BRITISH sprinter Dina Asher-Smith has waded into the Ghana-Nigeria jollof rivalry, saying she prefers the Ghanaian variety of the popular dish.
Jollof, or jollof rice, is a rice dish typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, onions, spices, vegetables and meat in a single pot, although its ingredients and preparation methods vary between the two West African countries.
For decades there have been heated debates over which variety – Ghanaian or Nigerian – is more delicious, with each side claiming theirs is better tasting.
According to Ghanaian news portal Ghanaweb.com, Asher-Smith stated her preference for Ghana’s jollof after winning a bronze medal in the women’s 200 metres at the ongoing 2022 World Athletics Championship in Oregon, USA, when she spotted a Ghanaian journalist among the press during the post-race interview.
‘I love your jollof. The most important thing I love is Ghanaian jollof. Honestly, 100 percent better than the Nigerian [variety],’ she was quoted as saying by Ghanaweb.
Asher-Smith is the fastest British woman in recorded history and has been listed in the Powerlist as one of the UK’s most influential people of African/African Caribbean descent, most recently in the 2021 edition