A Lagos-based caterer, Theresa Sappor, has said her business received a major boost after she prepared Nigerian jollof rice for American online streamer, iShowSpeed, crediting the cooking to divine inspiration.
Sappor, who runs Sappor Cuisine at Freedom Park on Lagos Island, said the experience has attracted new customers and global attention to her restaurant.
Speaking in an interview with The Plug, the caterer described the moment as surreal, saying social media played a powerful role in amplifying Nigerian cuisine.
“This jollof rice, na Holy Spirit help me cook am. I’m still shocked. Social media get power. Nigerians really have good food,” she said.
She explained that following the livestream, customers who had never visited Freedom Park began patronising her business specifically because of the jollof rice iShowSpeed ate.
“One woman told me she had never stepped into Freedom Park before, but she came because of iShowSpeed. She wanted to eat the same jollof rice he ate,” Sappor said.
The caterer added that cooking had always been part of her life, noting that she started at a young age.
“I’ve been cooking since I was 12. My mother-in-law is also a caterer, so I returned fully to it. I love cooking, and I believe I have the best cook in the world,” she said.
Her husband, who co-founded Sappor Cuisine with her, highlighted the scale of the moment, revealing that over one million people watched the livestream as the streamer ate the meal.
“While he was eating, more than one million people were watching live. We already have expatriates coming here for egusi and fufu, and many of them return after their first visit,” he said.
During his visit to Nigeria as part of his Speed Does Africa tour, iShowSpeed sampled the jollof rice at Freedom Park and openly praised it during the livestream.
“I’m not gonna lie, this is good. I think I might have to go with Nigeria,” the streamer said, triggering widespread reactions online and renewed debate over the quality of West African jollof rice.
Sappor described the encounter as life-changing, expressing gratitude to the streamer for the exposure.
“This has brought global attention. Thank you, iShowSpeed. I also know how to cook the best egusi soup. God will bless you and raise you,” she said.
Following his Nigerian visit, iShowSpeed travelled to Ghana, where he tasted Ghanaian jollof rice amid the long-standing rivalry between both countries.
Despite the playful competition, the streamer again leaned towards the Nigerian version after sampling Ghana’s, jokingly reigniting online debates when he said he preferred the Nigerian jollof.
Ghanaian YouTuber Wode Maya later disclosed that the dramatic presentation of the Ghanaian jollof was staged at iShowSpeed’s request to entertain his global audience.
iShowSpeed’s Africa tour, which began on December 29, 2025, was scheduled to cover 20 countries over 28 days.
His arrival in Lagos attracted large crowds, with residents and traders trailing his convoy while filming and cheering as he moved through the city.
