Waakye is better than Jollof - Kaasolo

Is waakye the king of street food in Ghana? Musician Kaasolo, the author of the "Waakye" song, believes it's more than just that.

December 22 was the celebration of a truly local dish, waakye, at the Efua Sutherland Children's Park in Accra.

The food fair, dubbed "The Waakye Summit", was graced by some of the region's most popular waakye joint vendors. The list of delegates included Madina's Fulera Special and Tema Community 11's Forzia Waakye.

Edward Boateng, better known by his stage name Kaasolo which means "no fears" in a creative combination of Ga (Kaa) and Hausa (solo) words, released "Waakye"; one of the 90+ songs in his repertoire.

In the aftermath of the food fair where locals and tourists from different backgrounds flocked to the park to queue for rice and beans, the musician controversially declared that waakye is a better dish than jollof rice.

While the latter is said to have originated from Senegal, it is also contested by Nigerians on the continent and abroad. The rivalry to acquire the bragging rights for the best jollof rice is fierce.

On the contrary, "[Waakye] is a Ghanaian food. It's ours," the University of Cape Coast student and teacher by profession noted.



Placing this local meal above jollof in terms of the country's cultural heritage factor, Kaasolo reiterated "It's good that it originated from here, Ghana."

He further argued, "Waakye is better than jollof because waakye is rich in nutrients. It has beans, cabbage, tatale, eggs, and more.

"A good musician always uses everyday lessons and happenings to create a song. I realized people patronize this food daily, especially in the morning, regardless of their religion or location. Waakye is waakye," he concluded.

Last Saturday, Kaasolo also known for his 2018 "Mi Sumor Bo" track featuring Flowking Stone travelled all the way from Sunyani to Accra just to light up the Efua Sutherland Children's Park with his "Waakye" song.

The fast-tempo tune could very well become the official anthem of the Ghanaian people's favourite breakfast.

Watch highlights of "The Waakye Summit 2018"; Ghana's biggest rice and beans-themed food fair.