Nigerian Scientist Dr. Temidayo Oniosun Launches Egusi Into Space in Pioneering Experiment.
In a groundbreaking achievement, Nigerian space scientist Dr. Temidayo Oniosun, founder of Space in Africa, has successfully sent Egusi, a beloved West African delicacy, into space.
The unusual but symbolic feat was first revealed in a TikTok post and later featured in a BBC News Pidgin video, where Dr. Oniosun explained the inspiration behind the project.
“The reason I took Egusi to space is not hard to understand. Egusi is a food almost everyone in Nigeria eats. It’s indigenous to us,” he said.
Dr. Oniosun emphasized that the project was about more than symbolism it was about preparing for the future.
“We believe that in the future, people will live on the Moon, on Mars, and other planets. They will need to eat. That’s where the idea came from, so it won’t look like we are not making plans. We should also carry out research on food from this part of the world.”
According to him, the Egusi used in the experiment was sourced from Oyo State before being sent to NASA’s agricultural laboratory in Florida, where food products are specially tested and preserved for space missions.
The video caption humorously read:
“Egusi wey be confam local delicacy from Africa don go space come back! 🚀🚀🚀 Like play, like play, Egusi wey be common food for countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and others, don first millions of people go space.”
The announcement sparked excitement and amusement across social media, with Nigerians flooding the comments section with a mix of jokes, pride, and disbelief.
Some reactions included:
- “There is nowhere Nigerians will not go 🤣.”
- “Me who be human never enter space but Egusi don make am 😭.”
- “Na Egusi you dey experiment, na soldering iron we dey see 😂.”
- “Poverty so now Egusi don go space 🚀 me I no even go Ghana.”
The story quickly went viral, with many hailing the achievement as a lighthearted but significant step in showcasing African culture and cuisine on the global stage.
