Almost every tribe in Nigeria claims to have the most delicious traditional delicacies and to be the originator of certain soups typically made from plants and animals found in their region.
Nigeria is a multicultural country with over 371 tribes across more than 250 ethnic groups.
Despite the existence of many minority tribes, the three major tribes are Hausa-Fulani, Igbo, and Yoruba, and most distinctions are made across those lines.
Each tribe and ethnic group loves their soups and typically eats them with solid foods like pounded yam, semo, wheat, eba, fufu, and amala.
Which ethnic group makes the most delicious soup based on popular online opinions and preference of the author of this article?
Do the Yorubas have the most delicious soup in Nigeria?
The Yorubas have gbegiri made from beans.
They also own ewedu soup made from jute leaves and other less-known soups like elegede, Isapa, and others.
ALSO READ: Natural Remedies: 5 benefits of ewedu (jute) leaves
Ewedu, peppery stew, fish, and assorted meat eaten with amala is one of the best Nigerian delicacies.
Yorubas are the true "owners" of Egusi soup.
The Yoruba word "egusi" refers to the method of preparing the delicacy known as "ẹ̀gúsí," while the correct term is "ẹ gun si," which describes the act of cracking open a melon seed.
Egusi is one of the top two best soups ever made by Nigerians, but it's not the number one. The writer of this article doesn't believe Yorubas have the most delicious soup in Nigeria.
Do the Hausas have the most delicious soup in Nigeria?
Hausas soups are very delicious like Miyan Kukan, a dish made from dried and ground baobab leaves.
Miyan Taushe is another Hausa soup made from pumpkin and groundnut paste.
Miyan Zogala is prepared with moringa leaves, while Miyan Gyada is made from ground peanuts.
While Miyan Kukan and Miyan Taushe are fingerlicking delicious—the writer of this article has tasted both—the Northerners cannot boast of the most delicious soup in Nigeria.
Do the Igbos have the best soup in Nigeria?
The Igbos have many delicious soups, but they also have many soups in common with the South South (Efik and Ibibio); for instance, Ofe Akwu is called Banga in the South-South.
Ofe Nsala (white soup) is similar to Afia Efere, also known as "white soup," in the South-South. The major difference is Ofe Nsala has utazi and ogiri, while Afia Efere uses Uyayak, a local spice.
No oil is needed to make Ofe Nsala. It is made with fresh catfish, yam (which acts as a thickener), uziza seeds, and traditional spices.
So many people have argued online that oha soup is the best soup in the country.
The Igbos' oha soup is made from oha plant, native to southeastern Nigeria. It is cooked with cocoyam as a thickener and flavoured with meats, fish, and traditional spices.
Ogbono soup is also another soup of theirs. It is made from grounded ogbono seed primarily found in the southeastern part of the country. Also, the word itself is Igbo.
The South-South also have a variation of Ogbono known as Efere Ibaba (Ukodo). In the Efik/Ibibio version, assorted meats, fish, and vegetables are added.
Do the Efik and Ibibio tribes make the best soup in Nigeria?
One of their most delicious soups is Edikang Ikong, made primarily from a mix of fluted pumpkin leaves (ugu) and waterleaf.
It is usually made of assorted meats, dried fish, stockfish, and periwinkles and is flavoured with palm oil, crayfish, and pepper.
Afang is another popular vegetable soup, it's one of the most delicious soup ever. Afang soup is similar to Edikang Ikong but way more thicker.
Another key difference is that it is made with Afang (wild spinach) leaves and waterleaf.
It also has different types of meat, fish, and seafood like periwinkles.
Atama soup is made from atama leaves with a unique, slightly bitter taste. It is cooked with palm oil, meats, and seafood, especially dried or smoked fish.
So which tribe has the most delicious soup?
It’s a tie between the Southeast and the South-South.
Afang from South-South is one of the most delicious soups ever made, especially because with each bite you are eating seafood like periwinkle, prawns, fish, or goat meat. Oha soup is equally delicious, especially when made right.
The writer of this article has tasted both of them and believes they are both strong contenders and winners.