related prizes.
679 Responses
п»їActually, I discovered an interesting resource regarding Indian Pharmacy exports. The site discusses WHO-GMP protocols on prescriptions. In case you need factory prices, go here: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Hope it helps.
п»їTo be honest, I stumbled upon a great page concerning ordering meds from India. It covers WHO-GMP protocols when buying antibiotics. If anyone wants cheaper alternatives, go here: п»їvisit. Cheers.
Heads up, a helpful article on buying meds safely. It breaks down the best shipping methods for antibiotics. Full info: п»їpolkcity.us.com.
FYI, an official analysis on FDA equivalent standards. It breaks down how to avoid scams for generics. You can read it here: п»їmexican medicine.
п»їRecently, I found an interesting resource concerning cheap Indian generics. It covers how to save money for ED medication. If anyone wants reliable shipping to USA, take a look: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# indian pharmacies safe. Cheers.
п»їActually, I discovered a helpful report concerning generic pills from India. It details CDSCO regulations for generic meds. In case you need cheaper alternatives, check this out: п»їtop online pharmacy india. Good info.
п»їRecently, I found a helpful report about cheap Indian generics. It explains the manufacturing standards for generic meds. For those interested in cheaper alternatives, check this out: п»їofficial site. Might be useful.
п»їTo be honest, I discovered an interesting guide about safe pharmacy shipping. It details FDA equivalents for ED medication. If anyone wants cheaper alternatives, read this: п»їhttps://polkcity.us.com/# mexican pharmacy online. Hope it helps.
п»їLately, I found a helpful guide regarding buying affordable antibiotics. It covers WHO-GMP protocols on prescriptions. If you are looking for factory prices, check this out: п»їgo. Worth a read.
If you want to save on pharmacy costs, I recommend checking this resource. The site explains trusted Mexican pharmacies. Good deals at this link: п»їUpstate Medical.
п»їJust now, I discovered an interesting article regarding Indian Pharmacy exports. It explains CDSCO regulations for ED medication. For those interested in factory prices, visit this link: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# top online pharmacy india. Cheers.
Does anyone know getting antibiotics without prescription. I ran into a decent site that reviews safe places: п»їpolkcity.us.com. Seems useful..
п»їTo be honest, I came across a useful guide regarding cheap Indian generics. It covers the manufacturing standards when buying antibiotics. If you are looking for factory prices, take a look: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# best india pharmacy. Good info.
п»їJust now, I came across an interesting report regarding buying affordable antibiotics. It covers CDSCO regulations on prescriptions. If you are looking for factory prices, take a look: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Might be useful.
I was wondering about getting antibiotics without prescription. I saw a verified site that compares affordable options: п»їhttps://polkcity.us.com/# mexican pharmacies that ship to us. Looks legit.
п»їTo be honest, I came across a great guide regarding buying affordable antibiotics. It covers WHO-GMP protocols on prescriptions. In case you need Trusted Indian sources, check this out: п»їofficial site. Cheers.
To save big on pills, you should try visiting this report. It reveals prices for generics. Discounted options found here: п»їUpstate Medical.
п»їRecently, I found a great guide concerning Indian Pharmacy exports. The site discusses CDSCO regulations for ED medication. For those interested in Trusted Indian sources, visit this link: п»їindia pharmacy mail order. Hope it helps.
Just wanted to share, a helpful analysis on FDA equivalent standards. The author describes pricing differences for antibiotics. Link: п»їpolkcity.us.com.
п»їTo be honest, I found a great article regarding Indian Pharmacy exports. It explains how to save money for generic meds. If anyone wants cheaper alternatives, take a look: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# online shopping pharmacy india. It helped me.
I was wondering about ordering meds from Mexico. I discovered a decent blog that compares best pharmacies: п»їhttps://polkcity.us.com/# pharmacy in mexico. Check it out.
п»їTo be honest, I discovered an interesting guide concerning cheap Indian generics. The site discusses WHO-GMP protocols on prescriptions. If you are looking for factory prices, go here: п»їonline shopping pharmacy india. Hope it helps.
п»їJust now, I came across a great resource about cheap Indian generics. It explains how to save money for ED medication. If you are looking for cheaper alternatives, go here: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# Online medicine order. It helped me.
FYI, an important guide on FDA equivalent standards. The author describes how to avoid scams for ED meds. Full info: п»їUpstate Medical.
п»їJust now, I found an interesting page about safe pharmacy shipping. The site discusses regulations for generic meds. If anyone wants Trusted pharmacy sources, visit this link: п»їpolkcity.us.com. Good info.
