Firewood Jollof, Nigeria’s premier brand celebrating the art of firewood-cooked jollof rice, has announced the first-ever Firewood Jollof Festival, set to take place on November 30, 2024, at Muri Okunola Park in Lagos from 10 am to 10 pm.
Speaking at a recent media briefing in Lagos, Chizoma Chukwueke, Chief Executive Officer of Firewood Jollof, said the event’s unique vision is to reignite Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and bring people together around the timeless flavours of authentic firewood-cooked jollof rice.
Tracing Firewood Jollof’s journey from a simple idea born in 2016 to a celebrated national brand, Chukwueke revealed the inspiration behind the brand, “It started as a nostalgic wish to bring back the firewood-cooked jollof rice from our childhoods.”
She explained that, “What began as a passion has grown into a beloved name in Nigerian cuisine, and now, after eight years, we’re thrilled to share this experience through the Firewood Jollof Festival with over 120 staff members, Firewood Jollof currently serves a wide variety of clients including corporate partners and reaches thousands of customers daily.’’
‘’The Firewood Jollof Festival is not just a food event but a cultural celebration designed to immerse attendees in an authentic culinary experience. Our team have embarked on a unique three-phase journey to build anticipation including events at various community centers, door-to-door sampling campaigns, and even a firewood on the Street, food truck tour.’’
‘’Through these experiences, we have reignited people’s love for the nostalgic taste of firewood jollof rice. Now, we are bringing this cultural flavour to center-stage,’’ she added.
Chukwueke shared her personal journey transitioning from a career at Etisalat to dedicating herself fully to the growth of Firewood Jollof, “Leaving my corporate role was the best decision, my background in branding has helped my position at Firewood Jollof to becoming a household name.”
With dreams of expanding globally, she credits her mother’s traditional recipes for shaping the brand’s foundation, “Firewood Jollof was my idea, but my mother created the first recipe, it is her legacy and we are excited to share it with the world,’’ she said.
‘’Participants can access further information on the Firewood Jollof Festival on social media for updates and registration details,’’ she added.
The Festival promises an array of experiences from a live cookathon with celebrity appearances, cooking competitions, and multiple food and craft vendors.
The event will feature different rice dishes at affordable rates, including Firewood Jollof’s signature classics. With Nestlé Pure Life as a key sponsor.
The festival will also feature musical performances from a live band with a variety of family-friendly activities and a celebration of Nigerian cuisine and heritage.
