Why We MUST Support the Forthcoming Oyo State Annual Amala Festival aka Ajodun Oka!

London is having its annual ‘Taste of London’ food festival. It will likely generate Millions of pounds for the economy and be good for business, tourism, the image of London etc etc.

A few weeks back, Oyo State decided it would launch/sponsor an ‘annual Amala food festival’. Their tourism office (which was behind the initiative) believe it will bring visitors into the state, provide business for restaurants and caterers, and showcase Amala and its many variations to the eating public.

Amala Festival Information

Dates: Dec. 15 to Dec. 17th
Venue: Trans Amusement Park, Bodija, Ibadan.

Great business idea eh? What we expect our tourism offices across the nation to be doing?

Sadly, many of my Nigerian peeps do not think so. With very few exceptions, every post I came across mocked the initiative and poured scorn on it.

Apparently, when the Oyinbo man has a cheese festival, that is a great thing. Very civilised and intelligent. However, when a Nigeria state has an amala festival, that is a backward local thing, to be mocked and laughed at.

Amala Festival Information

Dates: Dec. 15 to Dec. 17th
Venue: Trans Amusement Park, Bodija, Ibadan.

I would love to see every single state have an annual food festival to highlight and showcase its local ‘delicacies’. Maybe if foreigners ooh and aah over our own food, we will wake up and consider our food worthy of ‘food festivals’ celebrating them.

One day, maybe we will stop being our own problem. ~ Bucky 2016.

P.S: Even I, who loathes Amala with an undiluted passion, and has not eaten it since I was 7, think this is a great idea. I believe a festival celebrating Amala, is a worthy idea. And could potentially be a money-spinner!