Nigerian travel expert Geraldine Itoe, founder of the Oriki Experience brand, is taking African cuisine to global heights as she aims for a Guinness World Record with the longest dining table in history. She spoke with CHUKS OKOH, at the just concluded Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos.
What is Oriki all about and what is the meaning of Oriki, first Is it a Yoruba word?
Oriki is a Yoruba word, but it’s definitely an African concept. It does mean praise in the Yoruba tradition. It means praise to the king and praise to… so, but in the in the area of this event, which is the Oriki Experience, it is celebrating our heritage, praising our heritage, praising our culture, praising where we come from, our origins, our style, our livelihood. Those things that are unique and indigenous to us as Africans generally, and, of course, as Nigerians predominantly. So, Oriki in this context is spotlighting the best of us Africans and our excellence as Black people. Because we have a lot of things that we do that are hidden or have been forgotten, Oriki’s job here is to spotlight those things and bring them back. It is, in a nutshell, it is bringing Africa back to the table. That is what Oriki means in this context.
Now, talking about the table, I can see a very long table with so many people sitting, probably to eat or maybe to discuss. What is it all about?
It is both. It is everything. So, the table is a place, it’s a multisensory platform where a lot is going to happen. From conversations that matter, it is a place where we remember what we are and who we are as a people, our identity, which cuts across from our cultural traditions to our culinary stories and all of that. We try to remember what we are and who we are as a people originally. So, the Oriki Table is one that will be putting forward the best of our essence as Nigerians, as Africa. That is really what Oriki means: praising and celebrating who we are. And also, beyond the idea of all of this, we also have what we call the longest table attempt. It’s a Guinness World Record attempt.
Sometime next year, we intend to showcase, we’ve already begun the process… we intend to attempt the longest table in the world, where we’re going to showcase the best of African cuisine, our best culture, our best fashion, our best everything will be on spotlight on the longest table. So, the Oriki Table is one that features the best of who we are and also featuring the longest dining table, where we intend to bring Africa to the table.
So, when is this event going to take place?
So, Oriki Table is a sequence of events. It’s not only just one event. So, we’re going to have series of events beginning from sometime this year in December, which will continue to like sometime in March next year, and it will continue again. You know, it will run through the year. But the event for the Guinness World Record itself will be in December next year. Early in December next year.
So, who are your partners?
We are working on our partnerships. Right, yes. We’re currently working on our partnerships.
So, is the government also involved?
They will be involved. Yes.
So, we are looking at cultural enthusiasts, the diasporans. We are looking at corporates. We are looking at families. We’re looking at individuals. It’s for the whole audience in a nutshell—politicians, it’s for everybody. Table for all.
