I put a team of 10 people together and they came up with like a general
they came up with like a general
they came up with like a general consensus that I had to make a trip to
consensus that I had to make a trip to
consensus that I had to make a trip to Senegal where jollof rice originated
Senegal where jollof rice originated
Senegal where jollof rice originated from so this was my trip from Lagos
from so this was my trip from Lagos
from so this was my trip from Lagos through Benin to Burkina Faso through to
through Benin to Burkina Faso through to
through Benin to Burkina Faso through to Mali in to Bamako and then down to
Mali in to Bamako and then down to
Mali in to Bamako and then down to [Music]
[Music]
[Music] Senegal so there’s a tiny island on the
Senegal so there’s a tiny island on the
Senegal so there’s a tiny island on the coast of Senegal which is called st.
coast of Senegal which is called st.
coast of Senegal which is called st. Louis and Louie is this old colonial
Louis and Louie is this old colonial
Louis and Louie is this old colonial island it used to be the Protectorate of
island it used to be the Protectorate of
island it used to be the Protectorate of or francophone West Africa so they had
or francophone West Africa so they had
or francophone West Africa so they had the governor-general who lived there and
the governor-general who lived there and
the governor-general who lived there and he basically governed all of francophone
he basically governed all of francophone
he basically governed all of francophone West Africa from this place oral history
West Africa from this place oral history
West Africa from this place oral history has it that he had a mistress called
has it that he had a mistress called
has it that he had a mistress called pendan by a and she was privileged to
pendan by a and she was privileged to
pendan by a and she was privileged to meet with you know his visitors his
meet with you know his visitors his
meet with you know his visitors his guests from Mauritania from Portugal
guests from Mauritania from Portugal
guests from Mauritania from Portugal from Morocco from France and she
from Morocco from France and she
from Morocco from France and she basically bent on all this different
basically bent on all this different
basically bent on all this different ingredients and spices that people would
ingredients and spices that people would
ingredients and spices that people would you know brings to celui and she
you know brings to celui and she
you know brings to celui and she developed a recipe called ceebu jen
developed a recipe called ceebu jen
developed a recipe called ceebu jen that’s like the original fell off icing
that’s like the original fell off icing
that’s like the original fell off icing the name jollof comes from the Wolof
the name jollof comes from the Wolof
the name jollof comes from the Wolof tribe in Senegal and the same divisions
tribe in Senegal and the same divisions
tribe in Senegal and the same divisions are mostly were lost that’s the language
are mostly were lost that’s the language
are mostly were lost that’s the language they speak that’s name of the tribe and
they speak that’s name of the tribe and
they speak that’s name of the tribe and so it was quite an incredible dish at
so it was quite an incredible dish at
so it was quite an incredible dish at the time it was made from millet that’s
the time it was made from millet that’s
the time it was made from millet that’s what we call couscous and then little by
what we call couscous and then little by
what we call couscous and then little by little dessert forming the on rice in
little dessert forming the on rice in
little dessert forming the on rice in Senegal and so she began means rice and
Senegal and so she began means rice and
Senegal and so she began means rice and fish she buoys rice in Wolof and jennice
fish she buoys rice in Wolof and jennice
fish she buoys rice in Wolof and jennice fish so what they will do is they’ll
fish so what they will do is they’ll
fish so what they will do is they’ll take out the bones from the fish fill it
take out the bones from the fish fill it
take out the bones from the fish fill it with vegetables and then you have
with vegetables and then you have
with vegetables and then you have carrots in the rice you have cabbage you
carrots in the rice you have cabbage you
carrots in the rice you have cabbage you have potatoes you know you have all
have potatoes you know you have all
have potatoes you know you have all sorts going on there but jollof rice in
sorts going on there but jollof rice in
sorts going on there but jollof rice in itself is rice and meat and that’s like
itself is rice and meat and that’s like
itself is rice and meat and that’s like the basic difference so I like to call
the basic difference so I like to call
the basic difference so I like to call chibi gender great
chibi gender great
chibi gender great grandfather of jollof rice they’re
grandfather of jollof rice they’re
grandfather of jollof rice they’re essentially two different things they
essentially two different things they
essentially two different things they have similar taste and I mean if you’re
have similar taste and I mean if you’re
have similar taste and I mean if you’re like me and you’re on Twitter and you
