By day, Augustine Ogbu is a doctor, tending to patients in clinics across the vibrant Caribbean island of St Lucia.But when he returns home to Rodney Bay, the bustling coastal town where he lives, he switches roles, running his second job as the owner and sole chef of a Nigerian takeaway.
“Egusi soup with fufu is the top choice, jollof rice is another big favourite,” Dr. Ogbu says, listing the meals that keep his customers coming back.
Originally from Nigeria, a nation of 230 million people, Ogbu made the transatlantic move to St Lucia, with its population of just 180,000, back in 2016 to study medicine.
His food venture, Africana Chops, was launched in 2022 after friends in St Lucia constantly urged him to cook the dishes they’d heard so much about.
Today, the business is flourishing. And it’s not only because of the rich flavours.
“They recognise that we share the same ancestral roots. Many times, they want to connect with that,” Ogbu explains, noting that the appetite for African culture has grown “tremendously” in the years since he arrived.
