The 5th Annual Battle of Jollof went down in New York City at the famed Pier 36 on November 7, 2025. The Big Apple celebrated global Black culture with food and basketball. It was Ghana and Nigeria that were the finalists, both in the celebrity basketball game and the highlight of the night, a Jollof rice cook-off. And Nigeria ended up winning bragging rights by going two for two across both contests.

Chef Ope Amosu, a Michelin-recognized, repped Nigeria in the cook-off. It turned out to be an absolute sweep, winning both the fan and judges’ votes over Ghana’s Chef Nana Wilmot. Witnessing a similar result on the court, Nigeria’s celebrity team defeated Ghana with a final score of 80-74.

For five years, the Battle of Jollof has been the melting point for culture, food, music, and sport. Thousands of attendees arrived at Pier 36, which had recently hosted NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in a 1-on-1 game against The Messiah. They featured numerous cultural icons, including the rapper Wale, as well as the Nigerian-British Knicks star OG Anunoby. 76ers’ Nigerian star, Adem Bona, made the trip on the Turnpike for this event to join NBA champs Emeka Okafor and Ty Lawson.

Fresh off the WNBA season, All-Stars Arike Ogunbowale and Kiki Iriafen, and former WNBA player and ESPN host Chiney Ogwumike also graced the event with their presence.

Speedy Mormon hosted Bozoma St. John, and Grammy-nominated artist Fridayy completed the star-studded guest list. Perhaps the Larry O’Brien Trophy was a guest of honor during its brief appearance.

The evening also featured a halftime 1v1 tournament, a DJ battle between SuperSmashBroz and RB Nice, and dishes representing the culinary traditions of Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, and Ethiopia.

Apart from the rounds of cocktails, the guests enjoyed custom bedazzled Tequila Don Julio 1942 and Crown Royal Apple bottles, which were presented as trophies to the MVPs of the night, courtesy of Tequila Don Julio, Smirnoff, and Crown Royal.