Forest Whitaker Receives Nigerian Chieftaincy Over Vegetarian Feast
Written by Vegetarian Star on April 16th, 2009 in Actors, Food & Drink.
Who says traveling abroad makes for difficulty in keeping your diet veg? Forest Whitaker traveled to Africa, ate vegetarian, and got crowned a chief in the process. Talk about a lucky dog!
He and actor Danny Glover recently traveled to Nigeria where they both received chieftaincy titles.
Whitaker was able to receive his title, Nwannedinamba of Nkwere in Imo State, which means “a brother in foreign land,” after using DNA testing to trace his father’s ancestral lineage.
And while Nigeria is far from Whitaker’s home in the US, he was still able to feast on several vegetarian dishes, including several rices and pastas.
“Whitaker and Glover took to the dance floor and moved their bodies to local music proudly by live performers. Soon afterwards, they settled for lunch and each savoured locally prepared dishes of Jollof rice, Semolina and Egusi soup. Whitaker, who is a vegetarian, stayed off meat but enjoyed the other dishes displayed on the table.”
Sounds like a meal made for a chief.
Do we have any African culinary experts out there? What are some great African dishes us non chiefs can whip up in the kitchen?
via newswatchngr.com
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April 16th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Funny, I was just looking into those DNA ancestry kits. I think they start out at around $200 or so.
With my fair skin and blue eyes, pretty sure I don’t have any Nigerian Chieftan 🙂 But still it will be interesting to know more about my ancestry.
April 17th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I REALLY CONGRATULATE THE RECIPIENTS BUT I HAVE SERIOUS DOUBT OVER THIS DNA STUFFF. WITHAKER IS NEVER FROM NKWERE IN NIGERIA. HE IS AN AMERICAN AND I REALLY WONDER WHY HE FEELS SO HAPPY ABOUT RECIEVING A TITLE IN A LAND HE HAS NO IDEA ABOUT. SOONER OR LATER BEYOUNCE WOULD BE TRACED TO A REMOTE VILLAGE IN ABIA STATE OF NIGERIA AS WELL AS WILL SMITH. THE VILLAGE CHIEFS AND LEADERS SEES THIS AS A WAY OF RECIEVING GRANTS FROM THIS WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS IN THE NAME OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ETC. I ALSO WANNA KNOW WHO IS THE ANCESTORY FATHER OF WITHAKER IN NKWERE LAND?? I FEEL PITTY FOR BOTH THE RECIPIENT AND THE GIVERS OF THE CHIEFTAINCY AWARDS AND T HE ENTIRE NKWERE VILLAGERS. WELL, THEY HAVE COME,ATE ,DANCE AND GONE . IM AWAITING THE DNA RESULT OF BEYOUNCE,WILL SMITH,MARTIN LUTHER KING JNR.,CONALISA RICE,OPRAH WINFREY ETC…. AMONG OTHER WEALTHY OR POPULAR BLACK SKIN AMERICANS AND BRITONS.
April 26th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
While i have my doubts about the accuracy of these tests and given that there would have been different combinations of different West African descendants from different areas through the generations; i understand what it means to our brothers in the Americas and elsewhere. I commend the people of Nkwerre etc who welcomed Mazi Whittaker (and possibly his Lolo) and Mazi Glover (and possibly his Lolo) and i hope they will continue to welcome our long lost brothers and sisters and make them feel at home in Igboland for it is their homeland too. For those who see this as a ploy to get financial grants from them, i would like to remind you that were they born in Igboland and achieved the same level of success as they have right now, they would have taken Chieftaincy titles (that is tradition) and they will also be asked, when required, to assist where they can in community developement. Onyeka Onwenu said “…o bulu na i bu Odenigbo gi weta nu ife eji eme Odenigbo…”. I believe they should now be addressed as Nze Whittaker and Nze Glover. Please correct me if i am wrong.
May 11th, 2009 at 9:12 am
This isn’t a Naija ancestry blog, so I’ll start by answering the question. For starters, look up moin-moin (steamed bean cake), akara (fried bean cake), and jollof rice. I think those are all good vegan possibilities for non-ch(i)efs!
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I think primary purpose of Danny and Forest’s visit to Nigeria was to assist with the African Movie Academy Awards in Bayelsa. Why these articles omit and portray the visit as otherwise? Why Nathaniel so upset and pity-filled and he CAN’T TURN OFF HIS capslock? I don’t know jack about Imo state either, but I would still cherish an honor such as Nwannedinamba of Mbano.
Nobody said Mr. Whitaker was 100% Igbo nor was he traced to any single village. Probably just had more Igbo ancestry than any else. I agree with Chu. This honor meant a lot to these 2 men, and hopefully they give much back to their adoptive fatherland.
September 27th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
tuwo syncafa [rice based mash] and fura denunu [millet and fresh milk,sometimes fermented] are two delicious meals from northern nigeria
November 5th, 2010 at 2:38 am
How nice for these two and good for Forrest for holding true to his beliefs. What business is it of anyone else what title they accept or what money they may or may not contribute. It’s rude to even imply that somehow it is not their right to accept these titles. That is between these fine actors and the African people.
November 18th, 2010 at 4:49 am
the fact remans they have been crowned, apart from DNA stuffs that guy looks so much like an eastern nigerian, thank God for Texas and USA
December 29th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Nigerian vegan food is delish. So many dishes. Africa is a tropical oasis – it is so easy to eat a cruelty free plant based diet. As for DNA – do you think African Americans sprung from Kansas soil? Does any body remember slavery/the African Holocaust? Do not ridicule those who have had the courage and intelligence to trace their ancestry and heritage after suffering the greatest crime against humanity. Even those with blue eyes and blonde hair have been getting a few home truth revelations! http://www.ibm.com/solutions/genographic/us/en/
Back to da kitchen,
Groundnut stew, Egusi, Ewa (bean stew) Moi Moi, Stuffed Plantain, Okro stew, my special Jolof rice noodles…; ) Tropical salads, Greens in mint sauce, baked okro,yam chips, stuffed sweet potatoes, suya soya, there are so many Naija veggie dishes… real soul food!