Interviewer: How did the idea for the Jollof festival come to mind? When and how was the idea born?
Osekre: The idea for the Jollof Festival came to me in 2016 whilst I was browsing Twitter. I noticed that Ghanaians and Nigerians were engaged in many arguments and teased each other’s jollof rice. This got me thinking, “Instead of arguing endlessly, why not settle the debate by actually tasting the different jollof rice dishes?” I believed that the best way to determine the superior jollof rice was to let people taste and vote for their favorite. In 2017, I turned this idea into a reality by organizing the first Jollof Festival in Washington, DC. The festival aimed to celebrate not only jollof rice but also African food and culture. People had the opportunity to taste various jollof rice dishes and vote honestly for their favorite, putting an end to the playful debates once and for all.
Interviewer: After your debut in DC, other cities wanted to host the Jollof festival. Can you tell us which city reached out first and what got them interested in bringing your festival to their town?
Osekre: Right, so well after the first one, the results of the festival went viral on social media. The second city we did after DC was New York and Atlanta was the third one. So basically, when it went viral, people asked us to bring the jollof festival to their city because they wanted to settle the debate firsthand.
Interviewer: Starting something new can be tough, especially when it involves turning an abstract idea into a reality. How did you gather the resources and rally the right people to make the Jollof festival happen?
Osekre: That is always challenging, bringing your imagination to life. It is a process that demands a lot of hard work and patience. Fortunately, it became doable with the help of a team, friends, and a community that shared the same enthusiasm for bringing an idea like this to their areas. The support of those who truly believed in the idea and wanted to see it happen, was a key factor in its success.
Interviewer: What big challenge stood out the most when you started this journey?
Osekrevibes: Believe it or not, the biggest challenge was getting the jollof rice. Getting food from different countries is difficult because not all cities have the same number of Ghanaians, Nigerians, Liberians, Senegalese, Sierra Leoneans etc. The plan was to make this very diverse, with the cooks and chefs coming from at least five West African countries just so that people can experience food from various West African countries. Another challenge was that there were cooks or caterers that were not necessarily restaurants yet so being able to find them especially if they didn’t have an online presence or a website was a challenge but overtime through word of mouth and recommendations, we were able to figure that out.
Interviewer: As you were leaving Presec and heading abroad, did you always envision this path, or did life surprise you with a different journey?
Osekrevibes: Exactly, I had different plans, but life took me on this journey(laughs).
Interviewer: What were some of the plans you had, and how did you let go of those plans to pursue this dream? Having a planned future is something that most Ghanaians find extremely significant, so to go kind of contrary to that plan, how was that process?
Osekrevibes: I wasn’t really tied to any plan, I just had ideas for the future, but I was very flexible. I believe everyone understands that the future is uncertain, all we have is now and so when it comes to making decisions, I consider the present. I saw an opportunity to share African culture, as I realized that a lot of people didn’t know much about the real African experience. Their perception of Africa was limited to conflict, political instability, and corruption. I saw the need to change that by sharing my passion for Africa, and I saw food as the means to do it. When I saw the level of interest and engagement from others, I got excited to go this route and at the end of the day, showcase where I am from. The jollof festival provides a way for young Africans, whether first or second generations, to reconnect with their culture. Having a sense of pride in who we are, what we do, our culture, our food and our music is really instrumental and fundamental to anything else we decide to do around the world. If you cannot be proud of who you are or where you come from then you are going to get lost in other people’s cultures. For me, the need to bridge this gap and share our food and culture became a fascinating opportunity. It is a chance for others to get to know more about African food, our history, and our origins.
Interviewer: Do you feel that your upbringing in Ghana had any impact on your journey abroad?
Osekrevibes: Oh, for sure, I attended Presec and DeYoungsters, where I learnt good work ethic. Also, growing up in Kokomlemle, an adventurous neighborhood, instilled motivation in me to try new things and stay determined. I have had people try and compete with my idea but my competitive spirit, similar to Presec’s which allows them to have many NSMQ victories, taught me to strategize, work hard, and always stay ahead of the curve. When I began, it did not make sense to many people. People criticized me for attending Ivy League schools like Columbia university and Harvard only to end up selling “rice”. Being a visionary and a forward-thinker, however, I believed in the potential of West African culture and jollof rice. Four to five years later, the people who criticized me are the same ones buying tickets to come to my event. Today, I’m excited to see the cultural shift, with my early vision now embraced. It all comes down to foresight, planning, and unwavering persistence, allowing me to overcome setbacks and keep moving forward.
Interviewer: How do you envision the future of your idea? Do you plan to expand to more cities and perhaps even different countries? Where do you see this journey taking you in the coming years?
Osekrevibes: Yes, the jollof festival is going to expand into other countries, we are also going to consolidate it in the United States and give other cities the opportunity to test it out because it is still in a growth phase. I would say it is even in the development phase actually, it is not yet at the growth phase. I say this because we are trying to fine-tune the idea to make sure that the experience is complete. We also want to clearly define it for people who come to experience it and figure out the cities that are best to hold our events. We are still fine tuning it, making adjustments and cleaning things up so that we can present the perfect African food experience.
Interviewer: What is the story behind the Afro Eats and Wine Festival, and what is in the pipeline for it?
Osekrevibes: The Afro Eats and Wine festival has actually already happened. Honestly, everything that I do is about bringing community together and celebrating our culture. It is my aim to show parts of our culture that people have not had the opportunity to experience. At the center of all this is trying to facilitate and take opportunities for cross culture collaborations. It is important to be able to bring a little bit of Africa to people in the diaspora and people that have not heard of Africa or have not experienced certain parts of Africa. The ultimate goal is to unite people, whether in the United States or elsewhere, using elements like food, music, drinks, and culture to showcase the finest aspects of Africa and create memorable experiences together.
Interviewer: Do you have any advice for someone young, maybe just out of high school or in university, who has a great idea like yours but feels scared to start or doesn’t know how?
Osekrevibes: My advice would be that if you have an idea that you want to pursue, believe in yourself, don’t give up on your dreams. If you believe there is something there and that it would be useful or create impact, don’t let anyone change your mind. Do not let anyone discourage you. Keep going, test it, refine it, improve it, make adjustments but don’t stop. Be flexible but keep going; the best advice I can give is to keep going.