Chief Olusegun Runsewe, the Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), has called on Nigerians to patronise the Nigerian indigenous cuisines in order to benefit from its therapeutic effects.
Runsewe made the call at the National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFEST) Indigenous Cuisines Competition held on Friday night at the Ekiti State Civic and Convention Centre in Ado-Ekiti.
The 34th edition of NAFEST, which started on Nov. 14, would be concluded on Nov. 20. Its theme is: “Celebrating National Unity in Diversity”.
Indigenous cuisine is a type of cuisine that is based on the preparation of cooking recipes with products obtained from native species of a specific area.
It is prepared using indigenous ingredients of vegetable or animal origin in traditional recipes of the typical cuisine of a place.
Runsewe said that majority of the nation’s cuisines have some healing properties, which could either cure or prevent certain ailments.
He then urged Nigerians to consciously consume such in order to stay healthy.
According to him, consumption of local cuisines is an act of patriotism, which would enliven the nation’s culture.
He also urged Nigerians to jettison tribalism and ethnicity and embrace cuisines from other ethnic groups so as to promote cultural integration and acculturation.
“Nigeria is well endowed by all standard; we have those vegetables that could heal and prevent ailments, let’s all explore other cuisines from other tribes and stay united.
“Our cuisine alone can unify us, if we know what we are doing as a nation; we must stop living in fear and ensure that we trust one another,” Runsewe said.
Commenting, Omolola Awolana, a delegate from Ogun, displayed “Ikokore” , “Ebiripo”, “Ofada” during the competition.
Awolana said that most of the indigenous cuisines projected were densed with lots of protein.
She said that local snackes displayed like “kokoro” by Yewa people, “robo” , “aadun” , “adoyo”, “oguro” , “eko” and more should be patronised by local tourists.
Also, Mr Michael Lawas from Bauchi State, said, “In Bauchi State, we consume Tuwo shinkafa, Tuwo Acha, Miya taushe, Ganye and Masa.
Chief Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture on inspection of the local cuisines at Jigawa state table
For Jigawa state, Malam Yusuf Ahmed, Executive Secretary, Jigawa State Arts and Culture, said Dubbulan and Alkaki local delicacies from the state were formerly prepared and consumed during wedding ceremony in the state, but they were being consumed now.
Mrs Becky Soemlat, from Plateau, said the major healthy local food known with the state was tuwo dankala made from sweet potatoes, adding that they were good for diabetic patients and for slimming down.
The states that participated in the indigenous cuisine competition were: Jigawa, Plateau, Bauchi, Ogun, Delta, Rivers, Kano, Zamfara, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Nasarawa, Niger and FCT.
The results of the winner of the competition would be announced during the grand finale, Nov. 20.
