If You Are a Big Tree #3: Jollof Junction

Film. Food. Music. Community.

After honoring Jamaica’s reggae scene and Congolese roots in our last two editions, If You Are a Big Tree now makes its way to Jollof Junction: where Ghana and Nigeria meet in film, flavor, and fierce (but friendly) competition.

Photo: Abudakar Ogaji

This edition dives into one of West Africa’s most beloved debates: Who makes the best jollof? Although unique versions of jollof is found across all of West Africa, Ghana and Nigeria have stirred this pot for decades. Cousins in culture, rivals on the plate. It is time to settle the score. With not one, but two short films and two DJ sets.

FILM PROGRAMME Entitled by Adeyemi Micheal
(4’24, UK/Nigeria)

A poetic reflection on diasporic identity, resilience, and how we carry our homes within us.

Da Yie by Anthony Nti
(20’, BE/Ghana)

A bold, vibrant tale of childhood, danger, and loyalty, set along Ghana’s coast and charged with cinematic energy

DANCE TO THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

From vintage vinyl to viral anthems, our DJs will guide us through the soundscapes of Ghana and Nigeria, past and present. Expect everything from the golden grooves of highlife and Fela-era Afrobeat to the pulse of hiplife, alté, and today’s genre-bending bangers.

AIA

AIA is an Amsterdam-based DJ who lives to move the crowd. Known for her high-energy sets, she blends the hottest Afrobeats with a seductive twist of dancehall, creating an irresistible, rhythmic vibe on the dance floor. She’s rocked stages for Vunzige Deuntjes, Jamrock, Aftersix, and more. Representing Ghana at If You Are a Big Tree, she’ll bless us with a musical journey through GH’s most popular hits.

DJ Austin-J

Austin-J is known for his waist-breaking Afro beats, electrifying delivery, and versatility on the deck. His signature sound has taken him to clubs, festivals, and venues across The Netherlands and beyond, cementing his place as one of the top Afro DJs in the game. Representing Nigeria at If You Are a Big Tree, Austin will set the stage on fire with Nija’s infectious vibe.

HOSTED BY Lucky Jones

Winner of the FunX DJ Battle and host of The Lucky Hour radioshow, Lucky Jones lights up stages across Europe and the Motherland with heart, humor, and deep musical knowledge. With roots in both Ghana and Nigeria, he bridges cultures and continents, making him the perfect guide for an evening of flavor, rhythm, and storytelling in If You Are a Big Tree.

If You Are a Big Tree borrows its name from Bob Marley’s Small Axe, a reminder that even the smallest voices, when joined together, can shake the tallest trees. At Jollof Junction, we gather once more to taste, to dance, to watch, and to listen.

All roads lead to #JollofJunction.

Would you like to attend this program, but don’t have the means to pay for a ticket? Send an email to info@felixmeritis.nl, we can work something out.