What is life without pepper really? 

If there was one thing that made me famous during my undergraduate days, it should be my love for food enriched with pepper. Omoo… the joy of eating spicy food for me is out of this world. 

Let’s me take you through an experience I had during my first year in the university.

Before resumption, while I was packing my stuff in preparation for school, my mum kept reminding me not to forget my powdered pepper and it was the first thing she packed.

She said,“you know you can’t afford not to be eating spicy food because it keeps the body heathy and whenever you are feeling down (fever) or sort, make your soup spicier”. I had no qualms with that since I already love pepper😌.

When I got to school, I settled in, arranged my stuff, and sorted out my foodstuff. While my roommates were hiding provisions that were important to them like milk and cornflakes, I was hiding my powdered pepper.😅

Yes😂

My roommates and I got along well and we shared turns cooking. Two weeks after staying together, It was my turn to cook.

Yes!! finally 😈, because I had suffered in the hands of these people with the kind of food I had eaten the past two weeks. 

While cooking, I added just two spoons of my powder pepper to the jollof rice (or should I say concoction rice, lol). It was a small amount for me, but I was considering my bros. 

When the food was ready, I dished it out and we were set to eat. One of my bros Tunde, complimented me when we started eating. “Guy you Sabi cook o”. You’re welcome 😌

Two minutes into eating, tears started rolling out from my guy’s eyes. I asked him “Ahan, guy wetin happen na?” all he could say was “water”.

Before I knew it he had finished three sachets of water. His eyes were red, I noticed it was the same for the other two, everyone was drinking water except me.

I was surprised 😂, I literally thought all yorubas could handle pepper. I obviously thought wrong, because Tunde never trusted my cooking again after that day 😪. That was when I got my nickname, Ay Pepper.

---

Overtime, this construct has gone from being just a food choice to an identity, norm and culture. Yoruba people and pepper are literally inseparable.

If you’ve ever visited a Yoruba person’s house and eaten their food, you are likely to know just how much they love their food spicy.

Although it might seem like a stereotype to some, because while majority of the Yorubas love pepper, there are still those who don’t like it.

The relationship between Yoruba and pepper has come a long way. 

There are different opinions about why they love pepper too much. 

• One of it is to avoid being nauseous. How do you feel when you eat noodles without enough pepper? eww😖. Yoruba people are of the opinion that eating spicy food is the solution to nausea.

•  Upping the taste of the food by simply adding pepper. There’s just something about spicy food ✨

• Yoruba people are also of the opinion that eating pepper increases one’s life span. There is a saying that “a soul that doesn’t eat pepper is a lifeless soul” which means spicy food improves one’s quality life that is, the more pepper you eat, the stronger you become and healthier your immune system is. 

PS: this one surprised me😅

• Speaking of health, Yoruba are of the opinion that in stew, pepper increases the quality of blood in the body. Frequently, when a person falls sick, Yoruba people will suggest eating spicy foods, like pepper soup or vegetables enriched with pepper. The idea is to hasten the recovery process and increase blow flow in the system.

 I personally don’t know how it works but it is relatable and it has always worked for me.

Anyway, Yorubas have become so fond of eating peppery and spicy food that they haven’t been able to let go.

When asked why they love pepper, some said, “Pepper is life”, while some are of the opinion that ‘when eating pepper, it gives you running nose and that is what they like about it’. Some still believe it’s overrated.

As for me, I think spicy foods are the most delicious kind of foods.

What do you think? Drop your comments in the comment section, I’ll like to hear from you 😊.

Love and light.

---

---

Edited by: Oluwanifemi

References: https://guardian.ng/life/a-tale-of-the-yoruba-people-and-pepper-love-story/