Nigeria vs. Ghana: Kitchener students aim to settle the jollof debate

Students grab some lunch during a Ghanaian vs Nigerian jollof event at Eastwood Collegiate Institute in Kitchener on Feb. 20, 2024. (Chris Thomson/CTV Kitchener)

A friendly rivalry resulted in a delicious lunch for Eastwood Collegiate Institute students Tuesday.

The Eastwood Black Student Union offered their school an option for lunch: Ghanaian or Nigerian jollof.

Students could purchase the two West African rice dishes and then vote on which one they prefer.

"One day in our BSU meeting, we got talking about jollof, and one of our members is Ghanaian, and I'm Nigerian, so we were just talking about it and then we said 'oh mine is better,'" said Favour Arisekola-Ojo, a BSU leader. "Then we got into a – not really an argument – but a little heated conversation. Then we decided we can turn it into a competition where the whole school feels involved."

Aside from settling their debate, the union hopes they can also offer their fellow students a chance to expand their palate.

"We hope that students are able to learn about other parts of the world," said Arisekola-Ojo. "We just think food in general promotes inclusion and unity, so we thought people here in the western world can learn about a different part of the world."

The  union reached out to local restaurants and were able to get the jollof dishes donated for the event.