Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Abisola Olusanya, has reiterated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration commitment to food security in the State, as well as empowering the creative youths to showcase Lagos projects to the global map.
She stated this while speaking at the final of the Eko Flavours food competition held at the Fresh Food Hub Idi Oro, Mushin area of Lagos State.
Olusanya, applauded the participants for their creativity and innovative ideas in bringing their culinary skills to the fore, noting that the competition is in line with Governor Sanwo-Olu’s THEMES+ developmental agenda for a greater Lagos.
During the competition, Isaiah Oyede, a male chef won the N5 million cash prize in the Lagos State Government culinary food-cooking competition tagged Eko Flavours.
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He defeated 150 other participants to become the Eko Flavours Champion and Ambassador of the Lagos Food System in the competition organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems in conjunction with the TantacomGroup.
Omobonike Awosanmi and Oreoluwakitan Badejo, emerged as first runner-up and second runner-up respectively, during the final of the competition. They won N3 million and N1 million cash prizes, respectively.
Ibidun Layade and Enitan Akorede, who came fourth and fifth, were also rewarded for their efforts with N600, 000 and N400, 000 only.
The Eko Flavours Project is a culinary platform for food vendors and chefs to showcase their talents in making delightful meals at a budget and interact with food enthusiasts, starting with the shopping process at an organised market.
Olusanya, commended all the participants for putting in their efforts in the competition, saying they are all winners.
Chief Executive Officer of Tantacom Experiential Projects, Olufunke Adu, said that all the contestants lived up to expectations, and the most creative among them emerged as winners.
Adu also commended the Nigerian youth for displaying their talents and praised the Governor for his commitment to youth development and food security in Lagos State.
“The most creative of the contestants won the Eko Flavours 2024 Food Competition. The person who won is someone who puts in effort in all that he did. The judges did a wonderful job.
“We also commend Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems for the good job they did. I believe the Eko Flavours food competition will help the upcoming chefs realise their aspirations.”
Oyede, winner of the Eko Flavours food competition, said he is excited to win the first cooking competition he attempted in his life, saying the victory has given him all the validation that he is seeking for.
“I am so glad because winning the Eko Flavours food competition is a dream comes true. I have been on this cooking journey for so long, and I am so grateful that I am being celebrated and that I got the validation that I have been seeking. I am grateful to the Lagos State Government for organising the Eko Flavours food competition.”
Also speaking, one of the judges, a Nigerian actress, Bimbo Ademoye, praised the commitment and creativity of all the participants throughout the competition.
She also commended the Lagos State Government for organising the food competition.
Another judge, who is a certified chef, Adeyinka Arije, commended the participants, who are mostly youths, for their tenacity and encouraged them not to lose focus but to garner the knowledge gained from the competition to break barriers in the culinary industry and be self-reliant.
