NewStats: 3,265,431 , 8,186,727 topics. Date: Saturday, 14 June 2025 at 10:47 PM 30720

Recently, my sister asked me what language is eba?
I thought about the question for some seconds and answered I think it's Yoruba language.
Then, she asked again what then is the Igbo name for eba?
I paused, gave it some thoughts, then answered utara. (You'd relate if you grew up in the southwest)
Then it occurred to me that in most part of Igbo land, garri is not that common.
In Igbo land, it is more common to hear utara akpu for pounded cassava meal, utara ji for pounded yam meal, and utara ede for pounded cocoyam meal, but there's almost no such term as utara garri .

So, it got me wondering....

Where did garri originate from?
What region created it first?
Who knows the history of this wonderful staple that has been saving the lives of Nigerians since time immemorial?
Who can trace its history?
I know of garri Ijebu
I also know that the people of Delta and Edo states are known for garri production.

In my hometown, garri frying is not common.
My people prefer to turn their cassava to akpu.
I also know the people of Enugu reserve most part of their cassava produce for abacha

So guys, let's connect this link...
Is garri a staple in your hometown?

Na afonja get am
Na dem like suffer food

greymiles:
Na afonja get am
Na dem like suffer food

Guy! Abeg no start!

Respect garri!

it originated from idah in Kogi start by the Igala people in the 1907

No so, idah make not even get cassava and always wait for aganegbode to get garri and fufu.

However sha, I miss idah. Lovely place

Over to the 'Agric major' students.

greymiles:
Na afonja get am
Na dem like suffer food

Canvass:
Over to the 'Agric major' students.

Why did you delete it?
Were you not sure?

It made sense to me though...

One theory posits that it originated amongst the Ga people of the Gold Coast.

Another theory holds that it was from the northern parts of Nigeria.



Well... the whole thing also has a foreign and slavery twist to it.

First the Portuguese introduced cassava to West Africa from the eastern parts of South America as far back as the 1500s during the slave trade.

The West Africans didn't know what really to do with the crop until the emancipados(returnee ex-slaves) began to return to West Africa in the 19th century and began to introduce various means of processing the tubers to the West African peoples amongst whom they came to settle.

'Gari' might have resulted from such an exchange.

I pieced all these together from all what I have read all through the years.

The first paragraphs of this particular article seem to buttress my point. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting it forward as an authority of any sorts. It is just an article.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eatdrinklagos.com/the-scoop/2019/12/24/a-short-history-of-a-nigerian-staple-garri-1&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjK8OnStKbwAhVOO-wKHbL3BlUQFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw38Oh6s-RDISvBjlk2Uzk5r

One thing is for sure though, the whole thing isn't really clear enough.

Mariangeles:


Why did you delete it?
Were you not sure?

It made sense to me though...

Nairaland, our Nairaland. The only land, apart from Nigeria, where your positive contribution can be turned into the most negative thing due to bigotry and ethnocentrism. If it were Quora, I'd let it stand cos I'm pretty sure but here, right or wrong don't count. Only sentiments.

Thanks anyway.

Canvass:


Nairaland, our Nairaland. The only land, apart from Nigeria, where your positive contribution can be turned into the most negative thing due to bigotry and ethnocentrism. If it were Quora, I'd let it stand cos I'm pretty sure but here, right or wrong don't count. Only sentiments.

Thanks anyway.

Could you please put it back up? It was an interesting read.
Plus, I need as much inputs as possible.

mansakhalifa:
One theory posits that it originated amongst the Ga people of the Gold Coast.

Another theory holds that it was from the northern parts of Nigeria.



Well... the whole thing also has a foreign and slavery twist to it.

First the Portuguese introduced cassava to West Africa from the eastern parts of South America as far back as the 1500s during the slave trade.

The West Africans didn't know what really to do with the crop until the emancipados(returnee ex-slaves) began to return to West Africa in the 19th century and began to introduce various means of processing the tubers to the West African peoples amongst whom they came to settle.

'Gari' might have resulted from such an exchange.

I pieced all these together from all what I have read all through the years.

The first paragraphs of this particular article seem to buttress my point. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting it forward as an authority of any sorts. It is just an article.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eatdrinklagos.com/the-scoop/2019/12/24/a-short-history-of-a-nigerian-staple-garri-1&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjK8OnStKbwAhVOO-wKHbL3BlUQFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw38Oh6s-RDISvBjlk2Uzk5r

One thing is for sure though, the whole thing isn't really clear enough.

Interesting...
Thank you for your contribution.

Mariangeles:


Interesting...
Thank you for your contribution.

*bows*

You're welcome.

If I lay my hands on anything new, might well post it right here.

ever heard of ijebu garri?

During holidays as a child, when we travelled to the village in the East (near OP's ) I never saw garri being process there as heading to the village we usually buy the garri we will consume there at Umunede (Delta state) and also buy there, when heading back to Lagos.

It was when I moved to Enugu for schooling that I got to experience the processing of garri.

Some regions of Uganda also process
garri

One theory posits that it originated amongst the Ga people of the Gold Coast.

Another theory holds that it was from the northern parts of Nigeria.



Well... the whole thing also has a foreign and slavery twist to it.

First the Portuguese introduced cassava to West Africa from the eastern parts of South America as far back as the 1500s during the slave trade.

The West Africans didn't know what really to do with the crop until the emancipados(returnee ex-slaves) began to return to West Africa in the 19th century and began to introduce various means of processing the tubers to the West African peoples amongst whom they came to settle.

