West African Jollof Rice; A Tug of War

Jollof Rice is one of the most cherished, common and celebrated dishes you can find in West Africa. The West African Jollof is a unique dish that is typically made by slowly cooking rice and all of its ingredients in one single pot. The recipe for cooking this special food varies from country to country and of course individual preference (for instance I like my Jollof with a lot of veggies with little or no garlic). However, Jollof Rice is majorly made up of rice, cooking oil, vegetables (tomato, red pepper, chilli pepper, etc). It can be served with plantain, fried yam, salad or what-have-you

The type of ingredients used and the cooking style determines the palatability of the dish. There have been several write ups as regards which of the West African countries has the best Jollof rice. This has become a tug of war amongst the countries, particularly between Ghana and Nigeria. As a Nigerian and a fan of Jollof rice I can’t categorically tell you that Nigerian Jollof rice is the best but I can tell you that Nigerian Jollof is a sumptuous and delicious meal you can’t afford to miss. Each of the countries in West Africa has more than one variation of Jollof rice. This variation has united the countries and at the same can divide the countries.

Before you conclude or guess which of the countries has the best Jollof rice, have you ever wondered where Jollof rice originated from? I guess you have not. And, if you have, do you know the country? Well, Jollof rice originated from Senegal, not Ghana or Nigeria. Precisely, the history of Jollof rice can be traced to the 1300s in the ancient Wolof Empire (also called Jolof Empire), which spanned parts of today’s Senegal, The Gambia and Mauritania (BBC 2021, UNESCO 2022). So if Senegal seldom claims their Jollof is the best, why the tug of war between Ghana and Nigeria?

In West Africa, parties, ceremonies, or weddings are incomplete without Jollof rice. The love for Jollof rice in West Africa is exceptional and overwhelming. In fact, the West African Jollof rice has gained global popularity. If you are yet to taste any of the variations of the West African Jollof rice you are on a long thing.

Have you tasted any of the variations of Jollof rice? How do you like your Jollof rice? Would you love to taste Jollof rice?
Kindly share your thoughts.