like me and you’re on Twitter and you
like me and you’re on Twitter and you see the hotel off walls between Ghana
see the hotel off walls between Ghana
see the hotel off walls between Ghana and Nigeria it’s it’s been a long
and Nigeria it’s it’s been a long
and Nigeria it’s it’s been a long unending war and for me it’s great that
unending war and for me it’s great that
unending war and for me it’s great that never ends I really don’t want to find
never ends I really don’t want to find
never ends I really don’t want to find the solution or the answer who makes the
the solution or the answer who makes the
the solution or the answer who makes the best I think Nigeria makes the best
best I think Nigeria makes the best
best I think Nigeria makes the best jollof rice at home
jollof rice at home
jollof rice at home Gani angela in the restaurants is it’s a
Gani angela in the restaurants is it’s a
Gani angela in the restaurants is it’s a little more distance a little spicier
little more distance a little spicier
little more distance a little spicier but at home
but at home
but at home the average Nigerian home like there’s
the average Nigerian home like there’s
the average Nigerian home like there’s no competition every single operation at
no competition every single operation at
no competition every single operation at least 15 countries and nothing compares
least 15 countries and nothing compares
least 15 countries and nothing compares to my mother sort of rice and it’s not
to my mother sort of rice and it’s not
to my mother sort of rice and it’s not just fashion so that’s the beautiful
just fashion so that’s the beautiful
just fashion so that’s the beautiful island of st. Louis about the size of
island of st. Louis about the size of
island of st. Louis about the size of nine football fields it’s a unesco world
nine football fields it’s a unesco world
nine football fields it’s a unesco world heritage site
heritage site
heritage site nothing has changed in about 50 years
nothing has changed in about 50 years
nothing has changed in about 50 years plus it’s beautiful place with tourists
plus it’s beautiful place with tourists
plus it’s beautiful place with tourists and so they have drumbeats for the love
and so they have drumbeats for the love
and so they have drumbeats for the love rice they have a dance dedicated to told
rice they have a dance dedicated to told
rice they have a dance dedicated to told off right it’s a big deal it’s a it’s an
off right it’s a big deal it’s a it’s an
off right it’s a big deal it’s a it’s an afternoon launch dish they cook it from
afternoon launch dish they cook it from
afternoon launch dish they cook it from morning to afternoon you can see there
morning to afternoon you can see there
morning to afternoon you can see there that’s so it’s a two-part dish the rice
that’s so it’s a two-part dish the rice
that’s so it’s a two-part dish the rice the white rice and then the sauce with
the white rice and then the sauce with
the white rice and then the sauce with the fish unlike the loft which is like a
the fish unlike the loft which is like a
the fish unlike the loft which is like a one-pot dish that’s how I cook it and so
one-pot dish that’s how I cook it and so
one-pot dish that’s how I cook it and so you see the final outcome of that
you see the final outcome of that
you see the final outcome of that fast-forward to the exhibition so I was
fast-forward to the exhibition so I was
fast-forward to the exhibition so I was done with my research in Senegal after
done with my research in Senegal after
done with my research in Senegal after meeting with all this incredible cooks
meeting with all this incredible cooks
meeting with all this incredible cooks in private homes and restaurants and I
in private homes and restaurants and I
in private homes and restaurants and I had to come to the exhibition of
had to come to the exhibition of
had to come to the exhibition of National Museum in Lagos so this is one
National Museum in Lagos so this is one
National Museum in Lagos so this is one of the first pieces it’s an installation
of the first pieces it’s an installation
of the first pieces it’s an installation representation of the coastal cities
representation of the coastal cities
representation of the coastal cities across West Africa from Lagos to across
across West Africa from Lagos to across
across West Africa from Lagos to across to Freetown
to Freetown
to Freetown to low man to Cottenham and it’s I
to low man to Cottenham and it’s I
to low man to Cottenham and it’s I titled it taxi it’s basically talking
titled it taxi it’s basically talking
titled it taxi it’s basically talking about our colonial past or similar
about our colonial past or similar
about our colonial past or similar histories or parallel histories and how
histories or parallel histories and how
histories or parallel histories and how colonial masters will you know come
colonial masters will you know come
colonial masters will you know come pitch their tent in the capital city or
pitch their tent in the capital city or
pitch their tent in the capital city or you know what eventually became a
you know what eventually became a
you know what eventually became a capital city and developed a place and
capital city and developed a place and
