American YouTube sensation iShowSpeed, real name Darren Watkins Jr., has reignited the famed West African “Jollof Wars” after declaring Nigeria’s version superior to Ghana’s.
The 21-year-old streamer, with over 50 million subscribers, made the call during a recent tasting session in Ghana. After sampling two servings of Ghanaian chicken jollof, he acknowledged its appeal but ultimately gave the nod to Nigeria.
“I have to give it to Nigeria,” he stated, referencing his prior experience tasting the Nigerian variant.
This endorsement adds to his recent commentary on the dish. Just days earlier, on January 22, he compared Nigerian jollof to Senegal’s, stating, “Nigerian jollof rice is good. It tastes better than Senegal jollof rice… I think I would have to go with Nigeria in terms of which country has the best jollof rice.”
His verdict sparked immediate and vibrant reactions online, with Ghanaians and Nigerians flooding social media platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok with memes, playful debates over cooking techniques, and calls for a rematch. Videos of the tasting moment quickly trended, amplifying the long-standing and good-natured rivalry over which nation makes the best jollof rice.
