In a heartwarming celebration of talent, passion, and Nigeria’s rich food culture, 10-year-old Boluwatife Jaiye Gbenle emerged as the grand winner of the Eko Flavours Junior Grand Finale, taking home a ₦3 million cash prize. The final event, held on Saturday, July 26th, 2025, at the Lagos Fresh Food Hub, Idi Oro, Mushin, marked the peak of a spirited culinary competition that saw over 200 talented young chefs compete from across Lagos State.
Boluwatife impressed judges and guests with his creativity, technical skills, and bold presentation. He earned the prestigious title of Eko Flavours Junior Champion and was named an Ambassador of the Lagos State Food System
Oluwaseyifunmi Quassi emerged as first runner-up with a ₦2 million prize, while James Okafor and Akinsola Oluwatobiloba were both second runners-up, winning ₦1 million each during the final of the competition held at the Fresh Food Hub, Idi Oro, Mushin, Lagos.
Adelugba Semilore, Agugua Kamsi, Princess Tifeoluwani, Muhammadul Awwal Tijani, Oluwatara Semilore Marvellous, and Adewara Daystar, who were part of the 10 finalists, were also rewarded for their efforts with consolation prizes.
Speaking during the final of the competition attended by government officials, sponsors from private organisations, and large crowds from different sectors, Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Systems, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said the initiative was conceived by the wife of the Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo Olu, to encourage creativity and teamwork among children as well as pride in the nation’s food heritage.
Olusanya, who was optimistic that the competition would create job opportunities and a sustainable future in the food sector, urged participants to see the competition as a stepping stone to greater heights in the culinary sector.
She said “It is a big win for the winners. Everyone here won today. But more importantly, we have achieved our aim of showcasing the culinary skills of our kids and also exposing them to the fact that there is a lot of opportunity in the food system space. For the winners, I believe they are going to get endorsement deals from some of our sponsors. They would work with us in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems as our ambassadors.”
“We have a lot of events that we also need catering services for, so nothing stops them from being a part of us. And that is the essence of what we are doing, creating chefs, master creators, and food content creators for the future.”
Speaking about the competition, the co-CEO of Culinara Group, Mrs. Olufunke Adu and Jennifer Oduduwa, commended all the participants for putting in their efforts in the competition, saying they are all winners. Adu said the Eko Flavour Junior was organised to encourage a shift from the regular white collar job for the young minds to embrace culinary and other vocational skills to excel in life.
She challenged parents to train their children from a young age in cooking, washing, and other house chores to be useful to themselves and the society at large.
Odufuwa said about 200 participants took part in the event, out of which 10 people and 20 people who participated in the semi-final of the cooking competition were selected as finalists to participate in the Grand Finale that produced Jaiye-Gbenle as Eko Flavour Junior Champion.
She said: “We want to encourage the children that beyond the classroom, they can take on leadership roles in terms of the skills and the things that bring family together, which is cooking. Cooking is one of the things that bring families together. We want the kids to know that they can aspire to be somebody within the food ecosystem.”
The Eko Flavours Junior competition, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems in partnership with The Culinara Group, is a clear example of how food can be a powerful tool for youth empowerment and national development.
