Students celebrate Nigerian independence
Regina Aquino
Issue date: 10/5/09 Section: News
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A live band playing traditional Nigerian music was also featured at the banquet.
"Today's event is about celebrating Nigerian Independence Day, which was yesterday, October 1st, but we couldn't do it yesterday because students had school," said Echeme Emole, a sophomore political science major who is also secretary of the Nigerian Student Association.
Emole also said Nigeria is now forty nine years old.
Prior to Oct. 1, 1960, Nigeria was a British colony, but after years of hard struggle and political turmoil, the country was able to achieve independence, according to the 123IndependenceDay Web site.
About 50 people attended the banquet held in the dining room of the International House.
Kimberly Nkem Uweh, a junior chemistry major who is also a member of the Nigerian Student Association, gave a background on the dishes that were served.
"We have fried plantains, which are a side order, and they can go on rice," she said. "Then we have jollof rice, which basically is a tomato sauce cooked with rice in it.
"Next, we have moin-moin, which is ground-up black eyed peas with egg and corned beef in it, and it's spicy.
"And then we have chicken with tomato sauce on it."
Nnamdi Nwaigwe, a junior business administration major who is vice president of the Nigerian Student Association, said the banquet was also a regional dinner for the International House.
"I'm the head coordinator of the regional dinners, and I can't remember if we've ever had a Nigerian regional dinner, so I wanted to make sure I incorporated it in," he said. "I wanted to make sure that everybody had an opportunity to absorb the culture and the experience together, down to the food to the live music and entertainment."
Sean O'Byrne, a senior chemistry major from Ireland, said he really enjoyed the food, especially, the meat.
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