World Food Day: Navy Officers’ wives nurture culinary creativity in students
By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Naval Officers’ Wives Association (NOWA), in collaboration with renowned culinary expert, Chef Ruddy, has trained students of NOWA Secondary School, Abuja, on healthy cooking practices and creative food preparation as part of activities marking the 2025 World Food Day.
The event, themed “Water is Life, Water is Food: Leave No One Behind” focused on promoting nutrition, peace, and inclusivity through the art of cooking.
It featured practical demonstrations, interactive sessions, and a mini food competition aimed at empowering young learners with basic culinary and hygiene skills.
Speaking at the event, the Vice President of NOWA, Mrs Zainab Akpan, said that food transcends sustenance, describing it as a unifying element that promotes love, peace, and community building.
Akpan said that when people cook and eat together, they bridge divides and strengthen bonds, adding that food connects people across backgrounds, beliefs, and borders.
According to her, through this initiative, NOWA wants to teach children the value of healthy living, discipline, and compassion, because a nourished body creates a peaceful mind.
She encouraged the students to embrace healthy habits, learn dialogue, and promote peace in their classrooms, adding that a good meal, like peace, requires the right ingredients such as love, tolerance, and understanding.
“As a Global Ambassador of Peace, I see every opportunity through the lens of building sustainable peace.
“Food is more than what we eat. It is a universal language that speaks acceptance, togetherness, and love. When we cook and eat together, we are building peace.”
Akpan said the collaboration with Chef Rudy was designed to instill the values of discipline, teamwork, and compassion in students, describing them as the future leaders who would shape a peaceful and prosperous society.
Also speaking, Chef Ruth Ibrahim, popularly known as Chef Ruddy, said the 2025 World Food and Chef Day inspired her outreach to schools to promote nutrition and sustainable food practices.
Ibrahim said her kitchen had covered 10 schools in one week, in commemoration of the 2025 World Food Day.
She encouraged students to develop interest in culinary arts, manage food responsibly, and embrace healthy eating habits.
“I’m grateful that this collaboration marks the final and most fulfilling stop for 2025.”
The Commandant of NOWA Secondary School, Commander Muktar Lawal, described the programme as highly educative and timely.
He said the lecture had broadened the students’ knowledge in areas like food hygiene and food security.
According to him, it will greatly help our students, especially the 80 of them offering Food and Nutrition, to perform better in both their theory and practical examinations.
Some of the students who participated in the exercise shared their excitement.
“I learned that there are specific chopping boards for different foods like blue for seafood, red for red meat, and green for vegetables,” said Mariam Sidika.
Another student, Ilyasu Abimaje, said the experience was exciting and inspiring, saying he now understood food safety practices and aspires to pursue cooking as a skill.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event reinforced NOWA’s commitment to youth empowerment, peace education, and healthy living through creative and practical learning.
The interactive session ended with students showcasing their own dishes and sharing lessons learned about teamwork, hygiene, and creativity in food preparation. (NAN)
