In a historic first for Nigeria and Africa, egusi seeds are headed for space as part of a pioneering scientific experiment led by Temidayo Oniosun, a Nigerian space scientist.
Egusi is a staple in West Africa and popular in Nigerian soup. Oniosun, who serves as principal investigator on the project, stated that the egusi seeds were sent to outer space, where its sustainability for nutritional and functional applications in long-term human space exploration was assessed.
Also known as melon, egusi seeds are used in cooking diverse Nigerian cuisines, especially the popular Egusi soup enjoyed by many. He wrote on LinkedIn, “For the first time ever, a Nigerian seed is going to space. That seed is Egusi.”
The simple but profound statement has made history for Nigeria, highlighting the huge potential of Africa’s most populous black nation’s contribution to the global agricultural sector.
Although the seed is not the first African seed to land in space, it is, however, the first agricultural product from West Africa to be included in a space-based experiment.
"I chose Egusi, not just for its nutritional value, but for what it carries — culture, memory, and identity,” Oniosun said.