Why a chef desperately wants Davido to ‘taste’ Nigerian dish Ekpang Nkukwo
A chef in Nigeria’s southern Cross River, Emmanuel Green, desperately wants Davido to taste a Nigerian dish called Ekpang Nkukwo.
The Afrobeats superstar is expected to perform in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Sunday, 26 October, as part of his 5ive Alive Stadium Tour in Nigeria.
Ekpang Nkukwo is a Cameroonian and Nigerian dish common among the people of Cross River and Akwa Ibom. Its main ingredients are freshly grated cocoyam wrapped in cocoyam leaves, fresh or smoked fish, meat, periwinkle, crayfish, and palm oil.
The chef, Mr Green, published an open letter on Facebook on 25 October, calling the tour organisers to ensure that Davido does not leave Uyo without eating Ekpang Nkukwo, which he calls “the pride of our pot”.
“Akwa Ibom is not just another stop on the tour map. This is the kitchen of West Africa, a land where food tells stories, where every spoon carries heritage, and where hospitality is not a gesture but a lifestyle.
“Here, Ekpang Nkukwo doesn’t just sit on the menu; it reigns. It is the king of indigenous cuisine, a royal dish that has fed legends, hosted kings, and turned first-time tasters into lifetime believers,” Mr Green wrote in his open letter.
“If Davido’s 5IVE Tour is about connecting deeply with the people, the culture, and the soul of Nigeria, then he deserves to meet the taste that defines our essence.”
Mr Green recommended a restaurant in Uyo city, Esa Ndidia, for Davido to stop by and have just one spoon of Ekpang Nkukwo. He says he is willing to pay the restaurant owner, Blessing Akpan, N50,000 for a plate of Ekpang Nkukwo for Davido.
Mr Green told a PREMIUM TIMES reporter on Sunday that the chef in Uyo, Ms Akpan, has been his mentor and that he can vouch for her Ekpang Nkukwo.
“I am the only chef in Calabar who does Ekpang Nkukwo every day, from Monday to Saturday, for the past seven years. I believe in Ekpang Nkukwo.”
Davido, in early October, announced the Nigerian leg of his 5ive Tour, with the tour kicking off in Akwa Ibom on 26 October. The next stop will be Adamawa on 29 October, Enugu on 1 December, and Ibadan on 9 November. The grand finale will be in Lagos on 25 December.
“I am blessed to perform all around the world, and everywhere I go, Nigeria goes with me. But this time, I’m bringing it home. After an unforgettable North American tour, it’s only right that we bring that energy back where it all began,” Davido had said when he announced the dates for the tour.
Some Akwa Ibom music stars expected to share the stage with Davido are Fiokee, Ikpa Udo, Lybra, Disasta, Aquilla Bellz and Sagas.