capital city and developed a place and the rest of the country wouldn’t be as
the rest of the country wouldn’t be as
the rest of the country wouldn’t be as you know developed this is essentially
you know developed this is essentially
you know developed this is essentially characterizing what you know jollof rice
characterizing what you know jollof rice
characterizing what you know jollof rice is so one pot dish and you have all this
is so one pot dish and you have all this
is so one pot dish and you have all this tiny
tiny
tiny ingredient
ingredient
ingredient and influences and recipes coming
and influences and recipes coming
and influences and recipes coming together to make this fix in the wheels
together to make this fix in the wheels
together to make this fix in the wheels cannot signify the like a metaphor for
cannot signify the like a metaphor for
cannot signify the like a metaphor for migration of a movement so the wall of
migration of a movement so the wall of
migration of a movement so the wall of people of nomads so they move from place
people of nomads so they move from place
people of nomads so they move from place to place with the recipe and people pass
to place with the recipe and people pass
to place with the recipe and people pass through Senegal through San Louis you
through Senegal through San Louis you
through Senegal through San Louis you know bringing their own ideas so it’s a
know bringing their own ideas so it’s a
know bringing their own ideas so it’s a dish that everybody has contributed
dish that everybody has contributed
dish that everybody has contributed something to so you really can’t claim
something to so you really can’t claim
something to so you really can’t claim ownership for it last year I was invited
ownership for it last year I was invited
ownership for it last year I was invited to participate in the docket Biennale in
to participate in the docket Biennale in
to participate in the docket Biennale in Senegal and so this was also one of the
Senegal and so this was also one of the
Senegal and so this was also one of the works I shouldn’t Legos and it was
works I shouldn’t Legos and it was
works I shouldn’t Legos and it was specifically selected for dark heart
specifically selected for dark heart
specifically selected for dark heart because they call connect with the job
because they call connect with the job
because they call connect with the job often since it was there I mean that’s
often since it was there I mean that’s
often since it was there I mean that’s what I figured from it’s very political
what I figured from it’s very political
what I figured from it’s very political it goes beyond cuisine goes beyond food
it goes beyond cuisine goes beyond food
it goes beyond cuisine goes beyond food this kind of symbolize 15 West African
this kind of symbolize 15 West African
this kind of symbolize 15 West African states 50 Nicola states from Nigeria to
states 50 Nicola states from Nigeria to
states 50 Nicola states from Nigeria to Senegal to Ivory Coast Ghana you know
Senegal to Ivory Coast Ghana you know
Senegal to Ivory Coast Ghana you know all of them and the experience in the
all of them and the experience in the
all of them and the experience in the car was quite chilling like I felt for
car was quite chilling like I felt for
car was quite chilling like I felt for the first time like I was still in a
the first time like I was still in a
the first time like I was still in a strong you know colonial era you had the
strong you know colonial era you had the
strong you know colonial era you had the French ambassador invite all successful
French ambassador invite all successful
French ambassador invite all successful artists to his residence and it was a
artists to his residence and it was a
artists to his residence and it was a cadena or something a welcome dinner and
cadena or something a welcome dinner and
cadena or something a welcome dinner and two receivers were about 30 French
two receivers were about 30 French
two receivers were about 30 French generals in their full ceremonial
generals in their full ceremonial
generals in their full ceremonial regalia and that was just a show of
regalia and that was just a show of
regalia and that was just a show of power like no we run things here so that
power like no we run things here so that
power like no we run things here so that piece was really like it’s it’s telling
piece was really like it’s it’s telling
piece was really like it’s it’s telling the wall that we we own our space you
the wall that we we own our space you
the wall that we we own our space you know we are able to defend our own
know we are able to defend our own
know we are able to defend our own sovereignty as a subdivision in West
sovereignty as a subdivision in West
sovereignty as a subdivision in West Africa and we share something which is
Africa and we share something which is
Africa and we share something which is similar it’s something positive we agree
similar it’s something positive we agree
similar it’s something positive we agree on if we can agree on enterprise we can
on if we can agree on enterprise we can
on if we can agree on enterprise we can agree on many other things thank you
[Music]
[Music] you
”
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