Rema, Shallipopi, club culture, Lawrence Anini, Yahoo– internet fraud, voodoo, and flying at night—the heartbeat of Nigeria, Edo State bears an almost mythologised persona in the average Nigerian’s mind.
Nigeria is home to hundreds of cultural and lifestyle practices. However, some of the most bizarre ones are reserved for Edo, and its people often take credit for a few.
The Northern parts of Nigeria are custodians of agriculture and cattle herding. On the other hand, the South is known for its forests and wildlife. Furthermore, it is rarely recognised for its cuisine and delicious cultural recipes.
A gastronomy that heavily depends on the unique taste of bush meat. Bush meat is the broad term for nearly any edible meat derived from a wild animal.
Deep in the South-South region of Nigeria, Edo state is no exception. Furthermore, on the long list of things that classify as bush meat, dog meat sticks like an invisible but sore thumb.
In September, the internet was spammed with videos featuring people of colour in underdeveloped places cooking unidentifiable meat. The videos came after the President-Elect of the United States made the statement, They are eating the dogs, they are eating the cats. These words were a jab to the Haitian immigrant population in Springfield, Ohio, as rumours flew about them eating their neighbour’s pets.
The BBC has since stated that these claims are baseless. However, it resulted in a string of witchhunts where people sought out videos of people with no affiliation to the US or Haiti.
People of colour were targeted and shamed for the mastication and digestion of bush meat. The criticism came largely from North Americans. North Americans have a diet that often includes meat, but these are commonly limited to beef, chicken, pork, veal, turkey, and lamb.
Most of the world does not share this limitation. In 2019, Mountain Meat Shares reported that More than 63% of the world’s red meat consumed is goat meat. Much like soccer, goat meat is bigger across the globe and so is the meat menu.
Horses, ducks, rabbits, frogs, snakes, snails, and swans frequently find themselves going down an oesophagus. In 2022, the Telegraph UK wrote about the possible extinction of amphibians as the Europeans are fond of frogs’ legs. While the article reads, Frogs are being eaten to extinction … and the Germans are to blame, most of its paragraphs highlight it is a group effort with some Americans involved.
Historically, Swans have faced a similar fate, however, these days, they are reserved for the crown.
All over the world, several cultures have even wider meat options, and that includes man’s best friend and his old god.
Dog meat (Wikipedia).
In Yulin, Guangxi, China, there is an annual and controversial dog meat festival. Its Wikipedia reads, The festival began in 2009 and lasts about ten days. During this time, thousands of dogs are reportedly consumed. The festival has drawn criticism domestically and internationally.
Cats and dogs are popular human pets. The ancient Egyptians did not worship cats, but they were seen as vessels that gods inhabited. Today, cat meat is synonymous with South and Far East Asia.
But in the giant of Africa, at its heartbeat, there is an acquired taste for man’s other favourite pet. With the opening of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) — a state-of-the-art museum dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of West African Arts — the state of Edo is bound to come alive.
So if you are in town for a Rema concert or a museum tour, and you are itching to understand the demand for the forbidden meat. Here are a few places in Edo State where you can enjoy expertly prepared cuisine featuring man’s best friend.
Poultry Road, Ekpoma
Poultry Road is a street across the Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma. It’s the busiest area in town, populated by students, where you can find almost any kind of street food, including dog meat pepper soup.
Chef Village
Chef Village is at Etete Layout, GRA in the capital, Benin City. It is one of the hottest spots for pepper soup and palm wine— an alcoholic beverage produced from the fermented sap of different species of palm trees. Remember, where there’s pepper soup, there is bush meat.
Chef Village is a cool and open location to hang out, and there’s also a good chance you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Versatile Pub
Versatile Pub, another pepper soup and palm wine spot in GRA, Benin. There is a vibe to it, a quasi-club. They host parties and events, but it is still a nice outdoor location where you can get good value for your money (bush meat). Bonus, it is open 24 hours a day.
Pepper Soup Monster
Pepper Soup Monster is a place worth checking in Ugbor central Benin. The name might give it away; they have quite a versatile menu yet the main course is Peppersoup.
Remember, where there’s pepper soup, there is…
Gifted Hands Catering Service
While dog meat may be questionable to eat in public, you can have homemade bushmeat cuisines delivered to your doorstep anywhere in Benin City from this vendor.