British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, David Lammy, unveiled a new soft power campaign titled Jollof and Tea in Lagos, celebrating the strong cultural and creative connections between the United Kingdom and Nigeria. The launch event on Sunday evening was attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, and other prominent figures in the Nigerian creative industry.
The Jollof and Tea campaign, hosted by British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter, aims to highlight the longstanding cultural ties between the UK and Nigeria, with a focus on art, music, film, sports, fashion, food, and nature. British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery, and British Film Institute CEO Ben Roberts also attended, reinforcing the UK’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s burgeoning creative sector.
A unique centerpiece of the campaign launch was a British-style phone booth redesigned by Lagos-based graffiti artist Frederick ‘Dricky’ Stickman, symbolizing the fusion of British and Nigerian cultures. Speaking at the event, Lammy expressed his enthusiasm for the campaign and his appreciation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage, sharing that he had enjoyed Nigerian jollof rice and underscoring the significance of the UK-Nigeria relationship. “This campaign isn’t just about art. It’s about music, film, sports, nature, food, and fashion. It’s about flourishing creative industries in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. It’s about our shared ambitions,” Lammy said.
British Deputy High Commissioner Baxter emphasized that Jollof and Tea aims to deepen awareness of the UK-Nigeria partnership, focusing on people-to-people connections that enhance the creative and cultural sectors. “The campaign will help raise awareness about the existing connections between the UK and Nigeria and take forward ongoing efforts by both our countries to strengthen our people-to-people links,” Baxter explained.
While in Lagos, Lammy also visited Art X, West Africa’s prominent art fair, touring the exhibition with founder Tokini Peterside-Schwebig. In a separate meeting, he discussed potential collaborations with Minister Musawa, exploring ways the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP) could drive growth in creative industries for both nations.
Lammy, appointed as Secretary of State on July 5, 2024, has a longstanding relationship with Nigeria and its diaspora. First elected as a Labour Member of Parliament in 2000, he continues to champion UK-Africa relations, now spotlighting the UK’s cultural partnership with Nigeria through the Jollof and Tea initiative.