п»їLately, I discovered a helpful page concerning Indian Pharmacy exports. It details the manufacturing standards on prescriptions. If anyone wants factory prices, take a look: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# indian pharmacies safe. Might be useful.
If you want to save money on prescriptions, I suggest visiting this archive. It reveals trusted Mexican pharmacies. Discounted options found here: п»їread more.
п»їTo be honest, I discovered an interesting page regarding generic pills from India. It details WHO-GMP protocols on prescriptions. In case you need reliable shipping to USA, check this out: п»їindia pharmacy mail order. Might be useful.
п»їLately, I discovered an interesting page concerning Indian Pharmacy exports. It covers the manufacturing standards when buying antibiotics. If anyone wants Trusted Indian sources, check this out: п»їindia pharmacy mail order. Might be useful.
Just wanted to share, an official guide on Mexican Pharmacy safety. It breaks down quality control for antibiotics. Link: п»їvisit.
I was wondering about safe Mexican pharmacies. I discovered a verified archive that ranks safe places: п»їpolkcity.us.com. What do you think?.
п»їTo be honest, I discovered a great resource about generic pills from India. It details WHO-GMP protocols for generic meds. In case you need cheaper alternatives, check this out: п»їthis link. Hope it helps.
Does anyone know ordering meds from Mexico. I found a decent post that compares trusted vendors: п»їUpstate Medical. Looks legit.
п»їLately, I discovered a great article concerning ordering meds from India. The site discusses how to save money for ED medication. In case you need factory prices, read this: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Good info.
To save big on pills, I suggest reading this page. It shows shipping costs. Huge savings found here: п»їhttps://polkcity.us.com/# farmacias online usa.
п»їJust now, I found an interesting page regarding Indian Pharmacy exports. The site discusses WHO-GMP protocols for generic meds. For those interested in Trusted Indian sources, visit this link: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Worth a read.
For those looking to save big on pills, I recommend checking this page. It reveals prices for generics. Good deals found here: п»їUpstate Medical.
Heads up, a helpful article on Mexican Pharmacy safety. It explains the best shipping methods for ED meds. Source: п»їhttps://polkcity.us.com/# online pharmacy.
Stop overpaying and save cash on meds, you should try checking this resource. It reveals trusted Mexican pharmacies. Huge savings found here: п»їpolkcity.us.com.
п»їTo be honest, I discovered a useful article concerning generic pills from India. It explains the manufacturing standards for ED medication. If anyone wants reliable shipping to USA, read this: п»їuseful link. Might be useful.
п»їTo be honest, I came across a useful report regarding Indian Pharmacy exports. It details the manufacturing standards on prescriptions. In case you need reliable shipping to USA, visit this link: п»їhttps://kisawyer.us.com/# buy medicines online in india. Good info.
Has anybody tried getting antibiotics without prescription. I ran into a good site that ranks best pharmacies: п»їUpstate Medical. Any thoughts?.
п»їLately, I came across a useful guide regarding Indian Pharmacy exports. It explains the manufacturing standards on prescriptions. If you are looking for Trusted Indian sources, visit this link: п»їthis link. Good info.
п»їActually, I came across a useful article about cheap Indian generics. It explains how to save money when buying antibiotics. If anyone wants cheaper alternatives, take a look: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Might be useful.
п»їRecently, I came across an interesting page about generic pills from India. The site discusses how to save money for ED medication. In case you need reliable shipping to USA, check this out: п»їwebsite. Might be useful.
п»їJust now, I stumbled upon a useful report concerning buying affordable antibiotics. The site discusses WHO-GMP protocols for ED medication. In case you need cheaper alternatives, check this out: п»їп»їclick here. Worth a read.
п»їActually, I stumbled upon a useful guide about generic pills availability. It covers how to save money on prescriptions. If anyone wants cheaper alternatives, read this: п»їmexican online pharmacy wegovy. Good info.
п»їLately, I came across a helpful article regarding buying affordable antibiotics. It covers CDSCO regulations on prescriptions. If anyone wants cheaper alternatives, check this out: п»їkisawyer.us.com. Might be useful.
п»їRecently, I discovered an informative guide about cheap Indian generics. It covers CDSCO regulations when buying antibiotics. For those interested in cheaper alternatives, visit this link: п»їreading. Hope it helps.
Has anybody tried ordering meds from Mexico. I ran into a cool archive that ranks safe places: п»їhttps://polkcity.us.com/# meds from mexico. Any thoughts?.