Boli (plantain)

Boli is a roasted plantain snack or meal^[1] in Nigeria. It is native to the Yoruba people of Nigeria but also eaten by Rivers people due to acculturation.^[2][3][4] It is referred to as 'boli' in South West Nigeria these people are known as the Yoruba people and is eaten with groundnuts.^[5][6] The Yorubas have been enjoying this delicacy for ages, it can be consumed as a snack or main meal which can be accompanied with pepper sauce filled with meat, roasted fish or fried chicken especially during the festive period.^[7] The word 'boli' is being pronounced as 'bole' due to a difference in accent in the south-south region in Nigeria. In South South Nigeria, it is called 'bole' and is eaten with roasted fish. Bole went from being eaten at Festivals to becoming a very popular street food. Originally it was roasted half ripped plantain and hot spicy sauce (made from palm oil, pepper and utazi leaves), however roasted potatoes and yam is now part of the dish. Aside from being a popular dish in Yorubaland, and Port Harcourt and environs, It is slowly becoming a staple food at homes of Rivers State people.^[8][9]