The Group Chief Executive Officer of GTCO PLC, Segun Agbaje, has linked food to cultural preservation in Africa and beyond. Speaking at the 2025 GTCO food and drinks festival, which ended in Lagos yesterday, he observed that across Africa and beyond, every meal tells a story, every bite carries the weight of tradition, the warmth of family, and a glimpse of the future.

He said that through food, people welcome others into their world, sharing not just a meal, but a piece of themselves. He added that today’s tradition lives on, passed down through generations.

To him: “At the GTCO food and drink festival, we bring this tradition to life, celebrating not only food but the people who make it and the culture it represents while providing a free vibrant and commercially viable platform for small food businesses in Nigeria to grow and thrive.

“Now, in the 8th year, this consumer-focused event continues to reinforce our commitment to promoting enterprise and creating great experiences.

“Long before restaurants, before recipes were written down or Michelin stars existed, there was food, and food has always been more than just sustenance. It has been a way of bringing people together, a tradition that binds us in shared moments of joy and connection.”

Notable chefs who treated the visitors to mouth-watering dishes include Hiroo Nagahara, Gabriel Rodriguez, Daniel Galmiche, Lasheeda Perry, Thomas Zacharias Shalamar Lane, Christian Duhalde, Tamra Patterson Hardette Harris and Loremzo Cogo.