THE GHANAIAN VEGAN ZULFIQUER GBEDEMAH
Zulfiquer Gbedemah aka The Ghanian Vegan takes a break from his favourite occupation to say hello and bring us up to speed with the current vegan scene in Accra Ghana.
Hey Zuu – The Ghanaian Vegan! What’s cooking? Hi guys! I’m blessed and loved! It’s a pleasure speaking to you.
Accra looks a really vibrant place for plant based food! It’s honestly something that surprised me. Before I transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle a couple of years ago, I had very little diversity in my meals. Now, my eyes have been opened to all the delicious options that have been a part of the food culture here for centuries. In an increasingly globalised world where fast food is more attractive, some of our traditional food options, which require more time and care to prepare tend to take a back seat. 38
FORÇA VEGAN
Do you do a lot of cooking? I try to cook my own food as often as I can. I prefer making my own food because I’m completely in control of what goes into the pot. Funny enough, cooking is something I’m still getting used to because I was never a fan of making my own food while I was growing up; it took too long for my liking. My friends and family find it funny that I’ve come full circle to making cooking videos on the internet!
And eating presumably? That is my real talent. My favourite thing to do in this world is to eat, and I’m very good at it! The best part about cooking food is eating it. In recent times, food has taken me on a journey around Accra. I’ve tried most of the vegan and plantbased spots in the city and
I’ve loved every moment of it. There’s a diverse and growing vegan food culture out here and there’s a lot to experience and enjoy.
You’re on social media a lot? I’ve always taken naturally to social media. I have a background in media, digital marketing and content creation so when I started my vegan journey, it felt like the natural thing to do to document it on social media. It started as a way to keep myself accountable but later, I realised I could be a source of some of the valuable information I struggled to find while I was transitioning. Using social media for veganism has been surprisingly refreshing. Most of the people that interact with me are more curious than malicious. Of course, there have been a few unpleasant interactions here and there, but it’s been a largely pleasant experience.
