Food Olympics Promotes Unity among Lagos Youth Through Eating Competition

Rebecca Ejifoma

Last weekend, youth across the country trooped to the University of Lagos, Akoka in their drones. It was for the Food Olympics, an initiative that is committed to uniting young Nigerians to compete in a more friendly and conducive environment.

At the event, tagged, “Battle of the Foodlums” and powered by TBWA/CONCEPT, the ambience was warm, receptive and healthy for the audience.

“What we are doing is to go around to different schools across the nation to unite the youth”, says the Executive Creative Director of TBWA/CONCEPT, Ranti Atunwa.

According to him, they figured that young people needed something entertaining, hence, the competition.

“Look at the kind of stress that they go through just to do well in school,” he emphasised, highlighting the myriads of pressure young people are faced with.

“There is pressure from cultism, drugs, and political scenes for students; they are always protesting about one thing or the other.”

Consequently, Atunwa and his team mapped out a plan to help the youth to “chill, relax, have fun and meet people. “We created a contest,” added Atunwa.

Speaking also, the Product Manager of TBWA/CONCEPT, Nene Ikako, said the initiative pulls young and vibrant minds to contest in a conducive environment that enables them to eat and interact simultaneously.

She emphasised: “Food is something that ties all of us as a nation. We don’t look at who cooks what, we don’t look at who makes what.

“All we’re doing is enjoying the food that comes out of our pockets and from different regions in Nigeria.”

On the importance of the competition, Ikako said, “We are encouraging Nigerians to eat what they grow”.

She is confident that the competition would encourage “Us to look inward; what we have within us; what we can generate as a country. And it’s starting from the younger ones.”

Ikako said the initiative would enlighten the youth about the variety and richness of Nigerian cuisine, her heritage and the things that can come out of the agricultural sector.

Participants for the contest comprise a team of three each with the two genders well represented.

According to Ikako, who is also the Project Manager for Food Olympics, winners would get N500,000 while others will be rewarded with other consolation prizes.