By Godwin Felix
Organisers of the International Akara Day Festival have said that the initiative aimed to use ‘Akara,’ a traditional bean cake, to promote Nigerian food culture and women’s economic empowerment in local communities.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)reports that the maiden edition of the festival was held on Monday in Abuja.
It brought together akara and other local food vendors, as well as lovers of indigenous cuisines, featuring cooking showcase, local marketplace activities and programmes that highlight women and youth entrepreneurship.
According to the organisers of the food fiesta, the initiative seeks to promote akara and other indigenous foods on global stage, while empowering grassroots entrepreneurs as key stakeholders in the economic development of communities.
Mr Abiodun Macaulay, a Co-convener of the festival, said the initiative was aimed at empowering grassroots entrepreneurs and projecting Nigerian local food varieties to the world.
According to him, akara sellers and other petty traders were already contributing to the economy but often lack adequate recognition and support.
“These people you’re seeing over there, they’re doing good selling akara, but people don’t know. That is why we’re trying to showcase and empower them, and to appreciate the value of akara,” he said.
He said the initiative was not limited to akara but was intended to encourage petty traders generally, especially vendors of local delicacies.
Macaulay said the festival would be observed annually on Sept. 21 as part of efforts to promote Nigerian food and cultural products, adding that the organisers hoped to develop the celebration into an international event.
According to him, the organisers intend to establish franchises of the initiative in different parts of the world.
Also, Patrick Onazi, a Co-convener of the event, said the celebration was inspired by the need to promote indigenous foods at a time when foreign cuisines such as pizza and doughnuts were gaining wider recognition.
According to him, the initiative is designed to showcase akara as part of Nigeria’s rich culinary heritage while creating opportunities for small-scale entrepreneurs.
“We need to celebrate our own culture, our own culinary. That is why we created this opportunity to come together to launch the international akara day festival today,” he said.
Onazi said akara could serve as a profitable small business for people seeking to support themselves and their families while pursuing other economic opportunities.
He said the festival would also accommodate other indigenous culinary products and reflect Nigeria’s diversity in language, culture and religion.
A participant, Mrs Mary Good, told NAN that the celebration was an opportunity to encourage women to engage in small-scale businesses and reconnect with indigenous food traditions.
Good said akara had traditionally been part of Nigerian households, adding that promoting it and other local foods could help preserve cultural heritage among younger generations.
Mrs Mallam Habila, an akara vendor , said the festival has brought more recognition to the food as many young Nigerians have little or no interest for such delicacies, but prefer the modern fast food.(NAN)
Edited by Joshua Olomu