Jollof rice is cuisine, culture, pride, and, apparently, the subject of one of West Africa’s longest-running ‘wars.’ If you’ve ever attended a party, wedding, or family gathering in West Africa, you’ve probably noticed people side-eyeing each other when the Jollof is served. And if you’re new to these parts, you’re probably wondering: why is everyone ready to fight each other over rice?

 There’s just one problem: Jollof rice is like the Beyoncé of West African cuisine. It’s iconic and flavorful, and no one can agree on which version is the best. Second, the great Jollof rivalry is primarily between Nigeria and Ghana, claiming their Jollof is the finest. It is Drake versus Kendrick Lamar in an Afrobeat beret with more tomatoes, onions, and scotch bonnet. Nigerians claim their Jollof is spicier and unadulterated in its punch. Ghanaians claim their Jollof is delicately balanced, slightly sweet but never sickly, a fine blend of texture and taste. And then Senegal, traffic cop, crashing the party – ‘Hey! Remember who invented this thing!’ – as everyone looks around the other way and raises a drink to the music instead.

 But no, I'm not done yet. Sierra Leone has its own Jollof, ditto Liberia and Cameroon, and they will let you know. At this point, Jollof rice is West Africa’s version of that family member or relative who rocks up at every reunion to cause some ruckus, except you keep inviting back all the same because they’re just that fly. 

 But why the tension over this dish? Think of Jollof as your country’s Mona Lisa. At least, that’s how each country considers its version of the dish. It is seen as a mark of culture and excellence. Tell someone their Jollof isn’t the best? It’s like telling their grandmother that she doesn’t know how to cook – you’ve been served! You come across memes, Twitter wars, and even international cook-offs about who takes the crown in this food fight, not to mention the celebrities and chefs who have spoken out. Spoiler alert: no one has made a final decision yet.

However, as is the way with cultural delights, the majority of the time spent jibing and jesting about whose jollof is indeed best is spent with everyone else whom, while you wail about your version, quite honestly with a fork in their hand and mouth filled, are simply enjoying the fact their cultural points can so passionately spark off arguments. At the same time, we all sit back silently, fork raised and shoveling. A feud rooted in our regional histories, a dish served up on a platter of comfort food, spiced with a touch of an argument, it is that familiar favorite, the staple you’d find at your feast. Lovechild of comfort food and the most fiery debate around. Jollof gets people talking – even when they are fighting over it. From team Nigerian, team Ghanaian, or merely #TeamHungry, what does this dish do best? It brings everyone together. 

 The truth is, it doesn’t matter which one you prefer, Jollof rice is bound to make your stomach rumble. Plus, when all’s said and done, your aunty’s version is the best anyway… Just don’t say that at the next party otherwise, you’ll start World War Jollof. 

 And so, the real victor in the Jollof Wars is … us, the people who eat it.