Augustine Ogbo is a doctor treating patients in clinics across the beautiful island of St. Lucia. But when he returns to his home in Rodney Bay, he shifts gears, becoming the owner and sole chef of a Nigerian takeaway.
"Egusi soup and fufu are the most popular... and they love jollof rice too," says Dr. Ogbo, listing off his customers' favorite dishes.
A Nigerian by birth, the 29-year-old came to St. Lucia in 2016 to train as a doctor. In 2022, he opened Africana Chops, a home-based takeaway, after his St Lucian friends frequently requested Nigerian food.
His takeaway is thriving not just because of the tasty dishes, but because it taps into a deeper connection. "They know we share the same ancestral roots. Many want to connect with that," Dr. Ogbo explains, noting the growing interest in African culture since his arrival nearly a decade ago.
St. Lucia isn't alone in this cultural shift. Across the Caribbean, there is a renewed desire to reconnect with African heritage. This is manifesting through food, fashion, and travel, while efforts to strengthen economic ties between the Caribbean and Africa are underway.
Much of the Caribbean's population descends from enslaved West and Central Africans forcibly transported during the 17th and 18th centuries. After slavery was abolished, the islands developed their own distinct cultures. However, African customs and traditions have remained part of their heritage.
In recent decades, movements to embrace African pride have resurfaced, particularly in sync with global events like the Black Power movement in the 1960s. Today, pan-Africanism is expanding beyond cultural unity to economic collaboration, such as improved transportation links between the Caribbean and Africa.
The rise of social media plays a major role in this shift. Platforms like TikTok have allowed many Jamaicans and other Caribbean people to explore African culture more deeply, beyond the history of slavery. The global popularity of Afrobeats, particularly from Nigeria and Ghana, also fosters this connection. The genre is changing perceptions about Africa, especially in Jamaica, where music videos showcase a more developed and vibrant continent, contrasting with outdated stereotypes.
Caribbean people are not only consuming African culture; they're visiting the continent. The tourism authority in Ghana reports an uptick in visitors from the Caribbean, while South Africa, Ghana, and Kenya are becoming popular destinations. Even countries like Burkina Faso are seeing an interest from Caribbean travelers.
However, traveling from the Caribbean to Africa often involves complicated routes, frequently passing through Europe. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called for better air and sea links between Africa and the Caribbean to facilitate this cultural exchange.
Institutions like the African Union and African Development Bank are working to bolster trade between the two regions, with hopes to increase trade from $730 million to $1.8 billion by 2028. Yet, challenges remain with transport infrastructure, customs efficiency, and logistics.
Some Caribbean leaders have proposed launching a shared currency to further strengthen ties, with discussions about a potential digital currency to ease trade and affirm a shared identity.
For Dr. Ogbo, his takeaway is a small but meaningful contribution to the growing bond between Africa and the Caribbean. With cooperation agreements signed between Nigeria and St. Lucia, he sees his work at Africana Chops as an extension of this collaboration.
"I’m working hand-in-hand with both the Nigerian and St Lucian governments to promote African culture," he says. As he looks to expand his business into a full-fledged restaurant, he is hopeful that the cultural exchange between the two regions will continue to thrive.
"It's awesome! I'm really, really excited about that!" he concludes.