The 2024 ‘Back to Your Village Food Festival’, organized by Citi FM/Citi TV, got heated at the forecourt of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), with vendors sharing their unique experiences.
The festival, a key part of the 2024 Heritage Month celebrations, offers patrons a chance to savour a variety of authentic Ghanaian dishes.
These dishes represent the diverse culinary traditions of the Northern, Central, Western, and Southern regions of Ghana.
Vendors, who arrived as early as 5 am, had a wide range of foods neatly packaged at their respective Village stands. The enticing aroma of various dishes such as Omotuo, Tuo Zaafi, Fufu, and Ampesie, along with their accompanying fishes and meat, could be sensed miles away from the AMA forecourt.
Upon approaching some of the vendors, they shared their experiences of participating in the ‘Back to Your Village Festival’. For some, this is their first time at the festival, while others have been regular participants over the years.
In an interview with Citinewsroom.com, Gifty Annan of Aisle Bar and Restaurant expressed her hopes of selling all her products before the festival ends. She said, “We have fufu with abunabuno soup, Kobe [salted fish] soup, angwamu, ampesie and kobe. Our food is special, we are expecting more people to come. We’re cashing more money, but we hope to get more money and sell off all our foods after the day.”
Irene Thompson, owner of Elton Exquisite Cookery, also at the Akan Village, said, “We have aprapransa, eto, fufu with goat meat, ankrantie, konkonte. Our food tastes so good, this is homemade food. Sales are picking up, we praying patrons come in their numbers.”
The Chief Executive Officer of A and F Delight Services told citinewsroom.com, “This is my first time and it’s great to be here. The place is lively. We’ve antelope soup, snails and mushroom soup, dried fish and palm nut soup. We also have goat and groundnut soup, and okro stew. If you have Ghc20, you can eat, mushroom GHC10 to GHC 20, antelope meat GHC30 to GHC40, it’s very affordable.”
Selassie Agbesi of Pork 101 also shared, “So far so good, I think we are on course, the whole Citi FM/TV is a brand so it’s going well. I’m glad to be part of it.”
“Everything is going well, we came not long ago but I think sales have been ok. The festival is beautiful, compared to the previous we have attended, this is a very big one,” Lovely Justice of Catfish Grill remarked.
Refelcia Broke, owner of ‘Twi Meko’, highlighted the importance of being part of the festival to showcase her food to the world. She said, “People are patronising us, and we are so happy about that. We expect that all our food will be finished by the close of the day. And we expect better tomorrow.
The festival is lively and I love everything about it, so many people here, lots of programmes and I love it, this is my second time.”
Mrs Benocraf Akornoo, the owner of Benopcaf Catering Services, also remarked on how the business has been thriving. She said, “It’s been by his grace, that people are buying our food, they give us thumbs up after eating because the food tastes so good.”
Hamdia Mahama of Cuisine Art, stated, “Ours is so nice, the prices are very moderate, it’s been interesting. Ghanaians come here and they see what other regions have.”
Kelewele Queen also mentioned, “We have kelewele, fanti kenkey, groundnut, shito.”
“For now, business is fine, people are patronising, it’s going well. We have fufu with assorted soups, we have abunabunu, inside it is nail, crab, mushroom, we also have goat light soup,” said Aunty Naa Cuisine.
Kelewele Queen shared, “We have kelewele, fanti kenkey, groundnut, shito.” Aunty Naa Cuisine added, “For now, business is fine, people are patronizing, it’s going well. We have fufu with assorted soups, we have abunabunu, inside it is nail, crab, mushroom, we also have goat light soup.”
John Peter Addo Nyarko, the owner of Akuapim Palmwine, advocated for a quarterly festival to help indigenous businesses showcase their products. He said, “Business is going well, it’s a good place to experience Ghanaian stuff and businesses.
“We have our palm wine from the Akuapim mountains, it’s fresh. Citi FM is about quality, once what you brought is a standard, it’s supposed to sell. I’m not too bothered about the market. They are coming, and when you taste them, you want to buy them. I pray we get to do this once every quarter, let’s showcase what we have. This is palm wine, it’s very fresh, nothing added, straight from the palm we brought it here.”
A vendor at Wilmar Africa’s stands expressed, “We expect more buyers, we have everything here, from the kitchen to detergents, bread spread, rice and so we have everything.” A representative with Tinalina Catering Services happily said, “Business has been good, it’s a nice programme, we have Tuo Zaafi, fufu, and all the local foods are available here. It tastes good.”
Enyonam Wamba stated, “The patronage is ok, we expect by 6 pm we have sold everything. We are waiting to see more customers and activities that will entertain us. We have fetridetse, adem3, all the locally made food from Volta region.” Rhoda Opoku of Sislou Restaurant said, “Everything is going well, we have been able to make sales.”
Christiana Adwoa Anima Amoako of Sunshine Chop Bar shared, “We have catfish, abolo, ayakayak3, everything is natural.”
The “Back to Your Village” Food Festival is powered by Citi TV with the unwavering support of 97.3 Citi FM.
Back to Your Village Food Festival is sponsored by Frytol, Fortune Rice, Miss Cookie Spices, Pan African Savings and Loans, Everpack, and GBFoods.
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