'Gari' might have resulted from such an exchange.

I pieced all these together from all what I have read all through the years.

The first paragraphs of this particular article seem to buttress my point. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting it forward as an authority of any sorts. It is just an article.

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.eatdrinklagos.com/the-scoop/2019/12/24/a-short-history-of-a-nigerian-staple-garri-1&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwjK8OnStKbwAhVOO-wKHbL3BlUQFnoECAUQAg&usg=AOvVaw38Oh6s-RDISvBjlk2Uzk5r

One thing is for sure though, the whole thing isn't really clear enough.

Nice!

I don’t know why you think garri isn’t that common in the East. Igbos based strictly in the East don’t tend to use processed yam/cassava flour (unlike the likes of Yorubas and Ghanaians/other West Africans) and in reality no-one has time to be pounding yam or making nni-oka/igba (corn/okpa fufu) every time so garri’s the standard staple. That’s how it is across all corners of Nigeria and it’s borne solely out of convenience, not because we love to swallow garri. It often takes a seasoned nwanya-mgbeke (no shade intended) to process and pound cassava for akpu (or make corn fufu) but any 9-year-old can boil water and turn garri in it. That’s all it is.

The nomenclature wahala na neither here nor there. Just like the Igbo word for wild mango (ogbono) is more common than (for example now) the Yoruba equivalent (apon), more Nigerians are conversant with the Yoruba name for garri fufu (eba) than the Igbo one (nni-utara). That’s it. Cassava was imported to us from Central America or something so there’s no ethnic group in Nigeria (or Africa for that matter) who can lay claim to it. Nor fried plantains. Nor pounded yam for that matter (even though Nigerians are fond of it, other west African countries have been doing it for as long as we have). Africa really doesn’t start and end with and in Naija you know. It really doesn’t.

Removed.

It has an unclear origin or history.

Lostchild:


My opinion below is base from my travels experienced

Garri originate from south south people of the Urhobos. The name garri originate from the urhobo word "igarri"

The original stable food of the south east people of the Igbo's is it not"akpu" ?

The original stable food of the south west people of the yoruba's is "amala" and ?

The original stable food of the north people of the Hausa 's is "tunwo" right?

The original stable food of the south south people of the Benin / edo's is "pounded yam"

The original stable food of the south south people of the urhobos's is "garri. Even their starch consumption extracted from cassava is alternative.

Even the ijaws and the itsekiri are heavily influence by the urhobos cuisine.

If anyone tells you that, garri is from the sw, se, or north nigeria, they are lieing to you.

Garri origination from south south. (Urhobos)

LoL, you're a comedian o.

Pg1: @mansakhalifa

One theory posits that it originated amongst the Ga people of the Gold Coast.

Another theory holds that it was from the northern parts of Nigeria.



Well... the whole thing also has a foreign and slavery twist to it.

First the Portuguese introduced cassava to West Africa from the eastern parts of South America as far back as the 1500s during the slave trade.

The West Africans didn't know what really to do with the crop until the emancipados(returnee ex-slaves) began to return to West Africa in the 19th century and began to introduce various means of processing the tubers to the West African peoples amongst whom they came to settle.

'Gari' might have resulted from such an exchange.

I pieced all these together from all what I have read all through the years.

The first paragraphs of this particular article seem to buttress my point. Don't get me wrong, I am not putting it forward as an authority of any sorts. It is just an article.

https://www.eatdrinklagos.com/the-scoop/2019/12/24/a-short-history-of-a-nigerian-staple-garri-1

One thing is for sure though, the whole thing isn't really clear enough.

Mariangeles:
Recently, my sister asked me what language is eba?
I thought about the question for some seconds and answered I think it's Yoruba language.
Then, she asked again what then is the Igbo name for eba?
I paused, gave it some thoughts, then answered utara. (You'd relate if you grew up in the southwest)
Then it occurred to me that in most part of Igbo land, garri is not that common.
In Igbo land, it is more common to hear utara akpu for pounded cassava meal, utara ji for pounded yam meal, and utara ede for pounded cocoyam meal, but there's almost no such term as utara garri .

So, it got me wondering....

Where did garri originate from?
What region created it first?
Who knows the history of this wonderful staple that has been saving the lives of Nigerians since time immemorial?
Who can trace its history?
I know of garri Ijebu
I also know that the people of Delta and Edo states are known for garri production.

In my hometown, garri frying is not common.
My people prefer to turn their cassava to akpu.
I also know the people of Enugu reserve most part of their cassava produce for abacha

So guys, let's connect this link...
Is garri a staple in your hometown?

Bump.

The name "garri" was originated from Hausa. But I have no idea where the food itself originated from.

One of the most underrated discoveries of mankind

Ibadan state
. Oyo nigeria
Or Ogun State

No idea. But garri is a life saver from time immemorial

T-PAIN is real

Imagine asking

TOriginally native to South America, cassava was introduced to West Africa in the 16th century by Portuguese colonizers. Garri became popular in Nigeria in the 19th century after formerly enslaved people began to return from Portugal and introduced a method for processing cassava.20 Aug 2021

Nlfpmod, where did you dig out this post from? 😀 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️

Garri originated from hunger, no other place than that

Mariangeles:
Nlfpmod, where did you dig out this post from? 😀 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏽‍♀️

😂 Just looking around.


😆

Garium..

A thread of 2021.....Can yall now see what Tpain has caused to us